Brad, the land of gold, steam engine train and Virsli sausages

Less exploited but full of undiscovered beauties, Tara Zarandului/ Zarand Land in Transylvania is hiding a troubled history, lots of stories, picturesque sceneries and many ancients folk traditions.

The region got its name from the nearby Zarand Mountains, part of the Western Carpathians and spreads over three counties: Hunedoara, Arad and Alba.

At the heart of Zarand Land one can track down the little town of Brad and its countryside surroundings that are worth to be discovered especially during spring or summer, when the trees are abloom and the hills are all green.

Brad was set up for mineworkers, for here mining has a tradition of over 2,000 years from 21 BC to 2006 AD. A gold mine was discovered in the area during Roman times, and the town developed around it. The gold and silver exploited from these mines used to be sent to Egypt and Rome in Ancient times and later to USSR.

However, the earliest certification of Brad dates to 1445. Gold mining was active until 2006.

Due to the rich tradition of gold exploitations, a Gold Museum was set up here in Brad, being the only one of its kind in Europe. The museum shelters unique collections of gold, silver and different minerals items from Romania and around the world presented in their natural form, so there is no jewelry on display. The pieces that have natural shape, like a snake, writing feather, ballerina or even polar bear, are the museum’s ‘golden girls’.

Another piece de resistance of this small town is the train station, a massive building with Viennese influences, designed after the draft of a train station in Tirol, Austria.

Now, the building is practically a patrimony ruin. Built in the 19^th century, the former railway station is an architectural monument uncared-for over 12 years. Locals have filed tens of petitions to save the shabby train station, even staged several protests last year, with their demands still pending.

The station is however a starting point for a ride with the 1957-steam engine train.

The steam engine, known in Romanian as Mocănița, is popular among tourists visiting Transylvania. However, the steam engine train in Brad is not running on a fully basis schedule because the tourists are not so many around here. It is operational on special occasions like Easter, town celebrations or following previous appointments.

We could not forget about local food. Before arriving to Brad, you may stop by the village of Podele, where one can find a kind of sausages called Virsli, made only in this part of Transylvania (Brad and villages around it).

Some say that there are only two families that are still making the local sausages, with the recipes being kept secret and passed from generation to another.