The Fairy Glade

TEMPORARILY CLOSED The museum is closed between 1 November 2022 and 1 May 2023. Visits by appointment only. The Aragonite Museum is open between 1 May and 1 November. It is located vis-a-vis Melcului Hill, on DN13A, in the former grinding plant. Aragonite is a crystallized mineral, enriched with carbonated calcium by salty mineral waters. The museum presents the history and technique of aragonite polishing, an original collection of pieces that were made in the same building, some 100 years ago. The aragonite objects and artefacts arrived in 1890 at the World Exhibition in Paris (vases, ashtrays, lamps, cups, fruit, etc.). We look forward to greet you in the first and only museum of its kind in Europe.

Besides the most famous mountain areas of the Szeklerland such as the Harghita mountains, Bicaz gorges, the Red Lake or St. Ana Lake, this region hides many travel spots worthy of admiration. These include the Hășmaș Massif, known among hikers especially due to their number one attraction, the Lonely Rock. Many travelers follow the hiking paths of the  Hășmașul Mare, Hășmașul Negru, those of the Öcsém peak or those at the base of the fascinating talus deposit called the Devil’s Mill. The chalet built at the feet of the Lonely Rock is an important meeting point of several hiking trails, and it offers a fascinating view over the Ciuc depression, Ciucaş mountain, Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Massifs. The marked hiking routes are easy to follow and can be safely traveled by any hiker who is accustomed to the mountains. The same is not true about the escalation of the chimney leading to the top of the Lonely Rock. Even though the trail was improved with steel cables in 2008, the escalation requires skill, physical strength and plenty of care from amateur climbers. Those who get to the top at 1608 m altitude will be rewarded with a truly overwhelming panorama. Photo: Dezső László

The Szekler Museum of Ciuc, as an institution, was born in 1950. Since 1970, the headquarters of the Szekler Museum of Ciuc is the Mikó Castle Fortress, known as “the Fortress", the oldest and most important historical monument in Miercurea-Ciuc/Csíkszereda. The museum’s collections: 1. Plastic arts, with 7823 works from 207 artists; 2. Ethnography, including folk furniture, wooden and metal objects used in agriculture, objects used in animal husbandry and shepherding, objects used in milk processing, folk handicraft items, folk ceramics and folk musical instruments: cello, folk violin, clarinet and trumpet. The textile collection (3336 pieces) is made of indoor textiles and folk costumes; 3. An open-air exhibition with peasant houses and Szekler gates built of wood; 4. Archeology, a collection of 90,000 objects of clay, stone, bone, metal, etc., jewelery, numismatics; 5. Old books, a collection containing the old inventory of the Library of the Franciscan Order from Şumuleu Ciuc, the library of the Roman Catholic Gymnasium, manuscripts, printouts, magazines, archival materials and the toolbox of the Franciscan Book Binding from Şumuleu; 6. Natural sciences, including the following collections: "Mineral Waters", "Herbarium", "Birds and Mammals", "Minerals and Rocks"; 7. Arms Collection; 8. Religious art. PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS: • The Story of the Mikó Caste • The Franciscan printing workshop from Şumuleu Ciuc • Pace of time in Ciuc (Csík) • Preserved sacred art tresures

The Kőzúgó Waterfall is a charming place hidden in the forests of the Szeklerland, a spot that enchants the passerby, not by its magnificence (it measures just over 3.5 m), but by its wildness and naturalness. Balázs Orbán, an ethnographer and writer from Harghita county, described it very poetically, considering that nature has sculpted the rocks around the waterfall so that man can comfortably admire the unique flow of the water, which "breaks the stones". The Stone Breaker has a particular significance due to the numerous water mills. It is easy to find the waterfall because there are hiking trails crossing the area, near Ciumani. Text, image and video source: http://www.csomafalva.ro/csomafalvi-latvanyossagok/ http://kollozsolt.blogspot.com/2011/08/kozugo.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcRRmq1twWk

The Owl Fortress is a formation of high peaks and steep cliffs. Starting from Izvorul Străvechi, going left on a neat trail, we reach the Pierre Curie Spring. After a short break, we continue on a marked hiking trail, towards the picturesque landscape named Cetatea Bufnițelor (the Owl Fortress), which offers a great panorama. Not far from the place, there is a fortification from the Second World War, with traces of bullets, machine guns nests, and pillboxes still visible today. A place of legends and history at the same time, from where you can see the Bistrita Valley, surrounded by cliffs where the eagles build their nests.

Szőcs Lajos, whose family has three generations of straw hat makers, has decided to set up the first Straw Hat Museum in the country at Crişeni. The museum was established in a traditional renovated farmhouse. In the first room displays the straw hat models in the country, the middle room displays different objects of use and decoration, and the last room presents the hatter technique, all the way from straw harvesting to the finished hat. It is also possible to see and even try the largest hat in the country, with a diameter of two meters and a weight of 2.65 kg. 500 m of straw and 1.5 km of thread were used for its manufacture. In the courtyard of the Museum, the visitor can admire an extraordinary collection. More than 600 stones sculptured by nature, with special shapes such as duck, dove, cap, etc. There is also a five-meter hat in the yard. The museum can be visited daily. If it's closed, ask at the bar.

The Bicaz Gorge are located in the Northeast of the country, in the Hășmaș mountains. They are considered among of the most beautiful gorges in Romania accessible to the tourists. Formed by Bicaz river, the gorges are traversed by DN12C and connect two historical areas of Romania: Moldova and Transylvania. Vertical cliffs and dizzying heights, mountain springs, waterfalls large and small and caves make up the gorges' curiosities. Following the Bicaz Gorges, we are accompanied on the left side by the Tündérkert rocks, and after that by a monumental cliff, with a huge cross on the top. The name of the cliff is Oltárkő, and only in 1935 a group of Transylvanian climbers conquered its height of 1156 m. Following the road, we meet other beautiful sights. The valley is getting narrower. On both sides, we could see 200-300 m vertical rock walls, with the Bicaz stream rushing at their feet. Then we arrive at the place called the Hell’s Gate, also called Hell's Neck. The swollen stream sometimes reaches the size of a large river, and in the tight space between the cliffs, it makes a deafening sound. After a while, the plain becomes unnoticeably gentler, reaching the confluence of the Tikos stream with Bicaz, where we find ourselves at the border between Transylvania and Moldova. Photo: Desző Mátyás  Text source: https://pensiuniharghitene.ro/

Tinovul Mohoş is located in the eastern corner of the Ciomatu Mare Massif, at the southern foot of Mohoş Peak (1177 m) at an altitude of 1050 m. It has a diameter of 800 m, an area of 80 ha and a depth of 10 m. Tinovul Mohoş is actually an alpine peat bog. From the ancient lake, only 13 puddles of water remained. The view of the pine trees growing on the peat layer, as well as the thick bilberry bushes, offer a great sight. Among the rare species of the reserve are the carnivorous plants of the quaternary era such as the round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), Drosera obovata, the english sundew (Drosera anglica) and the bog cranberry (Vacccinium oxicoccos). There are also species from the last ice age: the bog-rosemary (Andromeda polifolia), the black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and the hare's-tail cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). Visitor Information Visiting System for Lake Saint Anne and the Mohoș Bog PARKING • The entry terminal issues a parking ticket (for cars and coaches). • The first 3 hours of parking are free and included with the visitor ticket. • Without a visitor ticket, parking is free for the first 10 minutes. After that, the fee is RON 3 per 30 minutes for cars and motorcycles, and RON 15 per 30 minutes for minibuses and coaches. TICKET PURCHASE • Ticket prices and online ticket purchase are available at: mohos.ro • If you have not purchased your ticket online, you can buy a visitor ticket at the Knowledge Centre. • The visitor ticket is valid for one day only, on the date of issue. • The visitor ticket grants access to the entire site (Knowledge Centre, Mohoș Bog, and Lake Saint Anne). • Please keep your ticket with you, as it may be checked several times during your visit. KNOWLEDGE CENTRE • Exhibition and film screening: admission to both the exhibition and the film screening is included with the visitor ticket. • Restrooms: located on the ground floor and in the basement of the Knowledge Centre, near the screening room. • Gift shop: available in the parking area, and soon also inside the Knowledge Centre. • Terrace: refreshments are served from the food truck. • Information: if you have any questions, please ask a member of our staff. CHECKPOINT • Ticket validation (former information point): scan the QR code to validate your ticket. • After validation, you may continue your visit either to the Mohoș Peat Bog or to Lake Saint Anne. The two attractions can be visited in any order. REGULATIONS • Stay on the boardwalk. • Picking plants or collecting peat or any other natural features is strictly prohibited. • Please keep quiet. • The nature trail is protected by an electric fence. Please proceed with caution. For your safety, please follow the instructions of our staff throughout your visit. The area is under video surveillance.

The lake St. Ana, located in the crater of Ciomatul Mare, is the only volcanic lake in Central and Eastern Europe, being the most visited travel destination of the Szeklerland.  The steep walls of Ciomatul Mare’s volcanic cone surround it, with a few higher peaks: Ciomatul Mare (1301 m), Ciomatul Mic (1238 m), Tata hill (1174 m) or Pietros peak (1125 m). Unique in Europe, the lake is at 946 m altitude, with a diameter of 1737 m and a maximum depth of 7 m. From the edge of the crater, 13 temporary brooks, which form during heavy rains, bring water and gravel into the lake.  The lake is fed by rainwater and snow melt. The process of sedimentation began on the northern and western edges, an increasingly thick layer of sludge covering the bottom of the lake. When the weather is fine, especially without wind, you can see bubbles of gas rising from the bottom of the lake, which are actually manifestations of post-volcanic activity. In the north and northeast of the lake, one can see a layer of floating peat about one meter thick. Visit to Lake Saint Anne Nature, fresh air, outdoor activities, and quality time together! Thanks to their unique natural character, Lake Saint Anne and the Mohoș Bog are ideal destinations for families and an excellent place to inspire environmental awareness in future generations. Visitors can enjoy the award-winning Vitos Chimney Cake, while the eco-buffets offer fruit juices, carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers, hot chocolate, tea, and coffee. The terrace also serves a selection of family-friendly dishes, including meals that are especially popular with children. At Lake Saint Anne, all products are sold either in glass bottles or in environmentally friendly packaging. Visitor Information Visiting System for Lake Saint Anne and the Mohoș Bog PARKING • The entry terminal issues a parking ticket (for cars and coaches). • The first 3 hours of parking are free and included with the visitor ticket. • Without a visitor ticket, parking is free for the first 10 minutes. After that, the fee is RON 3 per 30 minutes for cars and motorcycles, and RON 15 per 30 minutes for minibuses and coaches. TICKET PURCHASE • Ticket prices and online ticket purchase are available at: mohos.ro • If you have not purchased your ticket online, you can buy a visitor ticket at the Knowledge Centre. • The visitor ticket is valid for one day only, on the date of issue. • The visitor ticket grants access to the entire site (Knowledge Centre, Mohoș Bog, and Lake Saint Anne). • Please keep your ticket with you, as it may be checked several times during your visit. KNOWLEDGE CENTRE • Exhibition and film screening: admission to both the exhibition and the film screening is included with the visitor ticket. • Restrooms: located on the ground floor and in the basement of the Knowledge Centre, near the screening room. • Gift shop: available in the parking area, and soon also inside the Knowledge Centre. • Terrace: refreshments are served from the food truck. • Information: if you have any questions, please ask a member of our staff. CHECKPOINT • Ticket validation (former information point): scan the QR code to validate your ticket. • After validation, you may continue your visit either to the Mohoș Peat Bog or to Lake Saint Anne. The two attractions can be visited in any order. SERVICES AT THE LAKE • Raft ride: maximum 12 people, 30-minute duration. Life jackets must be worn at all times. • Rowboat rental: available for 30 or 60 minutes. Maximum 3 people / 250 kg. • Chimney Cake: freshly baked traditional Székely chimney cake, available in both sweet and flavoured varieties. • Ice cream: locally made, available in a variety of flavours. • In winter: sledding in the area around the lake. For your safety, please follow the instructions of our staff throughout your visit. The area is under video surveillance.