In an old post 10 Misconceptions about Romania, I was talking about the misconceptions people are fed with and know nothing about Romania. In case you intend to visit Romania, to see its beautiful landscapes, I give you the name of ten counties you can visit. They are “housing” 10 world records as you can read below.

1. The Tallest Summit Cross – Prahova county

Built on Caraiman Peak, in the Bucegi Mountains, it is “The Heroes’ Cross” monument. It is called “The Commemorative Cross to the Romanian Heroes of the WWI” and is also known as the “Cross on Caraiman”.

Built between 1926-1928, at an altitude of 2291 m, the cross is made out of steel profiles and mounted on a pedestal of concrete-clad 7.5 m high. That pedestal housed the electric generator that powered the 120 bulbs of 500 W each located on the perimeter of the cross.

Nowadays, that cross of 36 m high is illuminated with 300 bulbs of 500 W each and can be seen from a distance of miles away in the Prahova Valley.

According to the World Record Academy, the Cross on Caraiman sets the world record for the Tallest summit cross.

2. The Tallest Wooden Church – Maramureș county

A few weeks ago I published a post about the Merry Cemetery from Săpânța, Maramureș county. The Săpânța Peri Monastery built-in 1997 is located in the same village as the cemetery.

With its height of 78m, the church sets the world record for the Tallest wooden church. It is built from 400 cubic meters of oak and fir wood. Copying the style of Maramureș, the church was initially coated with 8.5 kg of gold. Its cross of seven m high was wrapped with 4 kg of gold.

That church is visible from a 5 km distance. 

3. The Largest Traditional Wooden Spoon – Argeș county

Going now to the south of Romania, we find out about the Largest traditional wooden spoon.

That wooden spoon was made in 14 days by Ion Rodos from Nucșoara, Mioveni, Arges county, known in the world of popular craftsmen as “the man who learned the wood to fly”, and his son Gheorghe Rodos.

That spoon is 17.79 m long and 1.50 m wide and decorated with traditional folks motifs and the logo of the city Mioveni. 

4. The Largest Wicker Basket – Cluj county

Another world record is set for the Largest wicker basket and was established in 2009 by a team of 16 skilled craftsmen. They created a basket of 18.17 m long, 10,20 m wide and 9.18 m high. 

The craftsmen used 12 cubic meters of wicker to twine the basket. In that basket, one million homebred or 350 tones of maize grains fit. 

5. The Largest Collection of Wooden Spoons – Suceava county

If you are the type of person who likes what is traditional you can visit the house where the history professor Ion Țugui lived in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Suceava county. He has collected spoons from all over the world and his house became the Wooden Spoons Museum with over 4200 wooden spoons.

Simple, or scratched or nicked spoons, painted spoons, spoons with emblems, historical monuments, traditions, animals, and badges, all are wooden spoons. They all are arranged in sets of ten and have labels with different information about them (origin, wood type, craftsman, year…)

The collection sets the world record for the largest collection of wooden spoons. 

6. The Longest Love Poem – Botoșani county

Going back to the north of Romania, you can visit the place where Romanian poet Mihai Eminescu had been born. His poem “Luceafărut”/ the Evening Star is designated as the longest poem in the world because its 98 stanzas.

WRA describes the poem as “a combination of the stories of” On the Wings of the Wind “(romantic drama),” Star Trek “(SF story) and” Love Story “(romantic poem with a dramatic ending, like the famous movie).

Also, the WRA members say: “The legend of the Evening Star is about a young princess who prayed to that star every night. The star falls in love with her and is ready to give up his immortality for her, but realizes that his pure love cannot be shared in the material world“.

PS. The poet Mihai Eminescu (1850 - 1889) was declared Poet of the Year in 2000 by UNESCO. 
A crater identified on the planet Mercury has been named by NASA with the poet's name. 

7. The Most Cellars in a Village – Bihor county

Do you like drinking wine? If yes, it is a great opportunity to visit Sălacea village. Almost 1000 cellars are located on the cellar street and other six streets in that village, Bihor county. According to the World Record Academy, the village sets the record for the most cellars in a village.

Most of them were built in the last century (the oldest one was built in 1803). A beautiful and creative element is the door of the cellars because each one is different. 

8. The Largest Monument to the Onion – Sălaj county

Another record set by Romanians is the monument to the onion. 🙂 It was ordered and sponsored by Alexandru Tatar a.k.a. Sandu of Pericei. He was inspired by a monument of the tulip seen in the southern Netherlands. 

With a height of 6.5 m (21.32 feet), the monument became the Largest monument to the onion. 

Built in Pericei, Sălaj county, the monument to the onion has become “an act of culture and a unique act in the world” (the dean of the Faculty of Visual Arts of Oradea).

9. The Highest Density of Fountains – Vrancea county

It is known that after eating onion you need to drink water. So, the next stop is in the Păunești village, Vrancea county. It sets the world record for the Highest Density of Fountains. There are 30 fountains, over 200 years old, grouped on an area of less than 2500 square metres. They were built by wealthy families at that time and were a reason for their pride.

According to the Mayor of Păunești, there were over 80 fountains but most of them have been dismantled for safety reasons.

10. The Largest Rock Sculpture on a River Bank – Mehedinți county

If you ever intend to visit Romania, you should not escape the opportunity of visiting the Largest rock sculpture on a river bank. The sculpture of Dacian King Decebalus is located near the town of Orșova, on the left bank of the Danube where the river is 120 m deep.

The face of the sculpture is 55 m high and 25 m wide. The length of the eyes is 4.3 m, and the nose is 7 m long and 4 m wide.

Comparing the sculptures made on Mount Rushmore lasting for 14 years and working 300 alpine sculptors, the sculpture of King Decebalus lasted 10 years and worked 12 people despite the heights, heat and vipers. 

Maybe people cannot see this now, but Romania is a wonderful country

Prince Charles in Wild Carpathia 3 Documentary.

I hope I woke up your curiosity about Romania and you will put it on your list of holidays.

Sources:
https://www.worldrecordacademy.org
https://www.cartearecordurilor.ro

Love,

Manuela

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