Crivadia Gorges

The Crivadia Gorges lie next to the village of Crivadia, Bănița commune, in the south of Hunedoara County, on the Crivadia valley, which descends north-west from the Merișor Pass towards the Hațeg Depression. The village is crossed by the DN66 road between Hațeg and Petroșani. The gorges are a protected area of national interest, a mixed nature reserve (IUCN category IV) of 10 hectares, included in Grădiștea Muncelului-Cioclovina Natural Park. The reserve protects the landscape of the gorge and the flora growing on the limestone, described as a thermophilous „oasis” with many Dacian elements sheltered by the cliffs. Right next to the gorges stands the Crivadia Tower, a ruined fortress tower dated 1528, on the left side of the DN66 towards Petroșani, about 100 m east of the village. The tower is a class A historic monument, LMI code HD-II-m-A-03304.