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World Heritage in Romania 2025

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World Heritage in Romania

Test fitting of the Endless Column in the Petroșani Central Workshops. 1937 (INP Archive)

ISBN 978-606-95801-6-5 Descrierea CIP este disponibilă la Biblioteca Națională a României

World Heritage in Romania National Institute of Heritage

Bucharest, 2025

Patrimonia Publishing

A new approach in the implementation of The World Heritage Convention

National Institute of Heritage

Romania

World Heritage in Romania The landscape of the Roman fort at Porolissum Author: Máté Szabó Copyright: © National Museum of Transylvani an History Source: Nomination File 3

The World Heritage Convention (1972) was accepted by Romania in 1990, and, through the Ministry of Culture, dedicated legislation governing the protection and management of cultural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List has been in force since 2000. The National Institute of Heritage (NIH), the principal national public institution responsible — under the authority of the Ministry of Culture — for the protection of cultural heritage and for coordinating research, restoration, enhancement and management activities across all heritage categories, acts as the national Focal Point Institution for World Heritage in Romania. Through its interdisciplinary World Heritage unit, the NIH carries out extensive activities for the preparation of nomination dossiers, as well as for the strategic management of World Heritage properties in Romania. In the last years, following gradual improvements in the nomination and management processes, Romania has achieved the inscription of three new properties on the World Heritage List and is currently engaged in a transnational nomination, in cooperation with six partner countries, of the serial cultural property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire — Danube Limes Eastern Segment” (Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania) as an extension of the “Frontiers of the Roman Empire — Danube Limes Western Segment” (Germany, Austria and Slovakia). To date, Romania’s inscribed World Heritage properties, presented further in this publication, are as follows: • Danube Delta (1991, natural) • Churches of Moldavia (1993, 2010, cultural, serial) • Monastery of Hurezi (1993, cultural) • Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania (1993, 1999, cultural, serial) • Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains (1999, cultural, serial) • Historic Centre of Sighișoara (1999, cultural) • Wooden Churches of Maramureș (1999, cultural, serial) • Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (2017, transnational, natural, serial) • Roșia Montană Mining Landscape (2021, cultural landscape) • Brâncuși Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu (2024, cultural) • Frontiers of the Roman Empire — Dacia (2024, cultural, serial) In parallel with the inscription efforts, Romania has initiated, through NIH, a participatory revision process of the national Tentative List – in accordance with the UNESCO requirements for a balanced, credible and representative World Heritage List — that has resulted in an updated Tentative List for which three cultural sites and one natural site were added in 2024 and further other properties are to follow, including a transnational serial property — Cucuteni Trypillia Culture — in partnership with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. Although the nomination is the most visible step of the inscription, the inclusion of a site on the World Heritage List is a commitment of the state party for the protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage in order to create a shared legacy for humanity while ensuring that the preservation efforts generate benefits for the local communities. In this respect NIH functions as management coordinator, aiming to engage all relevant actors in the complex and diverse actions needed for the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value.

Danube Delta CriteriA (vii) (x) The Danube Delta is an outstanding example of a dynamic wetland ecosystem on a vast scale, unique both in its European context and internationally. It is also a habitat complex of world value for certain rare and endangered species.

National Institute of Heritage

1991 Ref: 588

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The natural landscape of the Delta — structured mainly by the three river branches of the Danube that flow into the Black Sea in the easternmost region of Romania — is consisting of a mosaic of river branches, channels, lakes of different types and sizes, reed beds, sand dunes, oak forests with Mediterranean vegetation. As the largest continuous marshland in Europe, the Danube Delta is an outstanding example of an important ecosystem and is of great importance for the conservation of diverse fauna and flora. The Delta is a natural gene bank with inestimable value for the world’s natural heritage, with a high density of many species that are rare or extinct in other European areas. Of the 341 species of birds found in the delta, 12 species have been declared monuments of nature because of their endangered status. For two of these (pygmy cormorant, red breasted geese) the Danube Delta supports the majority of the world population. It has been recognized worldwide as nesting place for many other bird populations such as the White pelican and the Dalmatian pelican and hosts also important colonies of spoonbill and several nesting species of white-tailed eagle. The Danube Delta is a major stopover site (during spring and autumn) for millions of birds, especially ducks, white storks and numerous predators and the wintering host for huge groups of swans and geese. Also found in the delta are avocets, black-winged stilts, glossy ibises, reed warblers, mute swans, plovers, grebes, marsh harriers, falcons, egrets and gulls, etc. Delta’s special natural conditions have favored the development of human settlements since ancient times. People have adapted to local conditions and formed many settlements (25 villages) spread throughout the entire delta, cultivating traditions and a rich culture that can still be observed on site. Houses and fisheries, specific to each major ethnic group living in this region (Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian-Lipovan), form an interesting inventory of vernacular reed roofed traditional architecture. Besides being listed as World Heritage, the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve was recognized as a Man and Biosphere (MAB) reserve and also as “wetland of international importance, especially as waterfowl habitat”, according to the Ramsar Convention.

National Institute of Heritage The Danube Delta is one of the largest deltas in Europe, including one of the most unspoiled wetlands on the continent. The Danube Delta is a real natural museum of biodiversity, including 30 types of ecosystems. The mosaic of habitats developed here is the most varied in Romania hosting, under the newest research studies, over 9.400 species of flora and fauna.

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Photographs by Helmut Ignat

Churches of Moldavia Criterion (i) The external paintings of the churches of Northern Moldavia cover all the facades. They embody a unique and homogeneous artistic phenomenon, directly inspired by Byzantine art. They are masterpieces of mural painting, and are of outstanding aesthetic value in view of their consummate chromatism and the remarkable elegance of the figures. They present cycles of events taken from the Bible and the Holy Scriptures, in the Orthodox Christian tradition. Criterion (iv) The idea of completely covering the external facades of churches by paintings is an eminent example of a type of church construction and decoration adopted in Moldavia, which illustrates the cultural and religious context of the Balkans from the late 15th century to the late 16th century.

National Institute of Heritage

1993, 2010 Ref: 598bis

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The churches with exterior mural paintings of northern Moldavia, built from the late 15th century to the late 16th century, are masterpieces inspired by Byzantine art. These eight churches — Church of the Holy Rood of Patrăuți (1487), Church of St George of the Monastery of Voroneț (1488, 1547), Church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist of Arbore (1503), Church of St George of St John the New Monastery of Suceava (1514–1522), Church of the Assumption of the Virgin of the Monastery of Humor (1530), Church of St Nicholas of the Monastery of Probota (1530), Church of the Annunciation of the Monastery of Moldovița (1532) (all inscribed on the List in 1993) and Church of the Resurrection of the Monastery of Sucevița (1584–1601), added to the List as an extension in 2010 — are unique, authentic and particularly well preserved. Far from being mere wall decorations, the paintings form a systematic covering on all the facades and the entire interior walls and represent complete cycles of religious themes. Their exceptional composition, the elegance of the characters, and the harmony of the colours, together with their architecture, blend perfectly with their monastic ensembles and the surrounding countryside and natural landscape. This coherent group of churches illustrates the “Moldavian Style”, which represents an original synthesis of architecture and art, characterized by Byzantine plans raised with Gothic influences, dating and crystallized during the period of the glorious reign of Stephen the Great (1457–1504) — the great defender of Christianity and his direct descendants: Bogdan the 3rd (1504–1517), Stephen the Young (1517–1527) and Petru Rareș (1527–1538, 1541–1546). It was a period of constant church building efforts, made by princes, boyars and church hierarchs, which would last until the 17th century. This style would come together in architecture but also in the main iconographic programme for interior and external mural paintings. The aesthetic and spiritual programme will contain the complete covering of all the facades of these churches with outstanding cycles of religious themes, during the 16th century. These eight churches have undergone no significant alteration in the course of history. They preserve their original late 15th century to the late 16th century architecture and set of mural paintings. The monasteries and medieval precincts that surrounds them have conserved their historic enclosure. The picturesque surrounding countryside landscape, rural and forested, has undergone only few transformations and changes up to the present day.

National Institute of Heritage Church of the Annunciation, Moldovița Monastery Church of St. Nicholas, Probota Monastery

World Heritage in Romania

Church of the Resurrection, Sucevița Monastery

Church of the Holly Cross (Rood), Pătrăuți Church of St. George, Voroneț Monastery. West Façade. The Last Judgement

Church of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Arbore Church of St. George, Voroneț Monastery

Monastery of Hurezi Criterion (ii) The artistic school, especially of mural and icon painting, established at the Monastery of Hurezi in the early 18th century, being a synthesis between the oriental Byzantine art and the western art, exhibited by its original iconographic program and artistic expression of exceptional value a profound influence on religious art and architecture in the Balkan region, spreading from Wallachia into the orthodox neighbourhood.

National Institute of Heritage

1993 Ref: 597

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Founded in 1690, the monastery of Hurezi is the most important edifice built by Cantacuzene Prince Constantin Brânconeanu, the ruler of the Romanian principality of Wallachia between 1688–1714, a ruler educated in western humanistic spirituality and culture but also having a strong relation with Byzantium. Together with his family he was responsible for the creation of many monastic ensembles and churches in Wallachia, with mural paintings, richly adorned with sumptuous iconostases and other decorations. This artistic effort was followed by many other noblemen and church dignitaries, giving rise to the remarkable artistic flowering art, known as Brancovan art, representing a synthesis between the oriental Byzantine art and the western art, especially the Venetian one. This monastic ensemble is the largest and most developed one, its architectural and artistic features make it unique both in Romania, and in South-East Europe. The ensemble of Hurezi displays a complex original programme, designed according to Renaissance structural patterns along an East–West axis, with a rectangular main precinct dominated by the Great Church, the catholicon, and the hermitage small churches placed outside the large precinct, towards the four cardinal points. The layout was planned according to the rules of the Athonite Order, around the catholicon — main church — which is enclosed by a wall, with the infirmary church (Bolnița) in its neighborhood and surrounded by the Saints Apostles and Saint Stephen smaller hermitage churches. The catholicon of the Monastery of Hurezi, dedicated to Saints Constantine and Helena, was built between 1690–92 and the interior decoration was completed two years later by the work of the Greek artist Constantinos, who founded the school of mural and icon painters of Hurezi. The Great Church, which was meant to house the necropolis of Prince Brâncoveanu’s family, is three-aisled with a very large narthex, following the pattern laid down by the church of the Monastery of Argeș (1512–17). The interior walls are entirely covered with frescoes in the tradition of Byzantine art — in the narthex, the lower tier of the walls is filled with votive pictures of Constantin Brâncoveanu, his wife, and their 11 children. The east wall of the exonarthex is entirely occupied by a large Last Judgment. The carved wooden iconostasis is of an exceptional high quality, combining decorative elements of Eastern and Western art.

National Institute of Heritage Hurezi Monastery. The catholicon church ”Sts Constantine and HeIena” Hurezi Monastery. Watercolor, 1850, J. Freiwald

World Heritage in Romania

Hurezi Monastery. The infirmary church (Bolnița)

Hurezi Monastery. Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu and his family. Dedication scene in the catholicon church “Sts Constantine and HeIena”

Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania

National Institute of Heritage

Criterion (iv) The Transylvanian villages with fortified churches provide a vivid picture of the cultural landscape of southern Transylvania. They are characterized by the specific land-use system, settlement pattern, and organization of the family farmstead units preserved since the late Middle Ages, dominated by their fortified churches, which illustrate building periods from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

Author: M & G Therin-Weise © M & G Therin-Weise

1993, 1999 Ref: 596bis

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The seven villages in Transylvania that comprise this serial property are outstanding examples of a specific vernacular tradition in southeastern Europe: Câlnic, Valea Viilor, Biertan, Saschiz, Dârjiu, Viscri, and Prejmer each form a compact unit around a fortified church. Originally settled by Transylvanian Saxons and neighbouring Szeklers, these well-preserved, homogenous villages are representative of a group of about 150 such settlements with fortified churches that is unique in the world. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Hungarian Crown encouraged a German-speaking population of artisans, farmers, and merchants originating from the lower region of the Rhine and Moseley rivers to colonize its new territories. Known as Transylvanian Saxons, these settlers enjoyed special privileges as “guests on the king’s lands.” In exchange, they had to systematize and defend this vast region in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The Saxons brought with them the Flemish pattern of land organization, characterized by compactness and regularity, tightly organized groups of farmstead units and households, and community cohesion, all of which contributed to their villages’ distinctive pattern of development. The urban form established during colonization — wherein the church and the community leader’s house stood at or near the centre of the village and houses were closely aligned along one or two streets or clustered around a square — can be easily detected in the present structure of Saxon villages in Transylvania. Being situated in a region constantly under threat of Ottoman and Tartar invasions, the Transylvanian Saxons built fortifications. While their important towns were fully fortified, their smaller communities’ fortifications were focused on the central church, where defensive towers were added to help withstand long sieges and storehouses were included to safeguard the villages’ most valuable goods. The extent of fortification varies from a small enclosure around the church, to a row of fortifications around the church, to a complete fortress with multiple fortification walls centred on the church. The churches themselves have also been adapted to include defensive functions. These buildings often include many additions, ranging in age from the late Middle Ages when the churches were originally built to the 16th century. All of them are either Romanesque basilicas or single-nave churches of the late Gothic period. Many also include baroque elements, as the baroque style was very popular in the region during the late 18th century. Collectively, the villages with fortified churches in Transylvania provide a vivid picture of the cultural landscape of this region.

National Institute of Heritage Saschiz. The village, the fortified churchand the citadel Valea Viilor. The village and the fortified church

World Heritage in Romania

Viscri. The fortified church

Dârjiu. The fortified church. Inner view with frescoes from 1419 The late-Gothic vault of the fortified church in Biertan

Prejmer. Fortified precincts with refuge rooms Saschiz. Front street with 18th –19th c. houses

Dacian Fortresses in the Orăștie Mountains Criterion (ii) The Dacian fortresses represent the fusion of techniques and concepts of military architecture from inside and outside the classical world to create a unique style. Criterion (iii) The Geto-Dacian kingdoms of the late 1st millennium BC attained an exceptionally high cultural and socio-economic level, and this is symbolized by this group of fortresses. Criterion (iv) The hill-fort and its evolved successor, the oppidum, were characteristic of the Late Iron Age in Europe, and the Dacian fortresses are outstanding examples of this type of defended site.

National Institute of Heritage

1999 Ref: 906

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The fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains are a remarkable group of Iron Age fortified sites, developed as religious and political power centres of the Dacian state. The extensive and surprisingly preserved remains are set in a spectacular natural environment, in the central and western sector of the Orăștie Mountains, concentrated around the basin of the Grădiștea River (Apa Oraşului). Built between the 1st century BC and 1st century AD, these mountain strongholds show an exceptional and spectacular fusion of military and religious architectural techniques and concepts from the Classical World and the late European Iron Age. The six fortresses, making up the nucleus of the Dacian Kingdom, were conquered by the Romans at the beginning of the 2nd century AD. Their extensive and relatively well-preserved remains stand in spectacular natural surroundings and give a dramatic picture of an outstanding civilisation. The Dacian civilization, reveals its exceptional historical value (as expressed in the concept of fortified mountains) and exceptional aesthetic value (with the remarkable suggestion of the sacred and impenetrable space of the divine) in the fortresses from the Orăștie Mountains: a grandiose, imposing architecture which used refined decorative effects — a monumental stone architecture, combined with wooden and mudbrick elements. The rhythm of the columns of the sanctuaries, the dwelling towers located at the highest places of the fortresses, in perfect resonance with the surrounding natural environment, single out this ancient civilization. Dacia became a Roman Imperial province in 106 AD — this campaign is graphically depicted in sculpted reliefs unfolding around Trajan’s Column in Rome — and its fortresses were slighted. As a result of the fortresses being abandoned after 274 AD and never being reoccupied, the authenticity of the remains is exceptional, in spite of the nature rebound and some dilapidation during history. The overall authenticity of the ensemble of sites is very high, large areas being under investigation for further research.

National Institute of Heritage Costești-Blidaru fortress. Bănița fortress on Dealul Bolii

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Grădiștea de Munte. Sarmisegetusa Regia, the capital of ancient Dacia. The Great circular sanctuary and the “Andesite Sun”

Historic Centre of Sighișoara Criterion (iii) Sighișoara is an outstanding testimony to the culture of the Transylvanian Saxons, a culture that is coming to a close after 850 years and will continue to exist only through its architectural and urban monuments. Criterion (iv) Sighișoara is also an outstanding example of a small fortified city in the border region between the Latin-oriented culture of Central Europe and the Byzantine-Orthodox culture of south-eastern Europe. The apparently unstoppable process of emigration by the Saxons, the social stratum that had formed and upheld the cultural traditions of the region, threatens the survival of their architectural heritage as well.

National Institute of Heritage

1999 Ref: 902

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Sighișoara is located in the landscape of unique beauty of the Târnave area, at the junction of the Saeș river with the Târnava Mare river — a geographical position comprised of a triangular plateau. This positioning gives the site a particular urban configuration resulting from adapting the functionality of the site to the landscape. The historic centre of Sighișoara is composed of a fortified site spread over a steeply sloping plateau dominated by the Citadel Hill and the Lower Town lying below. These two sectors always had complementary functions and form an inseparable group corresponding to the historic boundaries of the medieval town. Apart from 19th century settlements, the historic centre of Sighișoara has kept, with some variations depending on the successive development phases of the site, its original medieval urban fabric with its detailed allotment of buildings plots as well as its network of narrow streets lined with closely aligned rows of houses. The organic relationship established between the Citadel — with its culminant point, the Hill Church (initiated in 1325), its main symbol, the Clock Tower (founded in the 14th century and extended in the 17th century), the nine still standing medieval fortification towers as well as other religious and civilian distinctive buildings – and the Lower town and between the human habitat and fortifications and the natural surroundings results in a unique structure and a distinctive and picturesque silhouette which dominates the entire landscape. The settlement is characterized by a great density of buildings that hold individual value as historical monuments and, also due to the diverse topography, form expressive ensembles. The succession of pathways and urban spaces organized according to the topography, but also following interesting compositional principles, create together surprising picturesque effects. The historical centre of Sighișoara continues to be inhabited to this day, being defined as the most representative medieval urban site in all of Transylvania, due to the fact that, in comparison to other historical cities in Romania, the historical centre of Sighișoara kept its fortified urban medieval structure and its fabric of high architectural quality almost unaltered.

National Institute of Heritage View of the Upper Town and Lower Town “Schoolchildren’s” covered wooden staircase, 1656 View of the Lower Town and the Tanners’ Tower

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View of the Lower Town Tower’s Street and the Clock Tower The Rope Makers’ Tower

Wooden Churches of Maramureș Criterion (iv) The Maramureș wooden churches are outstanding examples of vernacular religious wooden architecture resulting from the interchange of Orthodox religious traditions with Gothic influences in a specific vernacular interpretation of timber construction, showing a high level of artistic maturity and craft skills.

National Institute of Heritage

1999 Ref: 904

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These eight wooden churches are located in the Northern mountainous Romanian region of Maramureș, in eight different villages — The Church of the Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple (Bârsana), The Church of Saint Nicholas (Budești), The Church of Holy Paraskeva (Desești), The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (Ieud Deal), The Church of the Holy Archangels (Plopiș), The Church of the Holy Paraskeva (Poienile Izei), The Church of the Holy Archangels (Rogoz), The Church of the Holy Archangels (Șurdești). They are representative for the wooden church architecture of this part of Europe, built in the 18th and 19th centuries. These churches have preserved their traditional plan, composed of a naos and pronaos in the shape of a rectangle, and a pentagonal recessed sanctuary. A portico was added to the western facade of some of them. They are covered by a high, steep, double-pitched roof from which soars a tall bell tower with a gallery similar to stone Gothic churches, giving the churches their characteristic silhouette. The churches stand on a base made of stone blocks and pebble fillings. The wooden beams (in oak or pine) are arranged according to the Blockbau system and assembled by joints in the shape of a V, U, or T, to make the construction stable and flexible. The beams of the upper part of the walls extend beyond the junction points to form supporting consoles for the framework. The outer walls are usually embellished with a torsade motif, while structural components (consoles, door and window frames, balustrade, bell tower gallery, etc) are adorned with sculpted decorations. The three inner areas are covered by ceilings or vaults of different forms. The inner walls were completely covered with paintings during the second half of the 18th century and first half of the 19th century by travelling painters whose names are known. These painters belong to post-Byzantine traditions, but their iconography also reflects the ideas conveyed by the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The canons of Byzantine art are reinterpreted in a graphic and decorative manner to create a more naive and refreshing style of painting. At the beginning of the 19th century, Baroque and Rococo paintings made their appearance in the wooden churches of Maramureș, probably through the influence of neighbouring countries. The selected eight churches are outstanding examples of a range of architectural solutions from different periods and areas. They show the variety of designs and craftsmanship adopted in these narrow, high, timber constructions with their characteristic tall, slim clock towers at the western end of the building, either single- or double-roofed and covered by shingles. As such, they are a particular vernacular expression of the cultural landscape of the area.

National Institute of Heritage The wooden church in Poienile Izei The wooden church in Rogoz

The wooden church in Șurdești

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The wooden church in Ieud. Mural paintings. Archangel and Patriarchs of the Last Judgement

Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine

CRITERION (ix) The serial nomination “Ancient Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe” comprises outstanding examples of the evolutionary and developmental processes of beech forests since the last glacial period, giving rise to a terrestrial ecosystem that has shaped an entire continent in a globally unique manner. In addition to the “Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Ancient Beech Forests of Germany”, the newly nominated beech forests in 77 component parts in 12 countries will enhance the existing World Heritage property to give an overall and comprehensive picture of the European postglacial development process of beech forest. With this extension, all glacial refuge areas and genotypes of beech are covered. The basic line of arguments in the nomination of the existing property remains mainly unchanged.

National Institute of Heritage

2007, 2011, 2017, 2021, 2023 Ref: 1133quinquies

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This transboundary property is indispensable to understand the ongoing history and evolution of the species Fagus sylvatica which, given its wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere and its ecological importance, is globally significant. These best-preserved, complex temperate forests exhibit the most complete and comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure and mixed stands of European beech across a variety of environmental conditions, such as climatic and geological conditions, throughout all relevant European Beech Forest Regions. They comprise all altitudinal zones from the coast up to the tree line in the mountains and, furthermore, include the best remaining examples of the outer boundaries of the beech forest range in Europe. Beech is one of the most important elements of forests in the Temperate Broadleaf Forest Biome and represents an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of terrestrial ecosystems and communities since the last Ice Age. The continuing northern and westward expansion of beech from its original glacial refuge areas to the eastern and southern parts of Europe can be tracked along natural corridors spanning the continent. Both past and present patterns of distribution represent natural evolutionary strategies for adapting to the environmental changes. The dominance of beech across extensive areas of Europe is a living testimony of the tree’s genetic adaptability. The „Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other Regions of Europe“ are a serial transnational property comprising 93 component parts across 18 countries and covering almost 100 000 ha. Romania includes 12 component parts which together cover one of the largest area of the property, over 23,000 ha, located in eight protected natural areas: Izvoarele Nerei, Cheile Nerei-Beușnița , Domogled-Valea Cernei (Caraș Severin), Masivul Cozia, Lotrișor (Vâlcea), Codrul secular Șinca (Brașov), Codrul secular Slătioara (Suceava), Groșii Țibleșului and Strâmbu-Băiuț (Maramureș). Romania has the world’s largest area of European beech forests (Fagus syvatica) and the Carpathians are home of the best-preserved forests from the entire distribution range of the species. These constitute a true living treasure from the scientific, educational, environmental and of the biodiversity point of view.

National Institute of Heritage Beech forests in the Izvoarele Nerei Nature Reserve Beech forests in the Cozia National Park Photograph by Pavel Prundurel

World Heritage in Romania

Beech forests in the Izvoarele Nerei Nature Reserve Photograph by Matthias Schickhofer

Beech forests in the Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park Photograph by Oliver Merce

Ancient Forest Strâmbu-Băiuț. Photograph by Radu Vlad

Ancient Forest Șinca. Photograph by Radu Vlad

Lady’s-slipper orchid (Cypripendium calceolus) in the Ancient Forest Photograph by Cezar Tomescu

Roșia Montană Mining Landscape Criterion (ii) Roșia Montană preserves the world’s most significant example of underground Roman gold mining, showcasing innovative techniques developed through the interchange of knowledge among migrant miners and pioneering engineering features unique to the site. Criterion (iii) The landscape embodies the cultural traditions of one of Europe’s oldest documented mining communities, evidenced by extensive underground works and exceptional epigraphic sources, including Roman wax tablets that reveal daily life and legal practices.

National Institute of Heritage

Criterion (iv) Roșia Montană illustrates the strategic control and intensive development of precious metal resources by the Roman Empire, becoming its principal new source of gold and silver after Hispania and contributing to its economic and military power.

Roșia Montană Author: Daniel Vrabioiu

2021 Ref: 1552rev

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Situated in the Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Roșia Montană preserves the most extensive and technically diverse underground Roman gold mining complex known in the world, with over 7 km of ancient galleries discovered to date. Mining activity here spans more than two millennia, its evolution almost entirely driven by the quest for gold, which shaped the landscape, settlements, and social structure. The area lies at the heart of the historical Golden Quadrilateral, Europe’s richest precious metals province, where successive cultures and empires left visible marks both underground and on the surface. The cultural landscape is organized within a natural amphitheatre of massifs and valleys dominated by seven mineral-rich mountains, their slopes pierced by mine entrances and dotted with artificial lakes once used for ore processing. Roman ore-processing areas, living quarters, sacred zones, necropolises, and administrative structures survive alongside later mining facilities, forming a readable palimpsest of technological and social development. The historic villages of Roșia Montană and Corna retain an exceptional architectural heritage reflecting the coexistence of several ethnic and religious communities whose prosperity was closely tied to mining. Architecturally, the settlement displays a remarkable diversity, blending Classical and Baroque influences with local traditions. Churches dominate the built environment, while characteristic houses with porches and high stone basements once hosted ore-processing workshops, preserving the memory of the freeholder mining system that continued until nationalisation in 1948. The site also holds an extraordinary corpus of epigraphic material, including the famous Roman wax tablets that provide unparalleled insight into legal, social, and economic life in the mining community. Despite modern interventions, including large-scale opencast mining during the communist period and partial demolition campaigns in the early 21st century, significant historic fabric and exceptional archaeological potential remain. Today, Roșia Montană stands as a unique testimony to humanity’s long relationship with precious metal extraction and the cultural landscapes it shaped, offering opportunities for sustainable heritage-based revitalisation.

National Institute of Heritage View on Corna churches with Cârnic and Cetate Peaks in the background, mining exploitations from the Roman to modern period Author: Radu Sălcudean Single farmstead with an agro-pastoral production facility Author: Radu Sălcudean

World Heritage in Romania

Roman Gallery in Cârnic Massif, Roșia Montană Author: Ivan Rous

Blacksmith Author: Radu Sălcudean

Brâncuși Monumental Ensemble of Târgu Jiu Criterion (i) The Ensemble is a modernist masterpiece, uniting abstract monumental sculpture, landscape design, engineering, and urban composition into a unique commemorative axis, culminating in the Endless Column - one of the most notable public monuments of the 20th century.

National Institute of Heritage

Criterion (ii) The Ensemble marks a turning point in modern monumental art and commemorative architecture, its innovative spatial concept and abstract language influencing the development of site-specific art, installation, landscape, and public art.

Sketch of the Column by Brâncuși, on a photo, August 1937

2024 Ref: 1473

World Heritage in Romania 41

Erected between 1937 and 1938, the Brâncuși Monumental Ensemble in Târgu Jiu marks a turning point in the history of modern monumental art. Dedicated to the supreme sacrifice of soldiers and citizens who defended the city during World War I, the Ensemble is the sole large-scale public work of Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, who innovatively transformed the commemorative monument by ‘placing the city as a functional element in the centre of the monument’. Extending along a 1,500-meter axis known as the Avenue of Heroes, the Ensemble integrates sculpture, landscape, and urban space into a coherent commemorative experience. The Ensemble comprises four principal sculptural components arranged along this conceptual axis: the Table of Silence, the Alley of Chairs, the Gate of the Kiss, and the Endless Column, located respectively within the Constantin Brâncuși Park and the Park of the Column. Together, they form a symbolic journey from meditation to transition and ascension, conveyed through abstract form rather than figurative representation. The integration of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul further emphasizes the ensemble’s spiritual dimension and its dialogue with the urban fabric. The Brâncuși Ensemble is acclaimed as a masterpiece of modernism, exemplifying a revolutionary synthesis of sculpture, architecture, engineering, and urban planning. The Endless Column, formed of ascending bronze-coated cast iron modules around a steel spine, stands as a triumph of technical innovation and aesthetic purity, influencing later architectural achievements worldwide. The Gate of the Kiss reinterpreted the triumphal arch tradition at a human scale, while the minimal forms and spatial rhythm of the park transformed the language of public commemoration. Preserved in its original location and configuration, the Ensemble retains exceptional integrity and authenticity, with all major elements intact and conservation measures respecting original materials and techniques. Although urban development has altered parts of its surroundings, Brâncuși intended the monument to coexist with the evolving city, reinforcing its role as a living memorial. Today, the Ensemble remains a landmark of universal artistic significance, embodying both remembrance and modern creative genius.

National Institute of Heritage Endless Column 2013 / Iozefina Postăvaru

World Heritage in Romania

Avenue of Heroes 2023 / Iosef Kovacs

Gate of the Kiss 2005 / Camil Iamandescu

Frontiers of the Roman Empire — Dacia Criterion (ii) The Dacian frontier illustrates a major interchange of human and cultural values through the development and dissemination of Roman military architecture and settlement systems, integrating defensive installations and civilian communities across the Empire’s northern border. Criterion (iii) The property bears exceptional testimony to the Roman Empire at its greatest territorial extent, reflecting imperial policy, colonisation, and the spread of Roman culture, and providing insight into the lives of soldiers and associated civilian populations.

National Institute of Heritage

Criterion (iv) The Dacian Limes is an outstanding example of Roman military architecture and frontier organisation, combining diverse fortifications and natural barriers over more than 1,000 km and illustrating key developments in the Empire’s defensive system.

The landscape of the Roman camp on Comărnicel in Șureanu Mountains Máté Szabó

2024 Ref: 1718

World Heritage in Romania 45

Stretching for over 1,000 km across present-day Romania, the Frontiers of the Roman Empire — Dacia represent the longest and most complex frontier sector of a former Roman province preserved in Europe. Established after the conquest of the Dacian Kingdom in the early 2nd century CE, the frontier marked the western, northern and eastern limits of the province, forming a pronounced salient north of the Danube. Its purpose was to protect the Empire’s northern borders, while supervising and controlling movement along the periphery of Roman territory for nearly 170 years. The inscribed property comprises 277 component sites, including legionary fortresses, auxiliary forts, fortlets, watchtowers, earthworks and walls, as well as civilian settlements and infrastructure associated with military presence. These installations were strategically positioned in response to highly varied terrains - from mountain passes and forested slopes to plateaus and river valleys - showcasing the Roman ability to adapt their defensive system to local topography. Despite the scale and complexity of this network, its sectors formed a unified defensive and administrative system, integrated into the broader Roman frontier. The frontier’s physical remains provide insight into Roman military organization, engineering, architecture, and settlement patterns. Civilian communities grew around the fortifications, reflecting cultural exchange and the spread of Roman traditions in administration, religion, and daily life. Today, traces of the frontier remain visible in the landscape, particularly in rural and mountainous areas where authenticity of setting is exceptionally preserved. Although some components have been affected by natural degradation or modern activities, many sites retain high levels of integrity and archaeological potential, including buried structures that remain well-preserved. As part of the wider Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Cluster, the Limes of Dacia represents a remarkable testimony to Roman expansion and frontier management, illustrating a significant period in the history of Europe and the ancient world.

National Institute of Heritage Map of Dacia with the inscribed component parts Teodor Muntean The landscape of the Roman city at Sarmizegetusa Máté Szabó

World Heritage in Romania 47

The Roman basin at Germisara Felix Marcu

The bronze head of the Roman emperor Caracalla discovered at Porolissum Alexandru Rădulescu

Balsamarium vessel depicting athlets engaged in a competition discovered in the fort at Gilău Alexandru Rădulescu

Bronze scales from an armour (lorica squamata) discovered in the fort at Gilău Alexandru Rădulescu

The stone enclosure of the Roman fortress at Grădiștea de Munte Máté Szabó

Institutul Național al Patrimoniului National Institute of Heritage

16 lenăchiță Văcărescu, Bucharest +40 21 336 60 73 / +40 21 336 99 04 secretariat@patrimoniu.ro

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