Visit the Bucegi Mountains and the Heroes’ Cross

The Bucegi Mountains are part of the southern Carpathians in Romania. They are where you can find the Old Ladies and the Sphinx. And they are also home of a Guinness World Record: the tallest summit cross at such a high altitude. And that altitude? 2,291 meters or 7,516 feet! The size of the cross? 39.5 meters or 129feet 7inches, including the base. And the cross? Well, it’s the Heroes’ or Caraiman Cross on the Caraiman Peak. Visible day and night – when it’s all lit up,  it has been standing guard over the Prahova valley for almost 100 years.

This massive structure was build between 1926 and 1928 to commemorate the Fallen Romanian Heroes of World War I. It was built at the initiative of Queen Marie and King Ferdinand,who were also responsible for building one of the impressive things to see in Romania, the Peles Castle. Wood, metal, and concrete building materials were carried to great heights either by oxen-drawn carts or by cable car, and this record-breaking cross was built.

Aside from witnessing this impressive, commemorative construction, a visit to the Heroes’ Cross offers a stunning view of the Prahova Valley, with the town of Busteni being directly below. It’s not for the faint of heart, but rather one of the many adventures in Romania. You will be standing on top of a cliff face, looking straight down to a drop of more than 1,000 meters.

It is not often than one can see such beautiful views in Romania without first hiking for hours up a mountain. The Heroes’ Cross is only an hour and a half from either the Busteni – Babele Cable Car or from the Piatra Arsa Cabin which can be reached by car. If you are an experienced hiker and are looking for an active day, you can hike up from the town of Busteni for about 5 hours, and see both the Heroes’ Cross and the Old Ladies and Sphinx rock formations before descending. But make sure to start early and go prepared, because it’s going to be a full day.

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