Thematic Route: The Cultural Heritage Route

Name of Touristic Attraction: The Large and Small Gorges Natural Reservation

Location: in Mehedinti County. It is located between the Ogradena Valley and the Ogușul Turcului and is considered a unique monument in Europe. The Danube Gorges can be reached in two ways: either by car from Orşova, about 20 km from Drobeta Turnu-Severin. From here it goes on the way to Moldova Nouă, passing through Eșelniţa and Dubova, either by boat from Orşova.

Description: The Danube Gorges represent the most spectacular part of the Danube defile. This area has been declared a natural reservation because of its karst and endocaractic geological structure, namely caves and potholes, but also the wealth of fauna and flora that lives here, many of which are protected by law. Among the caves in the reservation we mention the Ponicova Cave and the Veterani Cave. Here, in the reservation, you can make various tourist trails with spectacular belvedere areas. When the level of the river decreases, one can observe the ruins of the Mraconia Monastery, also known as the “monastery under the water”, which was “submerged” when the Iron Gates Hydropower Plant was built. Then the Fortress Trikule (The Three Towers Fortress) was sunken, also in the Danube Gorges Reservation, built in the 15th century to oppose the Ottoman expansion. The Danube Gorges are made up of the Great Gorges with a lenght of about 4 km, framed by the Ciucarul Mare on the territory of Romania and Veliki Strbac on the territory of Serbia and the 5 km long Small Gorges located between the Ciucarul Mic massif on the territory of Romania and Mali Strbac from Serbia. They are portions where the Danube is forced to pass through the mountains. Thus its width narrows between 180 and 250 m. The area has become a unique monument of nature in Europe due to the fact that the flow has to pass through these narrow areas, the depth of the water reaching 100 m and the currents being extremely strong, giving the impression that the water boils to the surface, from here the name of “Gorges”. The area is dotted with places worth seeing, starting with the rock-cut tunnels on the Serbian bank, which are mirrored with narrow roads on the Romanian bank, continuing with the Statue of Decebal digging on a mountain peak at the entrance in the Mraconia Bay and the Mraconia Hermitage, also known as the “Monastery under the Water” and ending with the inscription dug in the rock called “Tabula Traiana”, which is the proof of the beginning of Traian’s suspended road in Dacia.

Information and Contact:

The reservation is under the administration of the “Iron Gates” Natural Park:

phone / fax: +4 0252 360 511,

phone: +4 0372 702 529,

web: http://www.pnportiledefier.ro

e-mail: parc@drobeta.rosilva.ro

Route close to other thematic routes:

n the area you can visit:

• Orșova City

Other useful information

Accommodation:

Melba Guest House: pensiuneamelba@gmail.com ; +40727 474 179, +40758 076 666

Delfinul Chalet: delfi.cabana@yahoo.com ; +40740 791 538

Septembrie Guest House: pensiunea.septembrie@gmail.com ; +40726 135 065

Steaua Dunării Guest House: +40722 207 918

Tourist Offers:

The Danube Gorges Association of Tourism and Recreation offers different tourist packages:

E-mail: contact@cazaneledunarii.com.ro

Website: www.cazaneledunarii.com.ro

Phone: +40743100853

GPS Coordinates: lat, long: 44.64142200000001, 22.294006299999978, elevation: 112 m