Piatra Craiului Mountains, Brasov Romania

Last Updated on februarie 15, 2014

The Piatra Craiului Mountains are a mountain range in the Southern Carpathians in Romania. In Romanian „Piatra Craiului” means „Rock of the King”.

The Piatra Craiului mountains form a narrow and saw-like ridge, which is about 25 km (16 mi) long. The highest elevation in the massif is the „Vârful La Om” at 2,238 metres (7,343 ft).

The ridge is regarded as one of the most beautiful sites in the Carpathians. The two-day north–south ridge trail is both challenging and rewarding. Starting at either Plaiul Foii in the north-west or Curmătura in the north-east, walkers climb up to the ridge before following a somewhat precarious path along the narrow spine. The descent at the southern end leads into akarst landscape of deep gorges and pitted slopes where water penetrating the rock has carved a series of caves.

The massif is bordered in the west by the Dâmbovița Valley which separates it from the Iezer-Păpuşa massif; in the north-west the riverBârsa and Curmătura Foii separates it from the Făgăraș Mountains and in the east the „Rucăr-Bran Passage” delimits it from the Bucegi andLeaotă mountains. The southern border is the confluence of the valleys of Dâmbovița and Dâmbovicioara rivers, in the „Podul Damboviței” depression.

The whole range is included in the national park Parcul Național Piatra Craiului (Piatra Craiului National Park).

The first protection of this area started in 1938 when 4.4 km² (2 sq mi) were declared as a „Nature Reserve”. The Law 5/2000 enlarged this area to 148 km² (57 sq mi). In 2003 the external limits and internal zoning were created. Since 1999 a park administration has existed and since 2005 a management plan has been in place.

In the national park area about 300 fungi species, 220 lichen species, 100 different mosses, 1100 species of superior plants (a third of the number of all plant species found in Romania), 50 Carpathians endemic species and also two endemic species for Piatra Craiului can be found.

There are also two endemic species of spiders, 270 butterfly species, amphibians and reptiles, 110 bird species (50 listed in the Bern Convention and 6 in the Bonn Convention), 17 bat species, chamois and other large herbivores and also many large carnivores (wolves,brown bears, lynx) living in the national park. (wikipedia.org)

Piatra Craiului Mountains, Brasov Romania  Photo Gallery