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- Dragomirna Monastery – Fortified SpiritualityThe Wooden Churches from Maramures – Orthodox GothicThe Trovants – Living StonesMarasesti Mausoleum – Honoring The SacrificeAgapia Monastery – Nature, Spirituality, ArtMysteries And Symbols In Romanian SculpturesSarmizegetusa Regia – The Heart of the Dacian KingdomTwo Sisters from Cluj-NapocaCraiova’s Art Museum – a Jewel Containing Other JewelsDecebalus Head at Mraconia – The Romanian Mount RushmoreCartisoara – The Memorial House of Badea CartanStavropoleos Monastery – Treasure Trove of Byzantine CultureBucharest Aviation Museum – Wings of HistoryRomanian Pyramids of Sona: Decebalus’ Tomb?Polovragi Cave Takes You Back in TimeThe Clock Museum from Ploiesti, RomaniaThe Cave From Romanesti – The Cave That RocksSighisoara Medieval FestivalCetatea Neamt – The Strongest Moldavian FortressThe Carpathians – A Cathartic ExperienceBanffy Bontida Medieval Castle – the Versailles of TransylvaniaUnseen Monasteries from Oltenia“George Enescu” Memorial HouseSapanta – The Merry CemeteryAdamclisi – Talking HistoryThe “B.P.Hasdeu“ Memorial MuseumThe Momarlani – A Special PeopleThe Berca Mud VolcanoesRasnov FortressLake Sfanta AnaFagaras FortressThe Palace of the Parliament in BucharestRomanian MotorcyclingTaking the Tour of BucharestThe Danube Delta – a wild land
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The Berca Mud Volcanoes
So how do these wonders of nature work? The natural gas emerging from gas pockets 3000 m (~9 842.5 feet) below towards the surface, through layers of clay and water, pushes them up as salty water and mud, overflowing through the mouth of these cone-shaped volcanoes, while the gas comes out in bubbles.
This spectacular phenomenon results in layers of mud that dry off reaching surface and around the “cone”, building something similar to real volcanoes. There is one big difference though between the muddy volcanoes and those that expell lava: because it doesn’t come from the Earth’s mantle but from the continental crust, the mud is cold, which means there is no real harm to visit or be in that area. These formations are no taller than 1-2 up to 5-6 m (consider the fact that they are situated on inclined relief, so that isn’t actually much of a height).
WATCH FOR BEAUTY IN THE DESERT
Because the soil is very salty and filled with sulphur, it does not allow vegetation to grow around the volcanoes, at least not where they errupt. Yet, there are few rare species of plants who have managed to adapt themselves to the environmental conditions: Nitraria schoberi and Obione verrucifera. Also, the chemical compounds in the soil leave "marks" of different shades and colors, making the mud cones an interesting if not spectacular sight to visit.
Author: Diana Georgescu
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No Comments to “The Berca Mud Volcanoes”
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Huw says:
Very engaging article, good content split from page 1 to 2. I want to visit now! Would love to hear one short traditional story about the gates of hell on page 1.
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