Dragons’ Garden – the natural reservation in Salaj, Transylvania

The Dragons’ Garden is a protected geological and landscape natural reservation that covers almost three hectares and it is located in Balan commune, Salaj County, Transylvania. The reservation became a protected area in March 2000 and consists of an irregular assembly of rocks namely: ‘Fata Catanii’ (Soldier’s Girl), ‘Zmeul si Zmeoaica’ (The Dragon and the Lady Dragon), ‘Mosu’ (The Oldman), ‘Calugarii’ ( Monks), ‘Capitanul’ (The Captain) ‘Soldatii’( Soldiers), ‘Eva’ (Eve), Dorobantul (The Infantry Man), ‘Degetelul’ (The Little Finger), ‘Sfinxul’ (The Sphinx) and other bizarre shapes (as towers, mushrooms).

In geological terms, dragons are conglomerates and sandstones rock formations at the base of Dumbrava hill. Their current appearance is due to corrosion, water, vegetation, thus the scenery is continuously changing and Dragons may change shape or lose their actual height, 10-15 meters. These beautiful odd rocks became fantastic characters in local’s legends.

One of the Dragons’ Garden’s legends talks about a girl who fell in love with a soldier. Her step mother disagreed their love and cursed the girl to turn into a stone.

Some say this area was dwelled by wicked dragons that used to kidnap the villagers’ girls. One day, one of the dragons stole the sun from the sky, but a vigorous young man defeated him and put back the sun. The other dragons that came to give him a helping hand were blinded by the sudden brightness, and one of the girls captured and rescued by the young man uttered a spell on them and the dragons remained there still as stone.

While in the area you can also visit the Botanical Garden of Jibou, a garden founded in 1968 by Professor Vasile Fati, which covers 30 hectares. Actually it used to be the park of a medieval castle, a former residence of the Wesselenyi family.

‘The garden shelters outdoor and ornamental plants area, a Roman garden, a rose garden, a Japanese garden, a botany area and a network of greenhouses covering 4,000 square meters, aquariums having more than 40 fish species, an Amazonian gallery with an artificial waterfalls, tropical plants and parrots, as well as a zoological park with deer, does, boars and a birdhouse,’ Botanical Garden Director Cosmin Sicora told Agerpres.

Several tourism organizations want to promote Dragons’ Garden in a complex circuit, next to Jibou Botanical Garden and the great ancient Roman Castrum from Porolissum.