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turda saline
Mining salt
Turda Saline is a veritable museum of the
history of salt mining. The mine complex is ex-
cellently preserved and arranged for visitors.
A panoramic elevator lowers you into Rudolf
Mine, where there is a huge wheel with 6
gondolas. Here you find minigolf courses, pool
tables, sports fields, a children’s playground,
bowling and a theater with 200 heated seats,
an ideal place for concerts. Joseph Mine
(Mina Iosif) has great acoustics too, known
as The Hall of Echoes (Sala Ecourilor) due to
the special resonance of the salt walls. From
Rudolf mine you go down by stairs or take the
elevator to Terezia Mine (Mina Terezia), where
there is a lake with a jetty where you can rent
a boat. Turda Saline is an important treatment
technique centre for speleotherapy. Upon
reaching the surface, you can visit Crivacului
Hall (Sala Crivacului), where a rare and yet
functional piece of salt extraction is displayed,
a “machine” used to lift the salt vertically
from the well.

turda saline
www.salinaturda.eu
Detunata volcanic basalt Columns, from Apuseni Mountains

fortified churches
Prejmer the one with solid walls
The cruciform church of Prejmer, of early Gothic times,
inspired by Cistercian (Burgundy) architecture and of Roman
Catholic communion, was completed in 1250. Later, around
this, the most powerful peasant fortress of Transylvania was
constructed in 1427. Tartlau Fortified Church (German name
of Prejmer) served as a retreat and place of defence for
peasant families in nearby villages. Each family had its own
room, situated on one of the four floors of the surrounding
wall. The fortress was designed to withstand any siege, with
thick and high walls, bastions, iron gates and mobile bridges
and a secret passageway through which the water and food
supply of the besieged was assured.
Among the defense systems, a device called “death organ”
is conspicuous, consisting of several guns placed together,
which fired simultaneously. Very well preserved, the forti-
fied church from Prejmer was listed as a World UNESCO
Heritage monument.

Fortified church Prejmer

36 – explore the carpathian garden