The Cross on Caraiman is considered one of the symbols of the Bucegi Mountains, visible and admired by many of the tourists who travel through the Prahova Valley. It was erected in 1928 in memory of the heroes of the First World War and was then the monument at the highest altitude in the world, 2,291 metres.
Things you probably did not know about the Cross on Caraiman Peak:
- The Cross on Caraiman has been included in the Guinness World Records (the latest certification dates from 2013), because of the height of the structure, 39.3 metres, and the altitude at which it stands, on top of a mountain at 2,291 metres. The horizontal span of its arms is 15 metres.
- The decision to build it was taken by King Ferdinand I and Queen Marie, in honour of the heroes who died in the First World War. Some legends say that the decision to build the monument was taken after a dream of Queen Marie. Their wish was for the monument to be seen from as great a distance as possible, which is why today it is visible from tens of kilometres away, especially at night, when it is lit by 300 light bulbs.
- Building it was a very difficult process, given the location of the cross. Some of the materials were carried by the cable car of the Bușteni paper mill, belonging to the Schiel brothers, and some by the carts and pack animals of local people. The main obstacle was the rough road, because of which one delivery of materials took as long as two weeks. The design and execution of the project were the work of the Romanian architects George Cristinel and Constantin Procopiu. Construction took only 2 years, 1926–1928.
- The monument was first set directly into the rock. Later, after the inauguration, a pedestal was built in 1930. The Cross also housed an electric generator that powered 120 bulbs of 500 watts each, distributed along the perimeter of the Cross.
- The Heroes’ Cross was inaugurated on 14 September 1928, on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In the interwar period it was also lit on the night of the Feast of St Mary.
- With the arrival of the communist regime, the Caraiman Cross was no longer lit and came close to being destroyed. It is also said that the party had decided to cut off its arms, so that only a column would remain, with the red star placed on top. The workers given this task never reached the monument, however: one of them fell into a ravine and another broke his leg, so the others decided to give up.
- If you want to see it up close, you can follow the trail marked by the mountain rescue workers. The trail is indeed harder and is recommended for experienced people, but the effort will certainly be worth it. You will enjoy superb scenery, in which the mountains show off their splendour. The Caraiman Cross stands in the saddle of the Caraiman massif, on the steep edge towards Valea Seacă.
