TOURIST ATTRACTION IN THE APUSENI

MOUNTAINS
Gina Mountain (Muntele Gina)
This is a mountain group that is part of the Apuseni Mountains (1486
m, Gina Peak) place where the famous Girl Fair is held. Here on the
20th of July this fair is attended by girls ready to get marryed or at
least that are ready to be courted by boys. Preparations can take up to
years fot the girls who bring trousseau. Everyting begins at dawn
when the girls families come in tents to present the trousseu. The
changing of the headdress is done when a bride is chosen, after which
everyone is feasting and listening to music sung by a local band. The
natives believe that just the marriages that are held on this mountain
can have a long and happy life. Nowadays, the fair is a folclore manifestation, and that has
spawned two similar legends.
The Mount Gina Legend:
At the top of the mountain there lived an extraordinarily beautiful fairy, in a shiny palace. She
had a chicken with golden feathers and that layed daily three golden eggs, which where given to
girls who where getting married and were poor. Atracted by her wealth, three boys put on
womens clothes and succeded to enter the palace and steal the chicken. But, as they hurried, they
dropped the golden eggs from the basket, eggs that broke in the river Arie. Since then, this river
has gold in its sand it is also told that the golden eggs are still up in the mountain in various
cracks and thats the reason why boys and girls climb up to search for them on the 20th of july at
the Girls Fair.

The Roman Galleries (Galeriile Romane)

Alburnus Maior is the name of the roman fortress from Roia Montan and it may well be the
most authentic document that portrays the mining activities of the Roman Empire. The fortress is
proof of the tehnical genious of 2000 years ago. The galleries now have electrical power and
remind visitors of old gold mines.

The Hill with Snails (Dealul cu melci)

This is a reservation that is located on the left side of the river Arie, 15 km from Cmpeni and
10 km from Vidra. Dealul cu melci is in fact a reef of sea snail shells that lived millions of years
ago in these parts, in what was then the Tethis Sea. The shells are
encrusted in rock. Here you can admire the Actaenella giganteea
a shell from a snail that lived in the waters of the Tethis over 6
million years ago. This hill is one of the richest fossil areas in all of
Romania.

The Monastery and Museum of Lupa (Mnstirea i Muzeul de la Lupa)

The monastery dates back in the XIV century and is one of the oldest in the Arie river valley.
Before, it was a small wood building that atracted tourists with its architecture, but now it is
rebuilt.
The museum has a rich collection of objects and pieces of objects dating from the year 1872. The
cloaths, rare books from the XVII and XVIII cenury, wooden chains and brushes made from
hedgehog hair are some of the things that can be seen here. From the history collection, the most
remarcable are the principality flag from the Unirea cea Mare and the revolutionarys table from
1848, Avram Iancu.

Turda Salt Mine

In 2010, after 2 years of renovation, an ancient salt mine was opened for turist and curative
purpose in Turda Romania. The entire complex of mines is compose of Rudolf Mine, Ghizela
Mine, Terezia Mine and Gallery Franz Josef. First historical dating was in 1271, but Salt Mines
of Turda existed even in the Roman period.
In Rudolf Mine now exist a concert hall, sports ground, bowling, minigolf and a Ferris Wheel.
There is also a lift (elevator)for people with disabilities. In Theresa Mine was built a dock on the
lake with boats that allow tourists to navigate on the saline lake.