Bihor

GENERAL INFO

. geographical situation: it is located in the north-western part of Romania, on the courses of the Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers, bordered in the east by the Western Carpathians, and in the west by the Plain of Tisa;

. neighbours: in the east-Cluj, Alba, Salaj; in the north-Satu Mare; in the south-Arad; in the west-Hungary;

. surface: 7,544 square km (respectively 3,2 % of the country's territory);

. population: 633,629 inhabitants;

. towns: ORADEA-capital of the county (with 225,000 inhabitants, important cultural, economic and trade centre for the entire Europe); Alesd; Beius; Marghita; Nucet; Salonta; Stei; Valea lui Mihai; Vascau.

. relief: it is complex structured on levels, descending from east (the Bihor Mountains with the Curcubata Mare peak-1849 m and the Vladeasa, Codru Moma, Padurea Craiului, Plopis Mountains, separated by the Beius and Vad-Borod Depressions) to west (90 m in Low Plain of the Crisuri). The presence of the limestone favoures a Karst pictoresque relief (the Padis Plateau, reminds of a fantastic world, with tunnels, underground waterfalls, lakes hidden from the day light, silent forests, mysterious intermittent springs, canyons and glaciers rivaling with similar famous international touristic points). The Cris piedmont hills have altitudes of 200-500 m making the connection with the lowest level, the Westen Plain.

. climate: it is moderate continental, the dominant note is given by the moist air circulation from west, north-west, the rainfalls are not uniform, winds blow from west, north-west and south-west;

. watercourses: the territory is crossed by the Barcau, Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers, flowing from east to west.

TOURISTIC SIGHTS CAVES

. The Bears' Cave-(86 km away from Oradea, on the national road DN 76, Oradea-Sudrigiu village + DJ 763 Chiscau village), a cave of a rare beauty, delighting the visitor with a magificent speologic architecture. The speologic preserve (more then 1 km in length at an altitude of 419 m) hosts a vast range of stalagmites and stalactites as well as fossil traces of the cave bear-species extincted 15,000 years ago;

. The Wind Cave-(near Suncuius, on the left bank of the Crisului Repede river), it is the longest cave in Romania-more than 40 km, traversed by an underground watercourse, with rich corrosion phenomena. The Wind Cave is famous all over the world due to these rare features. It only can be visited in the presence of a guide;

. The Alive Fire Cave-(a 2 hours' walk from Padis chalet), it is located at an altitude of 1,120 m and includes a glacier with a volume of 25,000 cubic m-the second one in Romania in terms of size, glittering in the sunlight because of a "window" in the ceiling that casts light inside the cave, leaving the fairylike impression of an "alive fire";

. The Meziad Cave-on the national road DN 76 up to Beius, then 16 km deviation, spelaeological preserve in the Padurea Craiului Mountains, one of the biggest caves in Romania (4,750 m in length, on several levels). It only can be visited in the presence of a guide;

. The Old Man's Cave-in the Old Imas Depression;

. The Ciur-Ponor Cave-the longest underground watercourse in Romania, 5,000 m);

. The Corbasca Cave-famous for the richness of big concretions;

. The Bortig Glacier;

. The Cave in the Barsa Ravine-in the Bihor Mountains, (at an altitude of 1,100 m); . The Vadu Crisului Cave-(on the national road DN 1 up to Topa of Cris, then a 6 km deviation), it is set for visiting, 5 km in length;

. The Cave from Tasnad-(20 km south-east of Oradea), near Tasad;

. The "Radeasa's Fotresses Cave"-(an 1-2 hours' walk from Padis chalet), famous because of its five natural windows, the sunlight gives the rocks a fantastic image.

WATERFALLS AND VALLEYS

. The Saritoarea Bohodeiului Waterfall-(on the Oradea-Deva road, near Pietroasa), it has a height of 80 km, the third in Romania (as height), and together with the neighbouring area forms a complex preserve (geological, floristic and forest);

. The Crisul Repede Narrow Path-it accompanies the national road Cluj-Oradea and then crosses the Padurea Craiului Mountains, it is a complex preserve (geological, faunistic and floristic), with a surface of 247 hectares. This preserve includes 11 caves and the limestone narrow path of the Crisul Repede (from the springs up to Bucea);

. The Bulbuci Waterfall-40 m in height, in the Bihor Mountains;

. The Devil's Mill Waterfall-20 m in height, from Stana de Vale towards Valea Draganului;

. The Sighistelul Valley-geological preserve, 2 km away from Sighisel, near Campeni; . The Valley and the Spring of the Galbena.

LAKES

. The Peta Lake-Baile 1 Mai, floristic preserve, on a surface of 4 hectares, the unique place in Europe where the tropical water lily grows in natural conditions. This lake never freezes due to its thermal springs (30o-40oC) supplying it with water;

. The Cefa Lake-fish nursery, (near Cefa);

. The Lesu Lake-leisure area on the Lesul Valley;

. "Taul lui Ghib"-unique within the Romanian limestone landscape.

PRESERVES AND MONUMENTS OF NATURE

. Cetatile Ponorului (The Ponor Fortresses)-in the Bihor Mountains, (an hour' walk from Galbena chalet), they represent a natural complex preserve made up of three huge avens, a cave and an underground river (flowing through a 4 km long tunnel, and surfacing in the Izbucul Galbenei). In this Karst complex, unique in Europe, water worked hardly creating "a world of hidden wonders" (stunning precipices, waterfalls and deep lakes);

. The Karstic Intermittent Spring from Calugareni-(12 km away from Vascau, south of Ponoarele), it is a geological preserve situated at the border of the Bihor county (at an altitude of 400 m), including a famous intermittent Karstic spring, famous due to its curing qualities. The regularity of these springs depends on the seasons, for instance, they appear every 3-4 minute after spring heavy rains;

. The Glade of Wild Daffodils-floristic preserve, (near Goronesti);

. The Forest Point "Dealul Somleu"-8 km away from Baile 1 Mai, near Beltia;

. The Karstic Area Vascau-steepnesses, caves, intermittent springs.