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Jiu Defile
National Park
Although partially tamed after the construction of the road and railway almost a century ago, the gorge retains its deeply wild landscape, with endless forests covering the steep slopes of the mountains on both banks of the stormy river!
If once the narrow valley between the Carpathians was almost impassable, now we can explore the Jiu Gorge along the road that follows the meanders of the river in a seemingly endless chain of curves. True marvels of engineering, the road and the railway that accompanies it from above, passing through 39 tunnels and over countless viaducts, were built during the communist period with great human sacrifices. Today they allow us to explore an amazing space, the gorge created by the Jiu River among the peaks being declared a national park in the meantime. Starting on a quiet autumn day, we pass through almost magical tunnels, created by the trees on the edge of the tumultuous river, with the rocky walls approaching menacingly from all sides. The overwhelming beauty of the landscape is matched only by the special attention required to travel this spectacular road, thus creating a memorable travel experience.
The spectacular gorge begins just a few kilometers south of the city of Petroșani and has few wider places where the sunlight lingers for more than a few hours. The mountain grip suddenly loosens only 30 kilometers further south, before the small town of Bumbești-Jiu. This wild destination can be traveled along the European route 79 (DN66) and the impressive railway connecting Petroșani to Târgu Jiu. One of the longest and most beautiful gorges in the country, it forms the second most important link between Transylvania and Oltenia, after the Olt Valley. Since 2015, the Jiu Gorge has been declared a national park to protect the wild natural environment along the valley and the peaks on both sides, which belong to the Parâng Mountains to the east and the Vâlcan Mountains to the west.
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Here we discover ten types of natural habitats with over 1,100 species, of which over 200 are protected, 28 rare and 11 endemic to this area, thus creating a unique biodiversity. In addition to the large number of plant species, the park is also home to large mammals such as the brown bear, the Carpathian deer, the chamois, the wolf, the lynx, the otter and others, as well as many species of birds. There are also several protected natural areas, valuable forests and interesting rock formations. One of these is known as the Lainici Sphinx, a natural monument rock with an anthropomorphic appearance, located north of the Lainici monastery. We can conquer it along a short but demanding tourist route to the top, from where we can admire the view of the gorge and the road. Other protected areas within the park are the Rafaila Rocks and the Chitu-Bratcu Forest.
Due to the very rugged terrain, with steep rocky slopes and abundant vegetation, there are not many hiking trails through the national park, but we still have a few opportunities to discover the wild ridges and admire the breathtaking panoramas of the gorge from above. A thematic trail in the southern part of the park starts from Meri point and climbs quickly to the ridge, where we find several isolated huts and shelters of the locals who climb here with their herds every spring. Another fairly easy trail starts near the Lainici monastery, passes by the Locurele hermitage and reaches the wild ridge of Gropu mountain. Two much longer and more difficult trails dare to climb to the highest ridges of the Parâng mountains, the first starting near the Lainici monastery, and the second following the Polatiște stream valley, in the northern part of the park.
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One of the most famous and impressive places here is the Lainici Monastery, located about 7 kilometers north of Bumbești-Jiu. This destination full of spiritual significance has been watching over the passage through the Carpathians for centuries, throughout its history going through both flourishing times and tragic events. The monastery was abandoned and reborn several times, being completely destroyed during World War II, when German troops desecrated the church, entering it with horses. Currently, there are two churches at Lainici, the old one dating from 1810-1817, while the new, larger church was built starting in 1990. It has two overlapping levels, with the history of Christianity painted on the walls of both spaces. This monastery also includes several isolated hermitages on the peaks, the most important being Locurele, located in an idyllic meadow at an altitude of 800 meters. A short distance from the exit from the gorge to the south we stop in the city of Târgu Jiu, where we have the unique chance to contemplate the monumental masterpieces of Constantin Brâncuși, included in the amazing ensemble on the Heroes Path…
Sights and Experiences
Places to See and Things to Do in Jiu Defile National Park
The National Park
It is located along the mountain course of the Jiu River, on both slopes that accompany the Jiu Gorge, the Vâlcan Mountains to the west and the Parâng Mountains to the east. The national park extends largely over the territory of Gorj County (over 90%) and was established in 2005, being one of the youngest protected regions in Romania. On the surface of over 11,000 hectares of the park, 10 specific protected natural habitats have been identified, of which 4 are primarily protected by European and Romanian legislation. These include a total of over 1,100 species, of which over 440 species of fauna and 700 species of flora. Within these, there are 203 protected species, including 11 endemic, 4 subendemic and 28 rare species. Among the plants, the liverwort (hepatica transilvanica) is an endemic species, and as rare species, which are actually endemic, the bream (atamantha hungarica) and the bellflower (campanula grossekii).
Among the animals, the large mammals stand out, three species being priority and protected throughout the European Union, namely the brown bear, the lynx and the otter. In the park area, there are also specimens of the wolf, marten, badger, Carpathian deer and chamois. Among the small animals, the Carpathian endemic is the scorpion, which is found in rocky areas, a habitat suitable for the species. Also, from the fish class, a Balkan endemic species is the moioaga. As for reptiles, the endemic species is the vipera ammodytes, also a Carpathian endemic. Studies conducted in the area have led to the identification of bird species protected by national and international laws, such as the peregrine falcon, the common buzzard, the golden eagle, the red jay, the blackbird, the hawk and species of bats.
The Jiu Gorge National Park also includes the Rafaila Rocks and the Lainicilor Sfinx Rock reserves, both geological reserves, with an area of approximately 1 ha. The Lainicilor Sphinx is located on the left side of the river, next to a meander, approximately 1 km north of the Lainici Monastery. The Rafaila Rocks are located on the left side of the river, at the confluence with the Rafaila stream, approximately 1 km south of the Lainici Monastery. Another protected area is the Chitu-Bratcu Forest, with an area of over 1,300 hectares where natural fir-beech, beech and hornbeam forests meet, with the spontaneous participation of walnut. In fact, the Jiu Gorge is one of the last regions in Romania that has large areas of virgin forests.
Lainici Monastery
Located in the Jiului gorge, approximately 7 kilometers from its southern end, the Lainici monastery is one of the most important and, due to its exceptional location, among the most visited monastic settlements in the country. Although there is no documentary evidence of this, it is believed that the beginning of monastic life here is due to Saint Nicodemus, who lived in a nearby cave. During the persecution against Orthodoxy, launched by Empress Maria Teresa, the Lainici monastery was destroyed, along with many others in Transylvania. It was brought back to life starting from 1784, and between 1810 and 1817, several nobles from Târgu-Jiu built the old wall church, which was consecrated with the patronage of “The Entry into the Church of the Mother of God”. The Lainici Monastery also went through hard times during Tudor Vladimirescu’s revolution, but also in the First World War, when the German troops desecrated the church, and the valuable objects and the archive were destroyed. The old church took over the architectural features of the original wooden church, having a porch supported by 8 pillars linked together by trefoil arches. Next comes the pronaos, the nave and the altar in the form of an irregular apse. The painting of the old church was finished in August 1817, and due to the rural background of the painters, the drawing often turns out to be naive.
The new church was built starting in 1990 on two levels, a church in the basement and one above it. The upper part, painted by the painter Grigore Popescu, presents the history of the church from the time of the persecutions until now. In the basement, the life of Christians from the year 1 to 313 is presented, including most of the saints and martyrs in the history of the church. The entire monastic complex from Lainici was developed mainly after 1990, building numerous other buildings and annexes, a new body of cells for monks, a large refectory for patrons and important holidays, the stone wall that surrounds the complex and others. There are still very rare and valuable religious objects and religious books in the monastery, although many others were destroyed or lost during its turbulent history. A copy of Metropolitan Andrei’s Bible and other books in the original edition are kept, an icon from the 17th century, and in the new church there is the icon of the Mother of God “Grabnic Askultătoare”, brought from Mount Athos and unique in the country. The icon is unusual in its size, being painted on sandalwood and covered with a mantle of gilded silver. In front of the altar, a gilded box contains the relics of some saints of the East, with a unique presence in Romania, including Saints Ignatius Briancianinov, Seraphim of Sarov or Demetrius of Rostov. The most famous abbot of the Lainici monastery was Venerable Irodion, the “Lucifer of Lainici”, as he was nicknamed by Saint Calinic from Cernica, being canonized in 2011.
Trails in Jiu Defile
There are not many hiking trails inside the national park, mainly due to the exceptional wilderness of the gorge’s relief, with its very steep rocky slopes. Just a few kilometers from the southern entrance to the Jiu Gorge, you can start on a thematic trail called “Forest Tales”, which climbs to the eastern peak (Parâng Mountains), and along it travelers can discover both the natural features of the region, but also the old manor houses, temporary dwellings of shepherds. The trail is 4-5 kilometers long and has a moderate difference in altitude (+370 meters), without any orientation problems or technical difficulties. Another accessible trail starts from the Lainici Monastery and climbs to the Locurele Hermitage, located on a peak of the Vâlcan Mountains, at an altitude of 750 meters. It can also be reached by car on a forest road, but the hike through the forest is worth the effort (3.3 km / +320m / 1-2 hours). A short distance north of the Lainici monastery, a relatively little-known and little-traveled trail (red dot) climbs to the main peak of the Parâng mountains, but it is very long and difficult (19 km / +2100 m). In the northern part of the national park, another very long trail (yellow dot) starts in the valley of the Polatiște stream and after many kilometers also reaches the peak of Parâng.
Other Interesting Discoveries
Lesser known places and activities in the Jiu Defile National Park
Vișina Monastery
From the old Vișina monastery, which in the past blessed the entrance to the Jiu gorge, only the ruins remain. This monastic settlement is among the oldest in the country, reminiscent of the beginnings of Orthodoxy in Romania. Historical documents certify its antiquity at the end of the 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century, among the founders of the monastery being considered Mircea cel Bătrân and Neagoe Basarab. The ruins, as well as the new monastery, are located at the entrance to the Jiu gorge, immediately after leaving Bumbești-Jiu, on the right bank of the river.
Locurele Hermitage
It is located in a mountain clearing, at an altitude of 750-800 meters, near the Lainici Monastery, to which it belongs. The road to it passes through the forests on the slope, accompanied by a delightful tourist trail. The first wooden hermitage was built by two priests from Târgu-Jiu, between 1850 and 1852. Starting with 2006, the hermitage church was restored, increasing its artistic and architectural value.
Rafting on the Jiu River
During certain periods, when the river level allows this adventure activity, rafting can be practiced on the Jiu. This allows you to cross several very spectacular sections of the gorge, being a unique way to discover the wild beauty of the destination.
Accommodation Recommendations
The best lodging options close to the Jiu Defile
Rating 9.5 from 506 reviews!
This superb hotel is located in the city of Petroșani, a few kilometers north of the Jiu Gorge, offering spacious rooms with all amenities, an acclaimed restaurant, shared lounge, garden and parking!
Grivita Rosie st, 36, Petroșani
Rating 9.4 from 148 reviews!
Located in the village of Rugi in the commune of Turcinești, a few kilometers from the Jiu Gorge, this modern guesthouse offers excellent rooms, a shared lounge, an indoor pool, a garden and breakfast!
Principala st, 52, Sat Rugi
Rating 9.4 from 51 reviews!
Located in the southern part of Petroșani, just a few minutes from the entrance to the national park, this traditional 1-bedroom cottage also offers a kitchenette, living room and a charming garden!
Șoimilor st, 42, Petroșani