Slănic () is one of the 12 towns of

Prahova County Prahova County () is a county (județ) of Romania, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical region Muntenia, with the capital city at Ploiești. Demographics In 2011, it had a population of 762,886 and the population density was 161/k ...

Muntenia Muntenia (, also known in English as Greater Wallachia) is a historical region of Romania, part of Wallachia (also, sometimes considered Wallachia proper, as ''Muntenia'', ''Țara Românească'', and the rarely used ''Valahia'' are synonyms in Ro ...

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

, 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, Somerset, Ba ...

, with

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

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

Etymology

As its name (''

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

'' 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. 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 destination spa, spa resort in Bacău County, Romania. The town administers two villages: Cerdac and Cireșoaia. References Gallery File:Parcul din Slanic Moldova , Cladirea Cazino.jp ...

Natives

Mihai Iliescu Aurel Mihai Iliescu (born 25 July 1978 in Slănic, Prahova) is a Romanian bobsledder who competed from 1998 to 2006. He finished 26th in the two-man event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. At the FIBT World Championships, Iliescu earned his ...

* 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 cold ...

(''Cfb'' in the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

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 combust ...

. 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 (sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa health treatments are known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters and hot springs goes back to pre ...

, 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 A hike is a long, vigorous walking, walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer tim ...

, 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