BUZAU CARPATHIANS AND SUB-CARPATHIANS
Romania
Given their uniqueness and variety, the natural and anthropic tourist resources of this area influence travel decisions. If natural tourism resources have a singularity recognized as having the UNESCO Global Geopark status, anthropic tourist resources are just as important for this area. The innovative spirit of entrepreneurs is manifested by proposing unique tourist activities: pottery (Art Center-Aluniș; Cob Village-Berca), children's trips where they are initiated in collecting medicinal plants (Aluniș), tours of cave churches under the care of a guide who provides information regarding the local history (Aluniș-Nucu), having contact with people belonging to cultures from which tourists are inspired in terms of their own ways of life or of thinking, culinary heritage, value systems, beliefs and traditions which are part of the inhabitants’ lifestyle. The approach to cultural tourism as a way of life should not be regarded separately from the “sites and monuments” approach, as cultural tourists often initially visit cultural sites and take part in cultural events in a particular region, and then return and experience the way life of the locals. In this vein, a transition is made from culture seen as a product, to the experience of the lifestyle in the same tourist destination.
The festivals and businesses initiatives fit perfectly into the general profile of the region famous for its gastronomy and wine culture, preserving traditions and customs, religious monuments and pilgrimage sites, as they have all been increasingly developed as a cultural tourism offer in recent years. Festivals have diverse cultural themes, such as gastronomy and wine, folklore/local traditions, or religion. Almost each rural administrative unit organises festivities celebrating The Commune Day, which is a mixture between these three above-mentioned cultural themes. The most important festivals are the Pietroasele “Tămâioasa” Feast, the most famous aromatic wine produced in Pietroasele village, and the Pleșcoi Sausages Festival (Pleșcoi), or Vadoo Chill Fest - alternative music (Vadu Oii). Ferma de sub Penteleu/The Farm beneath Penteleu (Varlaam) reflects the old way of life of the Romanian farmers/peasants. The guests have the opportunity to participate in a range of specific activities during their stay at the Farm, such as workshops, farm activities and gardening.
Buzău Land, Romania designated as UNESCO Global Geopark
The UNESCO Global Geopark label recognizes geological heritage of international significance. Member States unanimously ratified its creation in 2015. The sites of this network present an extraordinary geological diversity that underpins different regions’ biological and cultural diversity. The geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their unique geological heritage with public outreach and sustainable development. Among the 8 newly designated UNESCO Global Geoparks is also:
Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark, Romania
In the Carpathian Bend Area in Romania, the hilly and mountainous territory of the Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark covers 1,036 km² and is home to some 45,000 inhabitants. In the region, several tectonic plates collided, giving birth to a very complex fold and thrust mountain range which was later eroded by the glacial action. One of the most geodynamically active areas in Europe, the geopark exhibits 40 million years of geological history. Over this period, it tectonic movements pushed up mountains and transformed a deep-sea environment into a terrestrial one. Fossils of marine species, terrestrial vegetation, mammals and birds dating from the last glaciation have been well-preserved. Many fossils of beetles, spiders, crustaceans, reptiles and other species are conserved in amber, a fossilized resin. Some of the longest and deepest salt caves in the world are also found here, remnants of large deposits of salt and gypsum formed by the evaporation of shallow enclosed bodies of water. This rich geodiversity has influenced a unique cultural heritage with local legends in which mud volcanoes become dragons, mud boilers are traps made by giants to catch cattle, and the future can be predicted by looking through a lens of amber.
For more information, please visit: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-designates-8-new-global-geoparks?fbclid=IwAR1GA9t63MBHZQYuU8N4GRLTvumB_Kvm5t-7sybpOZkPZ0-QDgCUynksnmQ
During the preparation process for the UNESCO validation the following film was made as a tool for promoting the Geopark on a national and international level.
Geoparcul Ținutul Buzăului - Teaser Trailer #1
Peer-reviewed articles:
Good practice examples:
Around the world on foot. The story of the 497 pairs of Romanian sandals
