Dărmănești: Nature, Culture and Trails

Dărmănești offers four officially approved tourist trails. The trails in the Nemira Mountains can be reached from Dărmănești via the Sălătruc district, near the Poiana Uzului Dam.

Nature

The Poiana Valea Uzului Reservoir lies between the Nemira Mountains and the Ciuc Mountains. The Creasta Nemirei includes 11 habitat types, including beech forests, acid-loving forests of Picea abies, alpine and boreal scrub, montane grasslands, montane hay meadows, transitional mires and quaking bogs.

In the village of Plopu lies Lacul Pufu, which covers approximately 2 hectares and is 3 metres deep. Lacul Bălătău is a lake formed by a natural dam; it was created in 1883 when a landslide dammed the Izvorul Negru stream. The Nasolea Mare Waterfall lies on the Uz River in the Uz Gorge, approximately 400 metres upstream from the road bridge at the upper end of Lake Poiana Uzului.

Culture and History

Palatul Știrbei was built at the end of the 19th century on Măguricea Hill, on a plateau 600 metres above sea level, and is considered one of the important works of the architect Nicolae Ghika-Budești in Dărmănești. The Hazaparu Watermill in the Boiștea district is a national monument of local architectural interest.

The wooden Church of the Holy Voivodes Michael and Gabriel in Lapoș was built in 1813 as an outbuilding of Lapoș Monastery. Its iconostasis was carved and painted in 1830. The church preserves valuable old books from the former hermitage, including a Cazanie from Bucharest dating from 1732, an Apostol from Râmnic dating from 1784, a Gospel from Blaj dating from 1745, a Strastnic from Blaj dating from 1800 and a Triodion from Blaj dating from 1813.

The open-air museum dedicated to the First World War in Dărmănești consists of 21 pedestals arranged in a semicircle in front of the Heroes' Monument near Dărmănești Technological Lyceum. The Poiana-Valea-Uzului Dam was built from 1965 to 1973, is 80 metres high and 500 metres long, and features a braced structure.

Annual Cycle and Events

The La Porțile Nemirei fair for mountain farms and mountain products takes place every year in May and combines local food with traditional handicrafts. Every year, Dărmănești hosts the Trofeul Valea Uzului hill-climb motorsport event. The Turul Colinelor “Drumul Eroilor” cycling event is also held annually, attracting professional athletes and enthusiastic mountain-biking amateurs.

Every New Year's Eve, the Festivalul Ursul de la Dărmănești takes place in the centre of Dărmănești, with seven bear groups from the town's seven districts taking part. On Christmas Day, the traditional Jian is scheduled as a theatrical performance in the centre of Dărmănești; three to four local Jieni groups from the districts are expected to participate.

As a place crossed by the DN12A and DJ123 roads and a railway line, Dărmănești plays a role in transit tourism.

Other places in the same higher-level area: Slanic-Moldova, Horgești, Agăș, Moinesti, Târgu Ocna, Bacău, Valea Seacă, Ghimeș-Făget

To the higher-level travel overview: Bacau.