Bihor County

Description:

Geographical situation

                It is located in the north-western part of Romania, on the courses of the Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers, bordered in the east by the Western Carpathians, and in the west by the Western Plain.

Neighbours

                In the east: Cluj, Alba and Salaj Counties, in the north: Satu Mare County, in the south: Arad County, in the west: Hungary.

Surface

                7,544 square km (respectively 3,2% of the country's territory).

Population

                633,629 inhabitants.

Towns

                Oradea is the capital of the county and it has 225,000 inhabitants. Other towns: Alesd, Beius, Marghita, Nucet, Salonta, Stei, Valea lui Mihai, Vascau.

Relief

                It is very complex,structured from east (the Bihor Mountains ) to west (90 m in Low Plain of the Crisuri).

Climate

                It is moderate continental, the dominant note is given by the moist air circulation from west, north- west, the rainfalls are not uniform, winds blow from west, north-west and south-west. The medium temperature in January is -2 - -8°C and in July 12 -24°C.

Watercourses

                The territory is crossed by the Barcau, CrisuI Repede and Crisul Negru rivers, flowing from east to west.

Touristic Attractions

Caves

                The Bears Cave

                The Wind Cave

                The Alive Fire Cave

                The Meziad Cave

                Other caves: The Old Man's Cave, in the Old lmas Depression. The Ciur-Ponor Cave, The Corbasca Cave, The Cave in the Bârsa Ravine in the Bihor Mountains

Waterfalls and valleys

                The Saritoarea Bohodeiului Waterfall (on the Oradea-Deva road, near Pietroasa), it has a height of 80 m, the third in Romania (as height), and together with the neighbouring area forms a complex preserve (geological, floristic and forest).

The CrisuI Repede Narrow Path it accompanies the national road Cluj - Oradea and then crosses thePadurea Crisului Mountains, it is a complex preserve (geological, faunistic and floristic), with a surface of 247 hectares. This preserve includes 11 caves end the limestone narrow path of the Crisul Repede (from the springs up to Bucea).

                Other waterfalls end valleys: The Bulbuci Waterfall with 40 m in height, in the Bihor Mountains, The Devil's Mill Waterfall with 20 m in height, from Stana de Vale towards Vales Draganului, The SighisteluI Valley a geological preserve, 2 km away from SighiseI, near Campeni, The Valley and the Spring of the Galbena.

Lakes

                The Pete Lake in BaiIe 1 Mai, floristic preserve, on a surface of 4 hectares, the unique pIace in Europe where the tropical water lily grows in natural conditions. This lake never freezes due to its thermal springs (30 - 40°C) supplying it with water.

                Other lakes: The Cefa Lake, fish nursery near Cefa, The Lesu Lake a leisure area on the Lesul

Valley, "Taul Iui Ghib", unique within the Romanian limestone landscape.

Preserves end monuments of nature

                Cetatile Ponorului (The Ponor Fortresses) in the Bihor Mountains, (en hour walk from Galbena chelet), they represent a natural complex preserve made up of three huge evens, a cave end an underground river flowing through a 4 km long tunnel, and surfacing in the Izbucul Galbenei. In this Karst complex, unique in Europe, water worked hardly creating s world of hidden wonders", stunning precipices, waterfalls end deep lakes.

                The Karstic Intermittent Spring from Calugareni (12 km away from Vascau, south of Ponoarele), it is a geological preserve situated at the border of the Bihor county (et en altitude of 400 m), including a famous intermittent Karstic spring, famous due to its coring qualities. The regularity of these springs depends on the seasons, for instance, they appear every 3 -4 minute after spring heavy reins.

                Other preserves end monuments of nature: The Glade of Wild Daffodils a floristic preserve near Goronesti, The Forest Point  "DeaIul Simleu", 8 km away from BS1Ie 1 Mel, near Beltia, The Karstic Area Vascau with steepnesses, caves, intermittent springs.

Spas and Touristical Health Resorts

                Baile Felix (8 km South of Oradea and 22 km south-east of the Bora road border crossing point), it represents one of the most famous resorts in Romania, known since Roman times. It is located at an altitude of 140 m, in Crisurile Plain, this geographical situation gives the resort a mild, moderate continental climate (annual average temperature: 10,5°C due the moist north-western sir which brings hers messes of see sir). BaiIe Felix possesses rich treatment facilities: devices for tub bath, facilities for warm mud and paraffin treatments; pools with thermal mineral water for kinetotherapy; devices for underwater elongations; facilities for electro-and hydrotherapy, sauna, aerosol end inhalation devices; indoor and outdoor pools with thermal mineral water (operating non-stop), medical gyms, medical massage, rooms for Gerovital  treatments. Access: by train - Baile Felix railway station, on Oradea - Vascau line or Oradea station, then by bus up to the resort, by road - DJ 760 Oradea - Beius, by plane - TAROM flights from Bucharest to Oradea and then by bus up to the resort.

                Baile 1 Mai (8 km south-east of Oradea and 2 km north-east of BaiIe Felix) is situated at an altitude of 140 m, surrounded by oak forests, with a moderate continental climate, and oceanic influences.Among the various treatment facilities, we can mention: devices for thermal mineral water baths, swimming pool with thermal mineral water, gyros. Access:by train - Oradea railway station on Bucharest Episcopia Bihor line, then by bus, by road - on the national road DN 76 from Oradea to Beis, with deviation near Sânmartin.

                Stâna de Vale (24 km from Beius, at an altitude of 1,100 m), it is a permanent spa located at the foot of the Poieni Peak (1.650 m) in a depression surrounded by fir forests. It has a mountain climate with cold winters and chilly summers-the annual average temperature is of 4°C. The snow persists from November to March. The resort also has ski tracks for amateurs and athlets and, in terms of treatment facilities: tub plant baths, ion galvanisations, magnetodiaflux, sauna, massage. Access: by train - the Beius railway station on Oradea- Vascau line, then by car up to the resort; by road - the national road DN 1 (E 60), Oradea - CIuj-Napoca up to Alesd, with deviation on Valea Iadului, near the accumulating lake Lesu, DN 76 (E 79), Oradea - Beius, then  about 30 km through Budureasa.

                Other spas: Baile Tinca, at an altitude of 131 m, 36 km south of Oradea and 25 km away from Salonta.

Historical vestiges

                The Ruins of the Biharia Fortress, 13 km away from Oradea, on the national road DN 19, ground fortress, built in the 1 0th century, it was the capital of the Romanian principality led by Menumorut.

                The Ruins of the Oradea Fortress (1114- 1131), it is surrounded by ditches which used to fill with the water of the thermal rivulet Peta.

                Other historical vestiges: The Ruins of the Piatra Soimului Fortress in Alesd (13th century), The Ruins of the Pomezeu Fortress (13th century), near Beius.

Religious Buildings

                The Roman-Catholic Cathedral in Oradea, it was built between 1752 - 1780 .

                The Orthodox Church "cu Luna" (with Moon) in Oradea, it was built between 1784 - 1790

                Other religious buildings: The "Saint Ladislau" Church in Oradea (1723 - 1733), The Roman Catholic Church "Sf. Treime" ("Saint Trinity") in Beius (1752), The "Saint Dumitru" Church in Tinaud, near Alesd, (1658), Wooden Church in Abram (1700), Wooden Church in Rieni, near Beius, on the national road DN 76.

Cultural Buildings

                The Baroque Palace in Oradea, it was built between 1762 - 1770.

                The Library in Oradea. It is placed inside a building which combines many styles: Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo.

                The Cannonics Rows in Oradea, it was built in 1773 in the Baroque style.

                Other cultural buildings: The Palace of the County Council in Oradea, The Black Eagle" Palace in Oradea, The Memorial House of the Poet  "Ady Endre" in Oradea, The Museum of the "Crisurilor Land" in Oradea.