Thematic Route: The Cultural Heritage Route

Name of the Touristic Attraction: Eibenthal Village

Location: in Mehedinti County. The village is located in the southern part of the county, in Banat Mountains, 42 km away from Orsova and another 25 km from Drobeta Turnu Severin. It is near Sviniţa commune, in the south-western part of Dubova commune, on the middle course of Tisovița.

Description: Eibenthal is a village in Dobova commune, Mehedinţi County, founded in 1827, during the second wave of colonization with the Czechs. The purpose of these actions was to inhabit Czech-speaking people of the border area of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The basic occupations of these people, who also constituted the main source of income for them, were the exploitation of wood and mining. After the 1989 Revolution, Eibenthal experienced a strong decline. This was due to the unfavorable economic conditions and the migration of young people to cities and the Czech Republic. This was the reason why in 2000 only 302 people lived in the village.

However, this place is considered to be, by all who have been here and by the locals, a small corner of heaven. It is the place where every morning, from place to place, on the telegraph poles or on the gate, you can find a hunging bag. In Eibenthal there is a custom that, when the locals leave home, they hang the bags for bread with the money and the note with the number of the desired bread in it, so that they can find fresh bread when they return. Until now, no one has complained that his money or bread has disappeared. The village of Eibenthal is a pride to its locals because it is a really special place: it is that secluded place, dressed by the mountains of Banat where it is quite difficult to get. The Roman Catholic Church of St. John Nepomuk is the one that impresses in particular if you cross the threshold of this village.

Legend / Story / Impressions / Recommendations: A series of events take place annually in the village of Eibenthal. Many foreigners also participate in these events, which made this village known. The best known events are the Banat Festival and the Rock Music Festival.

The Czech Contemporary Music Festival in Banat has been running in Eibenthal village since 2012. The festival takes place every year between August 22nd and 25th. Every year, a number of troops from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, as well as folk groups representing the Czech villages in Romania, take part at the event. This event is carried out with the support of Dovolena v Banatu and Člověk v Tísni, with the involvement of the Czech Embassy in Bucharest.

In August every year, a festival named “Banat Festival” takes place at Eibenthal. This festival takes place under a suggestive slogan, namely “In Romania as well as at home” and gathers at Eibenthal music bands of different genres, from rock, jazz to electronic music. These music genres are extremely popular in the Czech Republic. Czechs from all corners of the world gather here to listen to their favorite music, but not only. They interact with members of the Czech community in Romania, a community that speaks Czech but an archaic version. The Czechs who arrive year after year in Romania claim to feel at home because everyone around them speaks Czech, a Czech that gets them in time.

Information and Contact:

Dubova City Hall: tel: +40252 368 0028.

Route close to other thematic routes:

In the area you can visit:

– The Danube Cluster

– Svinița Commune

-Eșelnița Commune

Other useful information

Feasts:

– The Shrove Tuesday (Lăsatul Secului)

– The bath of girls on Easter (Udatul fetelor de Paști)

– Carols on Christmas and New Year’s Eve

Events:

– the annual pilgrimage to Maria Ciclova – on August 15th or September 8th

– Posviceni, the sanctification of the church – on October 16th.

Accommodation:

The nearest accommodation units to the village of Eibenthal are located in Dubova, where there is a wide range of guesthouses.

Melba Pension: tel: +40727 474 179

Dubova Pension: +40747 094 173

Decebal Pension: tel: +40747 808 585

GPS Coordinates: lat, long: 44.544574, 22.156996899999967, elevation: 402 m