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Vulcan

Vulcan is a small, quiet village with ca. 2500 inhabitants, with a beautiful fortified church located at the western end of Barsa Land, and has the most beautiful view of the mountains: Piatra Craiului, Bucegi, Postavarul, Magura Codlei.

Barsa Land is a valley in the southeastern part of Transylvania. The Hungarian King Andrew (1205-1235) awarded Barsa Land to the German Order (Teutonic Knigts) in 1211, whose task it was to defend against the pagan Kumans who lived outside the Carpathian Arch.

The German Order left, but the settlers who created this unique fortified church in Transylvania remained. In Barsa Land alone there are thirteen fortified churces, in all of transylvania well over a hundred.

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Attractions

Discover some of the most superb, unexplored scenery in Europe : the lofty peaks of the Carpathian Mountains ; the dense, wild forests of Transylvania; the immense gorges of Zarnesti.

Explore dense pine and beech forests still inhabited by the Carpathian brown bear, wolves, deer, wild boar, and the rare lynx, more than a third of the European populations of large carnivores still roam the Romanian forests.

Watch eagles soar in the mountains and many other bird species, trace secret passages in rambling Transylvanian castles, picnic amid a patchwork of wild flowers, meet farmers who still plough by hand or foresters who are more used to meeting bears than tourists.

Walk, track, hike, climb in the mountains - the dramatic peaks and ridges of Piatra Craiului-, cycle, explore caves, photograph, watch wildlife, ride old steam trains, study wild flowers and plants, stroll in the countryside, or you can just relax in the home of a village family and enjoy traditional home cooking, home made wine and plum brandy and country hospitality at its best.

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Why Barsa Land?

Discover the Romanian mountains such as the Piatra Craiului massif, which is one of the largest limestone mountains of the Romanian Carpathians. It extends from north to south over a length of about 22 km and is characterized by a large biodiversity with numerous endemic plants and rare birds.

Take a day of hiking and experience the original atmosphere of an unspoilt forest where you can follow in the footsteps of wolves, bears, lynxes (the protection of these species and the preservation of their habitat is an important concern for the future), wild boar, deer and chamois; or cross a deep limestone gorge and stay in awe of the vertical cliffs.

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Fauna

Early spring in the mountains! Woodpeckers drumming loudly, exciting views of large carnivores including the European Brown Bear and other species.

Romania is one of the richest countries in mainland Europe in terms of the species living here in various habitats. Some facts: the bird list contains 364 species, we have 191 fish species, 30 reptiles species and 102 species of mammals. Of the 364 species of birds, 109 can be found in the Piatra Craiului National Park.

The raptor species that you can come across in the Piatra Craiului Mountain are : Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Buzzard (Buteo buteo), Goshawk (Accipiter gentillis), Sparrowhawk (A. nisus), Hobby (Falco subbuteo), Peregrine Falcon (F. peregrinus), Kestrel (F.tinnunculus), Little Owl (Athene noctua) and many others

The Gorges and rocky areas are populated with : Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris), Swift (Apus apus), Alpine Swift (Apus melba), Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis).

The Carpathian Mountains divide Transylvania from the rest of Romania creating an attractive landscape and offering an amazing range of mountainous species all breeding here: Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), Hazel Grouse (Bonasa Bonasia), Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria), Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus), Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Crag Martin (Ptynoprogne rupestris), Alpine Swift (Apus melba), Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia), Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Lesser -spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina), Woodpeckers (Picus) and many more.

The mountainous basins attract other interesting species such as Goshawk (Accipiter gentiles), Quail (Coturnix coturnix), Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio), as well as plenty of different common and rare Warblers, White and Black Storks, golden and lesser - spotted Eagles, Black Kite (Milvus migrans) and other raptors as well.

Of the approximately 100 mammal species of the country, over 40 % live around the Piatra Craiului massif. Up to now, 17 bat species have been identified, as the caves and old tree hollows in the national park give them the shelter they need. A significant number are strictly protected, with 6 species of community interest (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, R. euriale, Myotis bechsteinii, M. blythii, M. myotys, Barbastella barbastellus).

The Romanian Carpathians are the only place in Europe west of Russia where widespread populations of all three large carnivore species (Bear - Ursus arctos; Wolve - Canis lupus and Lynx - Lynx lynx) still exist. They are home to about 50% of all bears, 35% of all wolves and 30% of all lynx in Europe.

Surveys undertaken have shown the existence of three animal corridors between Piatra Craiului and the Bucegi mountains. These corridors have special protection status.

The invertebrate fauna is amazingly rich, and of special scientific interest. Particularly significant is that there are not only 35 endemic species but also 91 recognised as being completely new species, examples are Nesticus constantinescui (Arahnida) and Rhagidia carpatica (Arahnida, Acari).

Piatra Craiului is home to a great number of butterfly species, up to now over 216 species have been identified, some of them rare or endemic. Here are some examples : Psodos coracinus dioszeghy - endemic alpine subspecies; Apamea zeta sandorokovacsi - endemic Carpathian species; Erebia pronoe - local Carpathian species, found only in Piatra Craiului and the Bucegi mountains, etc.

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Flora

Wilderness, wilderness, wilderness - miles and miles of raw nature, breathtaking and unyielding .

The richness in species that have made Piatra Craiului their home is the result of the extensive variety of conditions present in this mountainous area, which has facilitated flora development.

Being 2200 m above sea level has created the ideal environment for all groups of mountain and alpine species. This unique biodiversity is favoured by forests, crags, detritus, meadows and small swampy areas all co-existing. Mushrooms, mosses, lichens and flowers are in their element here.

A total of 1118 species and subspecies of plants has been identified on Piatra Craiului area. As there are 3136 spontaneous species of Romanian flora, it can be said that these mountains are home to over 30 % of them, with 181 of them on the Red List of Superior Plants in Romania, meaning the species is endemic, rare or vulnerable.

Here are some of the best known ones enjoying total protection, and which make a walk in the area during the summer months such a pleasure : Piatra Craiului Little Pink (Dianthus callizonus) - symbol of the mountain, endemic species; Yew Tree (Taxus baccata); Angelica (Angelica arhangelica); Black Vanilla Orchid (Nigritella nigra); Red Vanilla Orchid (Nigritella rubra); Alpine Poppy (Papaver alpinum ssp. corona-sancti-stefani); Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina); Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum); Globeflower (Trolius europaeus); Rhododendron Mytifolium and Rhod. Kotschy; Gladiola Imbricatus; Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea); Daphne Blagayana ; Garland Flower (Daphne cneorum) etc..

Piatra Craiului National Park has an impressive number of wild orchids.

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