Cetăţile Păgânilor (Pagan Citadels, Hungarian Bálványos)
is a spa resort in Covasna County, situated in Eastern Transylvania,
central Romania.
It lies at an altitude of almost 800 m on the southern slopes of the Bodoc Mountains, 67 km
from Sfântu Gheorghe.
The place is known for it’s hydrothermal
and post volcanic
phenomenon still active the region. A geological feature is the presence of the mineral springs
and the mofette - volcanic discharge
consisting chiefly of carbon dioxide, often associated with other vapors,
representing the final phase of volcanic
activity. The volcanic vents yielding the emanations
are themselves called mofette. Depending of the mineral content of the
different vapors, mofette can be used for therapeutic purposes. As carbon dioxide
is heavier than the air, patients can use it as dry spa,
if certain safety regulations are complied with.
The therapeutic properties of the Balvanyos
mineral springs and dry spa are known from ancient times, but the exploitation
of the resources started in 1938. The Balvanyos spa is formed by merger of three spa colonies and the oldest one
is the Puciosa din Turia ( The Sulfurous from Turia), an artificial sulfurous
mine that emanates daily a big quantity of gas (CO2, H2S
and others), approx. 3000 m3 (~2 m3/sec). (wiki)
Today,
most of these “golden” natural resources are abandoned and destroyed but despite
this fact, people are still visiting them.
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| ...and a fox looking for a "meal" in a barbecue area near to the village Turia. |
