Făgăraș Mountains

Location. Făgăraș Mountains (Romanian: Munții Făgăraș) are located into the center of Romania, south of Transylvanian Plateau. They stretch 70 km (43,5 mi) east to west and 45 km (28 mi) north to south. They cover an area of 2400 km2 (that’s eight times bigger than Bucegi Mountains). They are bordered by Olt River westwards, by Dâmbovița River eastwards and by Făgăraș Depression northwards. Southwards the delimitation is less pronounced and is made by 30-40 km (19-25 mi) long crests. These crests separate Făgăraș ridge by southern depressions as Câmpulung, Jiblea, Brădetu, Arefu.

Etymology. The first mention of this name dates back in 1921 as ”Fogoros”. There are 3 theories about this name’s origin. First is that it comes from Pecheneg Fagar šu, meaning „ashen water”. The second theory is that the name comes from Hungarian Fogor, which means „an area populated with partridges”. Finally, the last theory claims the origin to be the Hungarian Fa- garas, meaning „wooden coin” (such a coin is mentioned to have been in circulation in the history of the settlement).

Structural features. Făgăraș Mountains seem to be a huge „spine” (ridge) oriented on the east-west direction with the „ribs”(crests) stretching northwards and southwards. The northern crests are shorter and very steep and the southern ones are long and mild. The ridge looks like a chain of many high peaks fragmented by deep saddles. These features determined the famous French scientist Emmanuel de Martonne to surname them the „Transylvanian Alps”. The highest summits are Moldoveanu (2.544 m), Negoiu (2.535 m), Viștea Mare (2.527 m), Călțun-Lespezi (2.522 m), Cornu Călțunului (2.510 m), Vânătoarea lui Buteanu (2.507 m),  Hârtopu (2.506 m) and Dara (2.501 m).

Climate. The massif has a hard climate, with subarctic features. The temperature reduces as the altitude increases. The yearly average temperature of the ridge is only –2 Celsius. The temperature varies between +20 and –38 Celsius. There are rare the days with no cloud above Făgăraș, because the massif forms its own clouds. In the winter there are many avalanches here and the traffic is completely closed.

Flora and Fauna.    Făgăraș Mountains shelter lots of broad-leaved trees (beech, willow, poplar, birch, alder), coniferous trees (fir, spruce, pine, yew, larch) and scrubs (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, mountain pine, juniper, cranberries).

The mammals  met in Făgăraș are the wild boar, the grey wolf, the fox, the brown
bear (ursus arctos arctos), the stag, the lynx, the deer and the squirrel. Marten and lynx are also rarely met.

The birds you can meet in Făgăraș are the common chaffinch, the woodpecker, the fieldfare, the white
wagtail, the common blackbird, the western capercaillie, the sparrowhawk, the falcon and various species of eagles. Among reptiles you can meet lizards, salamanders and rarely, vipers. Tarns and alpine lakes shelter trouts. On steepest cliffs you can see lots of chamois.