Ulmet Trovants

The Ulmet Trovants, popularly known as "The Old Women" of Ulmet, are a geological formation located in the village of Ulmet, Bozioru commune, Buzău County, on the Bălănesei valley, about 44 km north of the city of Buzău. Trovants are spheroidal or ovoid sedimentary concretions, composed mainly of sand cemented with calcium carbonate. The sand from which the trovants formed comes from a prehistoric river delta, about 14-15 million years old, once home to numerous aquatic animals; shells from snails and mollusks in those layers provided the natural "cement" source. The cementing agent is rare acidic water, which dissolves the shells, becomes enriched with calcium, and, seeping into the water table, deposits the calcium onto sand grains, gradually binding them together. The formation process could have taken thousands or even tens of thousands of years. Trovant sizes range from a few centimeters to several meters tall, with a wide variety of shapes — spheres, ovoids, elongated or fused forms, some resembling animal or human figures. The Ulmet Trovants are part of the "Buzău Land" Geopark, launched in 2007 by the University of Bucharest in partnership with the Buzău County Council, and officially recognized as a UNESCO site in April 2022. The trovant site itself became a community-interest protected area in 2018, through management documentation adopted together with the Bozioru Town Hall. In 2023, county authorities flagged a collapse risk for two of the largest trovants, due to natural causes (erosion, wind, tectonic movement); the visiting trail was rerouted, and climbing on the formations was banned, pending a reinforcement solution from specialists. The trovants are reached from Ulmet village, by car to the designated parking area, then on foot for about 500 meters, through a small alder grove, along a stepped path. Visiting requires a fee of 10 lei for adults and 5 lei for children, students, and retirees. Nearby, in Bozioru, the "Story of the Trovants" Visitor Center recently opened, offering interactive and augmented-reality content about trovant formation and the area's prehistoric life.