Sphinx (Romania)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Sphinx ( ro, Sfinxul) is a natural rock formation in the
Bucegi Natural Park The Bucegi Natural Park ( ro, Parcul Natural Bucegi) is a protected area ( natural park category V IUCN) situated in Romania, in the administrative territory of counties Brașov, Dâmbovița and Prahova. Location The Natural Park is located ...
which is in the
Bucegi Mountains The Bucegi Mountains (Romanian: ''Munții Bucegi'' ) are located in central Romania, south of the city of Brașov. They are part of the Southern Carpathians group of the Carpathian Mountains. At , '' Omu'' is its highest point. To the east, the ...
of
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 ...
. It is located at an altitude of within the
Babele Babele (meaning ''The old women'') is a name for an area on the Bucegi Mountains plateau in Romania, within the Southern Carpathians. Babele is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The name comes from some mushroom shape ...
complex of rock formations. The first photo of the ''Great Bucegi Sphinx'' was probably taken in about the year 1900. This photograph was taken from a front position, not from a lateral one, as it usually appears in modern pictures. It only acquired its nickname, referring to the
Great Sphinx of Giza The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone statue of a reclining sphinx, a mythical creature with the head of a human, and the body of a lion. Facing directly from west to east, it stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, E ...
, in the year 1936. The image of the sphinx appears when the rock, having an 8 m height and a 12 m width, is observed from a certain angle. The megalith has its clearest outline on 21 November, at the time the sun goes down.


In Romanian film

The Sphinx features in the 1967 film '' The Dacians'', in which it is a place of sacrifice to the god
Zalmoxis Zalmoxis ( grc-gre, Ζάλμοξις) also known as Salmoxis (Σάλμοξις), Zalmoxes (Ζάλμοξες), Zamolxis (Ζάμολξις), Samolxis (Σάμολξις), Zamolxes (Ζάμολξες), or Zamolxe (Ζάμολξε) is a divinity of the ...
. It also plays a significant role in the 1980 film ''
Burebista Burebista ( grc, Βυρεβίστας, Βοιρεβίστας) was the king of the Getae and Dacian tribes from 82/61BC to 45/44BC. He was the first king who successfully unified the tribes of the Dacian kingdom, which comprised the area loca ...
'', in which it is equated with the eponymous ancient Dacian king and the eternity of Romanian identity.Ciprian Plăiașu, "Mitul strămoșilor în „epopeea națională“: Dacii, Columna și Burebista", ''Historia'', 20 December 2011


See also

*
Pareidolia Pareidolia (; ) is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one sees an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none. Common examples are perceived images of animals, ...
*
Seven Natural Wonders of Romania The Seven Natural Wonders of Romania ( ro, Cele Şapte Minuni Naturale ale României) are the seven natural wonders of Romania, which were chosen in the Seven Natural Wonders of Romania contest held in July, 2008. It was the second stage of the Se ...


References

{{Coord, 45.408303, 25.469806, display=title Rock formations of Europe Tourist attractions in Romania Tourism in Romania Mountains of Romania Tourist attractions in Prahova County Geography of Prahova County