Repedea Hill Fossil Site ( ro, Locul fosilifer Dealul Repedea) is a
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological o ...
located 9 km south of
Iași
Iași ( , , ; also known by other alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the second largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, it has traditionally ...
, in the historical region of
Moldavia
Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centr ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
. Repedea Hill is part of the
Iași Ridge ( ro, Coasta Iașilor), at the contact between the Central
Moldavian Plateau and the
Jijia Plain
Jijia Plain ( ro, Câmpia Jijiei) is a geographic area in northeast Romania, occupying most of Botoșani County and parts of Iași County. Despite the name, it is not a flatland, but a region dotted with hills, part of the Moldavian Plateau. In Ro ...
.
History
First studies of the zone were in 1862, when
Grigore Cobălcescu
Grigore Cobălcescu (September 22, 1831 – May 21, 1892) was a Moldavian, later Romanian geologist and paleontologist who is credited with introducing both fields into his country.
Born in Iași, he graduated from the local Engineering and A ...
, professor at the
University of Iași
The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (Romanian: ''Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza"''; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in Iași, Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former Academia Mih ...
, published the "Repedea's Limestone" (Romanian: ''Calcariul de la Răpidea'') research article. These scientific studies, describing the fossil fauna, are considered to be the birth document of the Romanian
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other Astronomical object, astronomical objects, the features or rock (geology), rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology ...
.
In 1953, the perimeter was declared a reserve, being the first geological reserve in Romania. The total area of 44.3
ha consists of the proper scientific area of 5.8 ha (western and north-western slopes of Repedea Hill), and a buffer zone of 38.5 ha.
Geology
The fossils and the limestone discovered in the area were part of the former
Paratethys (Sarmatic) Sea.
The scientific area includes the limestone walls, the former
quarries
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envir ...
(
oolitic limestone
Oolite or oölite (''egg stone'') is a sedimentary rock formed from ooids, spherical grains composed of concentric layers. The name derives from the Ancient Greek word for egg (ᾠόν). Strictly, oolites consist of ooids of diameter 0.25–2 ...
), the caves and an area of the structural plateau. Many Basarabian
lithological outcrops
An outcrop or rocky outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth.
Features
Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial ...
are protected within the scientific reserve and contain a rich and important Sarmatian fossil deposit, representative for the Moldavian Platform. The buffer zone is largely located on the Repedea structural plateau, which represents a reversed
cuesta
A cuesta (from Spanish ''cuesta'' "slope") is a hill or ridge with a gentle slope on one side, and a steep slope on the other. In geology the term is more specifically applied to a ridge where a harder sedimentary rock overlies a softer laye ...
.
Picture gallery
File:Rezervația Repedea17.jpg
File:Rezervația Repedea5.jpg
File:Rezervația Repedea12.jpg
See also
*
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Romania
*
Seven hills of Iași
References
External links
Endokarstic Relief within the Natural Reserve Area of "Repedea Hill Fossil Site"at radioiasi.ro
{{coord, 47, 05, 19, N, 27, 38, 37, E, region:RO_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title
Iași
Canyons and gorges of Romania
Tourist attractions in Romania
Nature reserves in Romania
Geography of Iași County
Tourist attractions in Iași County
Paleontological sites of Europe