Active tourism in Romania - caves.

Among those 237,500 km2 of Romania, the rocks favourable to the development of the caves (limestone, marble, dolomites, sandstone, conglomerats, salt) cover 6,320 km2 (2.6% of the territory).

The Romanian caves were mentioned for the first time in the 17th century in the speleologic and geographical worls literature. The first topographic plans in the world were made in 1692 in Veterani Cave (Almaj Mountains). Zmeilor Cave from Onceasa (Bihor Mountains) was mentioned in the 19th century. The skeletons of hundreds of Ursus spelaeus were discoverd in this cave.

In 1897, the first monography in Romanian language was made for Ialomita Cave (Bucegi Mountains). In 1903, the first guide-book of a karstic area was published (Bihor Mountains). In the 19th – 20s century, the first caves were prepaired for tourism: Ialomita Cave (Bucegi Mountains), Meziad Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains), Scarisoara Glacier (Bihor Mountains), Vadul Crisului Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains).

On April 26, 1920, the former Antarctica explorer, Emil Racovita, founded in Cluj-Napoca the first speleology institute in the world. Thus, the new science received a special statud, while Cluj-Napoca became an international centre for the biospeleological researches.

The first exploration of some wells in Romania started in 1886 being reached the height 84 in Pestera Mare from Soroniste (Mehedinti Mountains). Known on almost 1,100m since 1863, Meziad Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains) exceeded, in 1932, 4 km in lenght..

In 1965, a team from the Speleology Institute discovered ancient human in Ciur-Izbuc Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains). Among those 14 caves in the world, more than 400 human traces were discoverd here.

The activity of the amateur speleologists started in 1965. They will discover spectacular extensions in the caves previously known and will put a monopol on the discovery activity. In Romania were known : 73 caves in 1884; 200 in 1915; 500 in 1945; 984 in 1965. As a consequence of their activity, 1,973 caves were known in 1976, while in 1978 almost 3,400 caves. Today, more than 12,500 caves are known.

13 caves longer than 2 km were known in 1965 (1 was longer than10 km) and 6 deeper than 100 m. Today, their number reached 76 (10 longer than 10 km) and 86 deeper than 100 m.

The longest cave in Romania is Vantului Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains): 50 km. The largest difference of level is noticed in the hollows under Coltii Grindului (Piatra Craiului Mountains), 540 m, while the largest positive difference of level is in Sura Mare Cave (Sureanu Mountains), 405 m.

The largest vertical cave is located in Clocoticiul din Carca Paretilor (Valcan Mountains) and measures 121 m. The exploration was done by Emil Racovita Club from Bucharest.

The largest underground waterfall is located in Gavanului Cave from Gura Cerului (Somes Plateau), 52 m. The same club controlls the exploration..

In Romania, a few tens of caves in salt are to be found, the largest having 3,234 m in lenght, and –42 m difference of legel. It is crossed by two salty brooks and reveals a wide range of structures in various colours. It is located at Manzalesti, in Buzau Mountains, and preserved for many years the world record of the lenght.

In 1978, a team from Emil Racovita Club discovered the first Paleolitic paintings in the centre and the south-east of Europe in the cave from Cuciulat quarry (Somes Plateau): a horse, a cat, a human silhoutte. The researchers from the Archeology Institute dated them 12,000 years ago.

In Adam’s Cave (Cerna Mountains), a thermal cavity termala with hot water and air until 45°C, stalactites 4-8 cm in lenght, 1 cm in thickness can be noticed.

10 caves with underground glaciers were discovered in Romania: in Bihor and in Fagaras Mountains. Scarisoara Glacier (Bihor Mountains) has a volume of 50,000 m3.

Emil Racovita Club discovered tens of caves at more than 2,000 m altitude. The highest is located in Fagaras Mountains, at 2,517 m.

In 1989, on the occassion of the International Congress of Speleology in Budapest, the Committee for the Large Caved of the International Union of Speleology released a synthesis of the information on the caves in the world. The largest diversity of caves in such rocks was recorded in Romania. Many Romanian caves are in the world top of the caves.

Some of the caves are electrified: Ursilor Cave from Chiscau (Bihor Mountains), Muierii Cave (Parang Mountains), Ialomita Cave (Bucegi Mountains), Vadul Crisului Cave (Padurea Craiului Mountains). Only a few arrangement were made in other caves and you can get a guide.

More info at: Emil Racovita Club Bucharest, Ica Giurgiu, Andrei Samoil; http://www.muntiicarpati.alpinet.org/; muntiicarpati@pcnet.ro; tel: 311.28.22, 683.51.03.