- Why Mud Volcanoes from Romania are an important tourist attraction?
- The Legend of The Seven-Headed Dragon (Balaur)
- The Legend of Mud Volcanoes and the Gates of Hell
- Legend of the Guardian of the Mud Volcanoes
Why Mud Volcanoes from Romania are an important tourist attraction?
Mud volcanoes in Berca, Romania, are some of the most famous and spectacular geological phenomena in the country. Located in Buzău County, near the town of Berca, they are one of the largest complexes of mud volcanoes in Europe and one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area.
The Legend of The Seven-Headed Dragon (Balaur)
Legend has it that this land was terrorized in the past by the Seven-Headed Balaur.
A Balaur in Romanian folklore is a many-headed dragon, sometimes said to be equipped with wings.
The dragon was destroying the crops and the houses of the peasants and spitting flames over the forests and plains, burning them.
Arbanașu, the son of Mrs. Neaga and Prince Mihnea Turcitul, decided to face the Dragon. He prepared for battle, mounted a white horse, and set out in search of the Dragon. With the blood boiling in his veins and eager to show his courage in battle, the warrior passes through Valea Parului, Berca, Dimiana, and Margariti reaching a village where an old man tells him that the dragon is hiding behind a hill.
Arbanasu goes for the hill and as he climbs up, the giant Dragon shows up, sprinkling fire and pear through all seven mouths. Arbanașu fights with him, avoids the deadly flames, and when he catches the moment he takes out his big sword and cuts off one of his 7 heads. The black blood of the Dragon spills over the hill and the plain and the landscape changes radically. Taking advantage of the moment of weakness, the warrior cuts off another head, and the dragon hides under the ground. Its black blood penetrates the crust of the earth and comes to the surface and the ground looks as you see it today.
So be careful not to wake the dragon from the depths.
The Legend of Mud Volcanoes and the Gates of Hell
Another legend says that here are the Gates of Hell.
The legend of the Gates of Hell in connection with the Mud Volcanoes is a mythological story. Legend has it that these are the places where the Gates of Hell were opened, allowing lost souls to ascend from the depths of the underworld.
According to legend, demons, and evil spirits are released from hell through these gates and manifest in the form of hot mud flowing from the depths of the earth. These places are said to be haunted by evil entities and should not be disturbed or visited by humans.
Legend of the Guardian of the Mud Volcanoes
A long time ago, when the earth was still young, there was a vast and mysterious land where the Berca Mud Volcanoes now stand. According to legend, this land was guarded by a powerful spirit known as the Guardian of the Mud Volcanoes.
The Guardian was said to be a benevolent entity in the form of a powerful dragon made of earth and fire. His scales glowed with hues of clay and earth, and his breath smelled of sulfur and minerals. For centuries, the Guardian watched over the land, ensuring its safety and prosperity.
Legends of the Mud Volcanoes
People living near the mud volcanoes worshiped the Guardian, offering prayers and tributes in gratitude for his protection. They believed that the mud volcanoes were the domain of the Guardian, a sacred place where the earth’s energy flowed freely, nourishing the land and its inhabitants.
According to legend, the Guardian had the power to shape mud volcanoes and control their eruptions. It was said that when the land was threatened by danger or imbalance, the Guardian would awaken from its slumber and unleash its power, sending torrents of mud and gas to cleanse and purify the land.
Generations passed, and the memory of the Guardian of the Mud Volcanoes faded into the mists of oblivion. However, the mud volcanoes remain as evidence of their presence, their otherworldly beauty attracting travelers from far and wide.
Even today, some say that if you listen carefully to the whispers of the wind and the swish of the mud, you can still hear the echoes of the Guardian’s song – a reminder of the ancient connection between the land and its guardian spirit.
