When I visited the Ocnele Mari salt mine, I found out that "Salarius" comes from the Latin "salarium" which meant, in Roman times, the share of salt - in Latin: sal, salis - that the Roman soldiers received as a supplementary payment to their pay.
"Salarium" basically meant "payment in salt". During the Roman Empire, salt was an important currency and was also called "white gold". It was used by the Romans to preserve meat.
However, with time, the Romanian soldiers and officers were no longer given salt, but a sum of money that bore the same name because the money was intended to purchase salt for a month.
Ever since childhood we learn about the importance of salt in Romanian fairy tales, where "salt in the dishes" appears repeatedly.
For me, salt is saline. It means a lot - because it has helped me to stay alive and to be able to have a normal life - as I have told you here.
So I was looking forward to the visit to the Ocnele Mari Salina, which I made on the occasion of the press-trip organized at the Palace Hotel Baile Govora.
The town of Ocnele Mari, where the saltpan is located, has been known since the Neolithic and is mentioned as a town in 1402.
But, in fact, the city was inhabited since the Stone Age.
In addition, archaeologists have discovered a Dacian fortress more than 2000 years old - Buridava fortress - the city of Boers - mentioned by Ptolemy in his writings.
The exploitation of salt at Ocnele Mari continued during and after the Roman conquest. Salt was extracted and commercialized for the population.
Today, Romania is among the top 4 in Europe, alongside Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia. And 18th in the world.
The area for tourists - for treatment, immunity boosting, or simply for relaxation - is 40,000 square meters.
Salina Ocnele Mari is 226 meters above sea level and 350 meters deep. It is a dry saltpan that formed 10,000 years ago.
I was amazed at how many activities - including for children - you can do in the salina.
If you suffer from respiratory or pulmonary problems, saline is a treatment that you can do in addition to the spa treatment at Palace Hotel. They have achieved remarkable results in treating these conditions, including post-covid treatment.
The Valcea area is famous for its wines. When I was there, it rained, so we tasted some Oltenia wines right in the hotel. The tasting was organized by Florin Vâlcea from @bemunvinvalcea. We talked about the cellars and wines: Bauer, Avincis and Catleya.
But when I return to the area, I will definitely visit the wine cellars and vineyards directly.
From #2012 Horezu pottery is included on the UNESCO heritage list. We visited one of the most famous potters, Mihai Biscu.
You can find vases with the Hurez rooster symbol and secondary symbols: snakes, sun, trees, fish. But they also have products in the old, Brancovan style.
It is a tradition that can only be preserved with our help, if we decide to buy products from local craftsmen.
I had been on a visit to the manor houses. I didn't make it this time, but I can't not write two lines about them. And I chose a quote from a specialist, which I hope will convince you to visit them soon:
"Culele are, next to churches, among the oldest buildings on Romanian soil. There were quite a lot of them, as many as were needed, but there are very few left, even though they would have been important for our culture. The ones that are still standing are most likely just surviving," says architect Pavel Popescu.
Just a few kilometers from the Palace Hotel, in opposite directions, are 2 ancient monasteries, with stories that span the centuries:
Ioana Marian,
Founder despreSpa.ro
Founder despreSpa.ro
