The gold inside A trip to Rosia Montana

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

ROMANIA | Sunday, 13 January 2013 | Views [1596] | View Larger Image

Dr. John Akeroyd, a British botanist and a UK Wildlife Trusts consultant, since 2000 regularly visits Transylvania. He is working on the project Protecting Romanian's lost world. Together with Romanian scientists, he made a study in which he declares having encountered at least eight ancient meadow, moorland and marshland communities of plants, all very rich in species. Sixty percent of the Rosia Montana area is covered by flowery meadows. Amongst the flowers, six species of meadow orchids are endangered in Romania. The British botanist was dazzled by the rich variety of Asplenium septentrionale he has seen here. Local people and committed supporters are still struggling to get sustainable development that could protect this unique heritage for Romania and all Europeans so that its miracle could mesmerize us in the future as well.

Tags: rosia montana, romania

Rosia Montana with its existence of almost two millennia is a mining village in Transylvania, subject to high controversy due to a mining project owned by a gold-hunting Canadian company. NGOs and private people unite their forces to preserve the ancient village and to make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. Once a year, they organize FanFest (Hay Festival) to make people aware of the beauty that this area holds and that tourism could be a worthy choice for the people in Rosia Montana. I managed to take a shot with the hand of our guide, also a volunteer, who was showing us the village from the top of a mountain. In the back, there is another group of visitors enjoying the beautiful vista that the rich Rosia Montana gives for free.

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When I visited last year Rosia Montana, I felt as if I won a trip 150 years back in time. All the houses are made of timber, stone and covered by limestone. I guess you could imagine a city dressed in a white wedding dress. Maybe except for a few houses that were left to ruin, deserted or bought by the Canadian mining company. Amongst the supporters of the Save Rosia Montana campaign, is an architectural organization that proudly restores these houses in the old fashion way: with timber, mud and limestone, all with the help of private people and with the effort of volunteers.

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The gold inside A trip to Rosia Montana

My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

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