Cheile Turzii
Encyclopedia
Cheile Turzii is a natural reserve (on Hășdate River
) situated 6 km west of Turda
and about 15 km south-east of Cluj-Napoca
, in Transylvania
, Romania
.
, formed through the erosion
of the jurasic calcar
of the mountain, is 2 900 m long and the walls have hights reaching 300 m. The total surface of the canyon is of 324 ha
.
Cheile Turzii contain one of the richest and most scenary karst landscapes in Romania. More than 1000 plant and animal species (some of them rare or endangered, like the wild garlic or some species of eagle
) live here.
s and some mammal
s (fox
es, weasel
s, martens, wild boars etc.
Cheile Turzii is one of the main rock climbing
sites in Romania.
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...
) situated 6 km west of 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 about 15 km south-east of Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, 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...
.
Geography
The canyonCanyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
, formed through the erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
of the jurasic calcar
Calcar
The calcar, also known as the calcaneum , is the name given to a spur of cartilage arising from inner side of ankle and running along part of outer interfemoral membrane in bats , this is to help spread the interfemoral membrane , which is part of the wing membrane between the tail and the hind...
of the mountain, is 2 900 m long and the walls have hights reaching 300 m. The total surface of the canyon is of 324 ha
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
.
Cheile Turzii contain one of the richest and most scenary karst landscapes in Romania. More than 1000 plant and animal species (some of them rare or endangered, like the wild garlic or some species of eagle
Aquila (genus)
Aquila is the genus of true eagles. It is often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavyset Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks than believed...
) live here.
Fauna
67 species of birds, fish, amphibianAmphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s and some mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s (fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es, weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
s, martens, wild boars etc.
Caves
There are some 60 known caves, almost all of them being of small size (the longest one has 120 m).Other tourist attractions
Cheile Turzii are just a few km away from two other canyons (Cheile Turului and Cheile Borzești) as well as from Ciucaș waterfall.Cheile Turzii is one of the main rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
sites in Romania.
Further reading
- Turda, date istorice, Violeta Nicula, Editura Triade, ISBN 973-9196-72-4, pag. 64-66
See also
- Cheile Bicazului
- Salina TurdaSalina TurdaSalina Turda is a salt mine situated in Turda, Transylvania, Romania.- History :Salt was first extracted here during the antiquity and the mine continuously produced table salt from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century .Since 1992, Salina Turda has been a halotherapy center and a popular...
- Tourism in RomaniaTourism in RomaniaTourism in Romania focuses on the country's natural landscapes and its rich history. The number of tourists is growing every year and tourism is becoming an increasingly important source for Romania's GDP with 7-9 million people now visiting yearly. Romania's economy is characterized by a huge...