The Bucegi Mountains are located in central Romania, south of the city Brașov. They are part of the Southern Carpathians group of the Carpathian Mountains.
To the east, the Bucegi Mountains have a very steep slope towards the popular tourist destination Prahova Valley (a.o. Bușteni and Sinaia). At a higher elevation is the Bucegi Plateau, where wind and rain have turned the rocks into spectacular figures such as the Sphinx and Babele.
The Bucegi is believed to be the Dacian holy mountain Kogainon, on which the God Zalmoxis resided in a cave.
The exact origin of the name "Bucegi" is disputed by philologists. "Buceag" or "bugeac" seems to be the source of the name, a word designating in the language of mountain people both the moss in the forest and the wilderness or the junipers. Archaic version of the name "Bucegi" is "Buceci", name still used today by elders in the mountains, and about which linguists say it's derived from "huceag", "buceag" or "bugeac".
Linguist Sextil Pușcariu claims that the name of Bucșoi, one of the mountains that reach the Omu Peak, derives from "Buc", "Bucur", just as "Buceci", "Bugeci" derives from "Buc" with the same suffix like "Măneciu" or "Moeciu". And "Bucur" is a genuine Dacian name. In Iorgu Iordan's work, Toponimia românească, the name of the mountains is derived from Slavic buk, meaning "beech".
Bucegi Mountains area, whereof exist references since the 15th century, has been proposed for protection in 1936, due to peerless landscapes and great diversity of plant and animal species. This proposal was taken up only in 1990, when materialized through the Minister's order no. 7/1990. Bucegi Natural Park covers an area of 32,663 hectares across three counties (Dâmbovița, Prahova and Brașov), having more than 60% of the territory covered with forests.
The Sphinx
The Sphinx (Romanian: Sfinxul) is a natural rock formation in the Bucegi Natural Park which is in the Bucegi Mountains of Romania. It is located at an altitude of 2,216 metres (7,270 ft), a 10-minute walk from Babele.
The first photo of the Great Bucegi Sphinx was probably taken in about the year 1900. This photograph was taken from a front position, not from a lateral one, as it usually appears in pictures nowadays. It only acquired its nickname, referring to the Great Sphinx of Giza, in the year 1936. The image of the sphinx appeared when the rock, having an 8 m height and a 12 m width, was watched from a certain angle. The megalith has its clearest outline on 21 November, at the time the sun goes down.
Heroes Cross on Caraiman Peak
The Heroes' Cross is a monument built between 1926 and 1928 on Caraiman Peak at an altitude of 2,291 m located in Romania, in the Bucegi Mountains of the Southern Carpathians. It has a height of 36 metres (118 ft) and the nearest town is Buşteni. The name of the monument is "The Heroes' Cross", but it is popularly known as the "Cross on Caraiman".
The Heroes' Cross is located in the saddle of the Caraiman Mountains, on the slope to the Seacă Valley at an elevation of 2,291 metres (7,516 ft). The cross itself has a height of 28 metres (92 ft) and two arms of 7 metres (23 ft) each. The monument is the tallest summit cross in the world situated at such an altitude, as recognized in 2014 by Guinness World Records. The width of the vertical pole is 2 metres (7 ft), the horizontal arms have a length by spindle pole of 7 metres (23 ft), and a square cross section with sides of 2 metres (7 ft). The cross is made out of steel profiles and is mounted on a pedestal of concrete clad with stone 7.5 metres (25 ft) high. Inside the pedestal there is a room that originally housed the electric generator that powered the 120 light bulbs of 500 W each located on the perimeter of the cross.
The Heroes' Cross was built between 1926 and 1928 in the memory of the railway heroes who died on duty in World War I fighting against the armies of the Central Powers. The cross was erected at the initiative of Marie of Edinburghand King Ferdinand of Romania in order to be seen from a large distance as possible. The overall project was developed by Romanian architects Georges Cristinel and Constantin Procopiu. The construction of the monument began in 1926 and was completed in August 1928. Queen Marie had closely followed the implementation of her instructions until the completion of the project. Inauguration and consecration of the monument took place on September 14, 1928 on the Holy Cross Day. The monument was made of metal sleepers joined by riveting in a network pattern. The actual construction was done by the Heroes' Cult Society that mobilized a large number of young people. Tools, wood, metal parts, the remaining components and all the necessary materials were transported by train to the Buşteni railway station. From here some metal beams and other building materials were transported by oxen on the route Buşteni - Sinaia - Păduchiosul Peak - Dichiu Peak - Bucegi Plateau - Caraiman Peak and the remaining materials were transported by the funicular owned by the Buşteni Paper Mill. The funicular transported different parts along the Jepilor Valley all the way to Schiel Canton, where they were taken on narrow trails with horses and donkeys to the top of the Caraiman Peak.
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