Sălciua (Hungarian: Szolcsva; German: Sundorf) is a commune located in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of six villages: Dealu Caselor (Hegyik), Dumești, Sălciua de Jos (the commune center; Alsószolcsva), Sălciua de Sus (Felsőszolcsva), Sub Piatră (Búvópatak) and Valea Largă (Malompataka). It has a population of 1,428.

Sălciua
Commune
View of Sălciua
Location in Alba County
Sălciua Location in Romania
Coordinates: 46°24′N 23°25′E
Country	Romania
County	Alba
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Vasile Lombrea (PNL)
Area	75.26 km2 (29.06 sq mi)
Elevation	528 m (1,732 ft)
Population  (2011)[1]	1,428
• Density	19/km2 (49/sq mi)
Time zone	EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code	517645
Area code	+40 x58
Vehicle reg.	AB
Website	comunasalciua.ro

Geography

The commune is located the ethnogeographical region of Țara Moților, in the middle of the Apuseni Mountains. It is situated in the north of Alba County, 100 km (62 mi) from the county seat, Alba Iulia, and 15 km (9.3 mi) from Baia de Arieș, the nearest town, close to the national road DN75 [ro] joining Câmpeni to Turda.

Lying on the banks of the Arieș River, in between the Trascău Mountains and Muntele Mare, Sălciua has a specific mountain landscape developed on limestone and crystalline schists. The altitude of the surrounding mountains varies between 700 and 1,400 m (2,300 and 4,600 ft). The big Arieș meadow offers favorable conditions for agriculture, the large crop fields leading to the area being named the "Bărăgan of the Apuseni Mountains".

The great variety of karst topography, with its spectacular flora and fauna and climatic characteristics make it a big tourist attraction. The village also has historic wooden churches.

History

In 1925, a few Romanian families were relocated in Banat, where they founded Sălciua Nouă village (the New Sălciua), now part of Pișchia commune, in Timiș County.

Sights

• "Cuvioasa Parascheva" wooden church (1798), in Sub Piatră village.
• "Sfânta Treime" and "Sfântul Ilie" wooden churches (1782), in Valea Largă village.
• Huda lui Păpară cave.
• Poarta Zmeilor (Gate of Dragons) cave, in Sub Piatră village.
• "Vânătările Ponorului" natural reservation, in Dumești village.
• "Scărița–Șesul Craiului" natural reservation.
• "Detunata" (the Roar) geological reservation.

Natives

• Valeriu Tabără

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sălciua, Alba.