Slănic () is one of the 12 towns of Prahova County, Muntenia,

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

, historically and currently known as a salt extraction center, as well as a

spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath in 1668. He ...

, with

salt lakes A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salt (chemistry), salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of ...

. Two villages, Groșani and Prăjani, are administered by the town.

Etymology

As its name (''

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

'' in Slavonic) suggests, most of Slănic's history and economy are directly related to the presence of relatively large quantities of salt underground, and even in open air. Slănic is also the name of the creek flowing through the town, tributary of Vărbilău River, which in turn is a tributary of

Teleajen River The Teleajen is a left tributary of the river Prahova in southern Romania. Its source is at elevation in the Ciucaș Mountains, north of Roșu Peak and the locality of Cheia. Upstream from its confluence with the Gropșoarele in Cheia, it is al ...

. Although technically incorrect, the compounded name ''Slănic Prahova'' is also being used, especially in other parts of Romania. This alternative name was probably generated to help discern between ''Slănic'' and another Romanian town,

Slănic-Moldova Slănic-Moldova, formerly Băile Slănic, is a town and a spa resort in Bacău County, Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the s ...

Natives

* Mihai Iliescu * Bujorel Mocanu

Climate

Slănic has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(''Cfb'' in the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

Tourism

The town is famous for its salt lakes (or ''Băi''): The Shepherd’s ('' Baia Baciului''), The Green ('' Baia Verde'') and The Red ('' Baia Roșie'') Lakes, as well as for the Old ('' Salina Veche'') and New ('' Salina Nouă'')

Salt Mines Salt mining extracts natural salt deposits from underground. The mined salt is usually in the form of halite (commonly known as rock salt), and extracted from evaporite formations. History Before the advent of the modern internal combustio ...

. While salt is still being extracted from the New Salt Mine, the Old Mine is open to the public now, being used as a

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

, amusement center and museum of the salt mining industry. International contests of Indoor Model Aircraft Flying ( Modellism) take place annually in the upper level (''Mina Mihai'') of the Old Mine. Other worthwhile tourist objectives, all within easy reach for any untrained hiker, are a local water spring named The Cold Fountain ('' Fântâna Rece''), the TV Relay Tower ('' Releu'') beyond The Fir Forest ('' Pădurea de Brazi''), Beacon's Hill ('' Dealul cu Semn''), The Salt Mountain ('' Muntele de Sare'') with the legendary Bride's Cave ('' Grota Miresei''), now partially collapsed due to rain erosion, as well as The Green Rock ('' Piatra Verde'') and The Colt's Small Hill ('' Delușorul Mânzului'').

References

External links

''Memoirs de la Mine'' by Sabina Ispas. (Map of region, pictures, brief history of the town)

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051125210227/http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/prahova/slanic/slanic.html ''History of Jewish communities worldwide''. (Brief description of the town, some historic data)]
despre Slanic'' (Pictures and some information on town's history/economy/tourism - text in Romanian)

''Romanian Modellism Federation'' (Results of the 2006 Edition of the World Championship of Indoor Aircraft, Slanic, Romania)

''International Aeronautic Federation'' (Program of the 2006 Edition of the World Championship of Indoor Aircraft - Slanic, Romania)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slanic Towns in Romania Mining communities in Romania Populated places in Prahova County Localities in Muntenia Spa towns in Romania