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Sight Seeing
The city of Odorheiu Secuiesc is a 700 year old beautiful small town surrounded by beautiful sceneries. The city is strategically located at important railroads and crossroads, and accessible by all means of transport. It is the gate to the Szekler Country and the majestic Eastern Carpathians while at the same time close to Sighisoara, Dracula’s birthplace, or the Saxon fortified churches.
In Odorheiu Secuiesc, we can admire parks filled with ornamental plant species, and relax in public garden filled with flowers along the roads and alleys, next to medieval chapels, the Renaissance castle and the late Baroque Franciscan monastery. From there, it is quite easy to explore the Eastern part of Transylvania, the Szekler Country.
PRAID SALT MINE CATHEDRAL
Situated at 10 km away from Sovata resort in the Harghita District, Praid Saline is one of the biggest salt mines of Romania and even Europe. Its exploitation has been standing for income source for the inhabitants of the area for hundreds of years. Immense galleries, filled with salt crystals in a myriad of colors, welcome the visitor all the way to the underground church.
In the Ciuc Depression, the Mikó Fortress, with its Italian-style bastions and regular geometrical plan, built in late Renaissance style, is the oldest and most important monument of Miercurea-Ciuc. The fortress construction began in 1623. Around the rebuilt fortress the Austrians developed a defense system with four Italian-style bastions. The chapel ceiling is decorated with late Baroque stucco decorations and Gothic windows frames.
The village Székelyderzs (Dârjiu) is home to a 13th century fortified Unitarian Church, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The church is registered as one of the most significant monuments of Harghita County. It is the oldest fortified church of this region. As a church fortress, it has preserved some very peculiar architectural forms in a good condition. Saxon influence in style can also be seen. The architectural complex of Darjiu is one of the most beautiful Gothic monuments of the former Tinutul Odorheiului. The inner frescos painted in 1419 illustrate the legend of king St. László.
ST. ANA VOLCANIC LAKE AND BICAZ CANYON
To the east from Odorhei, the Zetelaka Dam on the Tarnava Mare River offers amazing landscapes and warm waters for swimming. Further east, we can find Saint Ana Lake. It is the only volcanic lake in Romania, near Tusnad resort, in a volcanic crater (Puciosul), surrounded by mysteries, legends and miracles. Standing there, on the shores of the blue waters on top of a volcano, you have the impression that you are in a fairytale. To the northeast, the Red Lake is a natural storage dam lake near the town Gheorgheni. It is the largest natural mountain lake in Romania. Its name originates from the reddish alluvia (iron oxides and iron hydroxides) deposited in the lake by the Red Creek. The Red Lake was formed not too long ago, someday in July 1837, when after many storms in a row, a huge rock detached from the Killer Mountain and blocked the Licas Creek, Oii Creek and the Red Creek. Downstream the Red Lake, you can see the very dramatic Bicaz Canyon, which is dug by the Bicaz river waters and serves as a passageway between Transylvania and Moldova.
RED LAKE AND ZETEA DAM
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SZEKELY COUNTRY CASTLES AND CHURCHES