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- Targoviste – A Capital’s CharmDrobeta Turnu Severin – A Bridge Across The AgesSearching For Tranquility Around BucharestCalimanesti, Olanesti, Govora – Oltenia’s Health SpringsAlba Iulia and Codex AureusIasi – A City Imbued With History and CultureThe Deva Fortress – Active Witness to Transylvania’s HistoryRupea Stronghold, The Core of Brasov CountyScarisoara Cave, Glacier Chill in Summer TimeMuierilor Cave, Symbol of Fertility and HolinessOrsova – Heavy Industry Meets the Roman EmpireThe Heaven of Cherry Orchards, in CetateleCurtisoara Museum – a Cradle of SpiritualityBaile Felix – a Balneary Resort for All AgesIzei Valley – Maramures Finest Traditions and LocationsHarman – A Small Part of Brasov’s CultureMuseums and places to visit in OradeaVidraru Dam and Lake, a Wonder of Nature, Confined by ManAncient Cities in the Constanta AreaSfantul Ioan Domnesc Monument-Church – The Shadow of Stefan cel MarePutna Monastery – The Spiritual Center of MoldaviaOcnele Mari: Salt Mines, Spa and Rich HistoryBaile Govora – One of The Oldest Romanian SpasCraiova – The Heart of OlteniaRules for Visiting the Protected Nature AreasArad – One Millenia on the Banks of MuresTargu Jiu and the Endless ColumnBucura Lake – The Largest Glacier Lake in RomaniaTraveling to Sfantu GheorgheLipscani – “The Old Leipzig” of BucharestCule – Strange Strongholds of a Riotous PastVatra DorneiCluj NapocaDobrudja and the Danube DeltaBucharest – an european capitalBrasov – Part of the “Heart” of RomaniaTimisoara, Little ViennaRosia MontanaPeriam “Rock la Mures” FestSinaiaVama VecheSighisoara, medieval heavenHunedoaraSighisoaraSibiu – modernity with a German touchA visit in Piatra-NeamtVama Veche versus MamaiaThe mountain tourism in RomaniaA trip to Muntii ApuseniAn incursion in legends – BranTrips and winter sports on Valea PrahoveiTransilvania – The medieval land of StrongholdsBucovina and Northern MoldaviaMaramures – A Land From TalesTan and Fun at the Black SeaA wild land – The Danube Delta
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Vidraru Dam and Lake, a Wonder of Nature, Confined by Man
If you're travelling along the river Arges, you'll reach the area of Pleasa and Vidraru Mountains, 40 km away from Curtea de Arges. This is where the Vidraru Dam was built, a true modern work of art, as most engineers and scientists consider it. As most communist era gigantic structures, it was built with great human sacrifices (80 deceased), between 1961 and 1966.
In order to build this great dam, the workers had to drill and dig underground galleries, 42 km in length and they also excavated more than 1.7 million cubic meters of rock (1 million underground). Part of this monumental effort was also the pouring of 930.000 cubic metres of concrete and the mounting of 6300 tons of electromechanical equipment.
The Vidraru artificial lake hosts 465 million cubic meters of water and is 10.3 km long and 2.2 km wide (in the area Valea Lupului – Calugarita). Its maximum depth is 155 metres and the electric powerplant it fuels is placed underground, 104 metres deep, providing an annual electric energy production of 400 GWh.
When the Vidraru Dam was inaugurated, it was the fifth in Europe and the ninth in the world, a double curve dam with a height of 166.6 metres and a coronament length of 307 metres. At night, its contour is lighted, so it can be spotted even while travelling by plane. In order to visit the dam, you'll have to access it from the eastern bank of the lake, that goes all the way up to Balea. From the end of the dam, on the left you'll continue your road towards the Cumpana depression.
The construction of the dam was am ambition of former communist president Gheorghiu-Dej, who didn't live to see it built. Some claim that his passion for such initiatives came from his former job as an electrician. Till 1989 the powerplant near this structure beared the ruler's name. The debut of the construction brought many workers in the area, with a maximum of 10.000 people working on it, most of them coming from Moldavia, where the Bicaz dam had just been finalized. 
Most of the workers who had gone through the Bicaz experience were present also at Vidraru and the authorities built the new dam in the purest soviet style, as a structure with great weight and sparing no materials and money. The construction came at the cost of 1 billion 470 million lei in the time's currency, an investment that was recovered in 28 years. What's impressive is that the main structure suffered no major modification or upgrade till now, working with the same technology as in the sixties. The only novelty is a new alarm system installed a couple of years ago.
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No Comments to “Vidraru Dam and Lake, a Wonder of Nature, Confined by Man”
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red-dog says:
show us a photo of the dam itself please
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admin says:
Check the second page of the article, there’s a new photo there. Thanks for the feedback!
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