Bucegi National Park

The Bucegi Mountains form a horseshoe shaped ridge oriented from north to south. Its morphology is given by a hanging plateau deeply carved by glaciers and by Ialomita river and its tributaries. Whole structure dips towards the south, from an altitude of 2505m (Omul Peak) to 1409m (Paduchiosul Peak).
The outer rim of the horseshoe comprises of near-vertical cliffs which drop up to 1000m, while the inner rim is generally more gentle. Towers and narrow cricks adorn the abrupt margins, and glacial circle valleys proceed through small plateaus where glaciers developed in former times. Waterfalls constitute another interesting feature of the Bucegi Mts morphology
Inside the "horseshoe", Ialomita river cut out gorges and caves through Jurassic limestones and Cretaceous conglomerates. Built of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks (mainly limestones, sandstones and conglomerate), deformed in the Alpine orogeny and exposed to erosion since middle Tertiary, the Bucegi Mountains show its complex origin and evolution recorded in rocks, tectonic structures (faults and folds) and its morphology.
The most recent nature's artwork is the eolian abrasion over the isolated sandstone cliffs from the top plateau, giving the "Sphinx" and "Babele" (Old ladies) sculptures.
Of the 50 types of forestry formations existing in Romania, 12 (24%) exist in the Bucegi National Park. 60% of the Natural Park’s surface area (19.633 ha) is covered by forests. The area includes a concentration of 1245 types of spermatophyte plants. Given the average density of plant species at the national level, that of the Bucegi region is approximately 250 times larger. In contrast to equivalent biogeographic regions, this density is extremely rare and justifies the importance and major scientific interest given to Bucegi. Here the endemic element of the Carpathians makes 6 % of the national park’s flora and represents 91 of the total number of species generally endemic to the Carpathians.

Habitats:
• Alpine rivers and the herbaceous vegetation along their banks;
• Alpine rivers and their ligneous vegetation with Myricaria germanica;
• Alpine rivers and their ligneous vegetation with Salix elaeagnos;
• Alpine and Boreal heaths;
• Bushes with Pinus mugo and Rhododendron hirsutum (Mugo-Rhododendretum hirsuti);
• Juniperus communis on heath or limestone grasslands;
• Alpine and subalpine limestone grasslands;
• Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrublands facies on calcarous substrates (Festuco Brometalia) (* important orchid sites);
• Species-rich Nardus grass-lands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas;
• Mountain hay meadows;
• Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae;
• Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion);
• Alpine pioneer formations of the Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae;
• Limestone and calcshist screes of the montane to alpine levels (Thlaspietea rotundifolii);
• Limestone rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation;
• Limestone pavements;
• Luzullo-Fagetum beech forests;
• Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests;
• Medio-European limestone beech forests of Cepha-lantheron-Fagion;
• Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae);
• Acidophilous Picea forests of the montain to the alpine levels (Vaccinio-Piceetea);
• Alpine Larix decidua and/or Pinus cembra forests. Endemic Larix deciduas ssp. Carpatica