Aries
Encyclopedia
The Arieș is a tributary
of Mureș River
in Transylvania
, Romania
.
Most probably "Arieș" means "Gold River" in Dalmatian
which is thought to be very similar to the Dacian language
. It is concluded that the Romanian name most probably derives from the Dacian name of the river. The Hungarian name "Aranyos" means "Golden" and it was first mentioned in 1177.
, part of the Apuseni Mountains
, which translates as The Western Mountains. The Arieș is formed near the village of Mihoiești at the junction of two headwaters: Arieșul Mare
and Arieșul Mic
. Its length is approximately 164 km. It flows through Alba and Cluj
Counties and flows into the Mureș
near the village of Gura Arieșului, which is close to the town of Luduș
.
The towns of Câmpeni
, Baia de Arieș
, Turda
, and Câmpia Turzii
lie on the river Arieş. The upper valley of the river, Țara Moților
, is a beautiful rustic region and an important mining region (Roșia Montană
), rich in gold, silver and uranium. Those mines of Apuseni Mountains (also known as "Metaliferi") were exploited since Dacian reign, and later on they attracted the Roman invasion.
, Boncești, Lunca Merilor, Bistra
, Gârde, Lunca Largă, Pițiga, Lupșa
, Hădărău, Lunca, Valea Lupșii, Valea Șesii, Muncelu, Baia de Arieș
, Sartăș, Brăzești, Sălciua de Jos
, Poșaga de Jos
, Lunca, Vidolm, Lungești, Buru, Moldovenești
, Cornești, Cheia, Mihai Viteazu
, Turda
, Câmpia Turzii
, Luna
, Luncani, Hădăreni, Gligorești
Left: Arieşul Mare
, Valea Caselor, Bistra, Bistrişoara, Dobra, Valea Caselor, Izvorul Călugărului, Lupşa, Sartăş, Sălciuţa, Poşaga
, Ocoliş
, Ocolişel
, Iara
, Borzeşti, Pârâul Muntelui, Hăşdate
, Pordei, Sănduleşti, Valea Racilor
, Valea Sărată, Pârâul Florilor
, Valea Largă
Right: Arieşul Mic
, Sohodol, Abrud
, Râul Luteştilor, Ştefanca, Râul Maşcanilor, Valea Şesei
, Hermăneasa, Cioara, Ponor
, Huda lui Papară, Vidolm, Rimetea
, Nadeş, Văleni, Plăieşti, Bădeni
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Mureș River
Mureș River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
Most probably "Arieș" means "Gold River" in Dalmatian
Dalmatian language
Dalmatian was a Romance language spoken in the Dalmatia region of Croatia, and as far south as Kotor in Montenegro. The name refers to a pre-Roman tribe of the Illyrian linguistic group, Dalmatae...
which is thought to be very similar to the Dacian language
Dacian language
The extinct Dacian language may have developed from proto-Indo-European in the Carpathian region around 2,500 BC and probably died out by AD 600. In the 1st century AD, it was the predominant language of the ancient regions of Dacia and Moesia and, possibly, of some surrounding regions.It belonged...
. It is concluded that the Romanian name most probably derives from the Dacian name of the river. The Hungarian name "Aranyos" means "Golden" and it was first mentioned in 1177.
Course
The source of the river is in the Bihor MountainsBihor Mountains
Bihor Mountains is a mountain range in western Romania. It is part of the Apuseni Mountains, which are part of the Carpathian Mountains. The massif has a length of 25 km from the northwest to the southeast and a width of 14 km...
, part of the Apuseni Mountains
Apuseni Mountains
The Apuseni Mountains is a mountain range in Transylvania, Romania, which belongs to the Western Carpathians, also called Occidentali in Romanian. Their name translates from Romanian as Mountains "of the sunset" i.e. "western". The highest peak is "Cucurbăta Mare" - 1849 metres, also called Bihor...
, which translates as The Western Mountains. The Arieș is formed near the village of Mihoiești at the junction of two headwaters: Arieșul Mare
Arieșul Mare River
The Arieşul Mare is a river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is the left headwater of the river Arieş. It flows through the villages Arieşeni, Gârda de Sus, Scărișoara, Albac and Vadu Moţilor, and joins the Arieşul Mic near Câmpeni...
and Arieșul Mic
Ariesul Mic River
The Arieşul Mic River is a river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is the right headwater of the river Arieş. It flows through the villages Avram Iancu and Vidra, and joins the Arieşul Mare near Câmpeni...
. Its length is approximately 164 km. It flows through Alba and Cluj
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
Counties and flows into the Mureș
Mureș River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
near the village of Gura Arieșului, which is close to the town of Luduș
Ludus
Luduș is a town in central Romania in Mureș County, 44 km south-west from the county's capital Târgu Mureș.Six villages are administered by the town: Avrămeşti , Cioarga , Ciurgău , Fundătura , Gheja and Roșiori .-History:* 1330 - First mentioned as Plehanus de...
.
The towns of Câmpeni
Câmpeni
Câmpeni is a town in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. As of July 2002 the town had a population of 8,080 inhabitants...
, Baia de Arieș
Baia de Aries
Baia de Arieș is a town in Alba County, Romania. It administers five villages: Brăzești, Cioara de Sus, Muncelu, Sartăș and Simulești...
, Turda
Turda
Turda is a city and Municipality in Cluj County, Romania, situated on the Arieş River.- Ancient times :The city was founded by Dacians under the name Patavissa or Potaissa...
, and Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii is a city in Cluj County, Romania, which was formed in 1925 by the union of two villages, Ghiriş and Sâncrai...
lie on the river Arieş. The upper valley of the river, Țara Moților
Tara Motilor
Țara Moților , also known as Țara de Piatră is an ethnogeographical region of Romania in the Apuseni Mountains, on the superior basin of the Arieș and Crişul Alb River rivers...
, is a beautiful rustic region and an important mining region (Roșia Montană
Rosia Montana
Roșia Montană is a commune of Alba County in the Apuseni Mountains of western Transylvania, Romania. It is located in the Valea Roșiei, through which the Roșia River flows...
), rich in gold, silver and uranium. Those mines of Apuseni Mountains (also known as "Metaliferi") were exploited since Dacian reign, and later on they attracted the Roman invasion.
Towns and villages
The following towns and villages are situated along the river Arieş, from source to mouth: Mihoești, Gura Sohodol, CâmpeniCâmpeni
Câmpeni is a town in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. As of July 2002 the town had a population of 8,080 inhabitants...
, Boncești, Lunca Merilor, Bistra
Bistra, Alba
Bistra is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It has a population of 5,066. It is composed of 35 villages: Aroneşti, Băleşti, Băleşti-Cătun, Bârleşti, Bistra, Cheleteni, Ciuldeşti, Creţeşti, Dâmbureni, Dealu Muntelui, Durăşti, Găneşti, Gârde, Hodişeşti, Hudriceşti, Lipaia, Lunca Largă,...
, Gârde, Lunca Largă, Pițiga, Lupșa
Lupsa
Lupşa is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It is composed of 23 villages: Bârdeşti, Bârzan, Curmătură, După Deal, Geamăna, Hădărău, Holobani, Lazuri, Lunca, Lupşa, Mănăstire, Mărgaia, Muşca, Pârâu-Cărbunări, Piţiga, Poşogani, Şasa, Trifeşti, Văi, Valea Holhorii, Valea Lupşii, Valea Şesii...
, Hădărău, Lunca, Valea Lupșii, Valea Șesii, Muncelu, Baia de Arieș
Baia de Aries
Baia de Arieș is a town in Alba County, Romania. It administers five villages: Brăzești, Cioara de Sus, Muncelu, Sartăș and Simulești...
, Sartăș, Brăzești, Sălciua de Jos
Salciua
Sălciua is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Dealu Caselor , Dumeşti, Sălciua de Jos , Sălciua de Sus , Sub Piatră and Valea Largă . It has a population of 1,785.-References:...
, Poșaga de Jos
Posaga
Poşaga is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It has a population of 1,383, and is composed of seven villages: Corţeşti, Inceşti, Lunca, Orăşti, Poşaga de Jos , Poşaga de Sus and Săgagea.-References:...
, Lunca, Vidolm, Lungești, Buru, Moldovenești
Moldovenesti
Moldoveneşti is a commune in Cluj County, Romania, 12 km South-West of Turda, in the valley of the Arieş.-History:...
, Cornești, Cheia, Mihai Viteazu
Mihai Viteazu, Cluj
Mihai Viteazu is a commune in Cluj County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Cheia , Corneşti and Mihai Viteazu....
, Turda
Turda
Turda is a city and Municipality in Cluj County, Romania, situated on the Arieş River.- Ancient times :The city was founded by Dacians under the name Patavissa or Potaissa...
, Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii is a city in Cluj County, Romania, which was formed in 1925 by the union of two villages, Ghiriş and Sâncrai...
, Luna
Luna, Cluj
-Villages:The commune is composed of three villages: Gligoreşti , Luna and Luncani .-Luncani:Luncani, previously Grindeni , is a village in the Luna commune and has a population of 1454 people ....
, Luncani, Hădăreni, Gligorești
Tributaries
The following rivers are tributaries to the river Arieş (from source to mouth):Left: Arieşul Mare
Ariesul Mare River
The Arieşul Mare is a river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is the left headwater of the river Arieş. It flows through the villages Arieşeni, Gârda de Sus, Scărișoara, Albac and Vadu Moţilor, and joins the Arieşul Mic near Câmpeni...
, Valea Caselor, Bistra, Bistrişoara, Dobra, Valea Caselor, Izvorul Călugărului, Lupşa, Sartăş, Sălciuţa, Poşaga
Poşaga River
The Poşaga is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipality Poşaga, and joins the Arieş near the village Poşaga de Jos...
, Ocoliş
Ocoliş River (Arieş)
The Ocoliş is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipality Ocoliş, and joins the Arieş in the village Ocoliş...
, Ocolişel
Ocolişel River
The Ocolişel River is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipality Iara, and joins the Arieş near the village Lungeşti...
, Iara
Iara River (Arieş)
The Iara is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the villages Valea Ierii, Băişoara and Iara, and joins the Arieş near Moldoveneşti...
, Borzeşti, Pârâul Muntelui, Hăşdate
Hăşdate River
The Hăşdate is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Săvădisla, Ciurila and Petreştii de Jos, and joins the Arieş at Corneşti, near Turda...
, Pordei, Sănduleşti, Valea Racilor
Valea Racilor River (Arieş)
The Valea Racilor is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Feleacu, Tureni and Turda, and joins the Arieş in the town Turda...
, Valea Sărată, Pârâul Florilor
Pârâul Florilor (Aries)
The Pârâul Florilor is a small river in Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Ploscoş and Viişoara, and joins the Arieş opposite Câmpia Turzii...
, Valea Largă
Valea Largă River (Arieş)
The Valea Largă is a small river in Cluj County, western Romania. It is a left tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Frata, Ceanu Mare, Tritenii de Jos and Viişoara, and joins the Arieş at Viişoara...
Right: Arieşul Mic
Ariesul Mic River
The Arieşul Mic River is a river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is the right headwater of the river Arieş. It flows through the villages Avram Iancu and Vidra, and joins the Arieşul Mare near Câmpeni...
, Sohodol, Abrud
Abrud River
The Abrud is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is a right tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the town Abrud, and joins the Arieş near Câmpeni...
, Râul Luteştilor, Ştefanca, Râul Maşcanilor, Valea Şesei
Valea Sesei River
The Valea Şesei is a tributary of the Arieş River in Romania. The Valea Şesei dam is built on this river.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti...
, Hermăneasa, Cioara, Ponor
Ponor River (Arieş)
The Ponor is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County, western Romania. It is a right tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Ponor and Sălciua, and joins the Arieş near the village Sălciua de Jos. It starts at the junction of headwaters Valea Bucurului and...
, Huda lui Papară, Vidolm, Rimetea
Rimetea River
The Rimetea is a small river in the Apuseni Mountains, Alba County and Cluj County, western Romania. It is a right tributary of the river Arieş. It flows through the municipalities Rimetea and Iara, and joins the Arieş in the village Buru...
, Nadeş, Văleni, Plăieşti, Bădeni
Maps
- Munţii Trascău http://harti.mielu.ro/trascau.html
- Harta Munţilor Apuseni http://www.harta-turistica.ro/map.php?ID=10
- Harta judeţului Alba http://www.harta-turistica.ro/map.php?ID=28&harta=Judetul%20Alba