The tourists reaching Romania, the Mehedinţi County, should not miss a unique and absolutely spectacular phenomenon. A fascinating wonder of nature can be admired in the commune Ponoarele. It is a natural bridge, known all over the country under the name of “God’s bridge”. This natural bridge is the only one in the world one can walk on.
“God’s bridge” is the biggest natural bridge in Romania and the second one in Europe, as dimension. The bridge in Ponoarele has a length of 30 meters, a width of 13 meters, a height of 22 meters and a thickness of nine meters. This curiosity of nature, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world annually, was formed of calcareous stone, after the ceiling of a cave collapsed.
“The bridge can be admired in his entire greatness from the Tableland of the cave, the point the opening towards Valea Pragului (Threshold Valley) and its multi-storey structure formed of superposed calcareous blocks, subjected to erosion and to time, can be seen. Watched from the opposite side, from Valea Turcului (Turk’s Valley), the bridge looks like a huge arch, stoned, under which the Dealul Peşterii (Cave Hill) and the clear sky can be admired”, this is how the representatives of Ponoarele Townhall describe “God’s bridge”.
Why does the natural bridge of Ponoarele bear the name of “God’s bridge”?
Many legends appeared about the natural bridge from Ponoarele, legends which attract the tourists like a magnet. A biblical legend says that the bridge in Mehedinţi County was created by God so that Saint Nicodim could walk towards Tismana. This saint wished to build a monastery, but was banished by the inhabitants of Ponoarele.
Another legend says that the devil lived in Ponoarele Cave. Being desperate, the natives asked God to help them get rid of him. God hit the ceiling of the cave with his palm, the ceiling fell down and the natural bridge in Ponoarele appeared. But, according to the legends, the devil managed to escape and hooked himself with the nails on the peak of Dealul Peşterii (Cave Hill), forming in this way calcareous ditches - a unique phenomenon in Europe.
The tourists curious to stroll on the natural bridge from Ponoarele must know that the commune is located at about 50 kilometres away from Târgu Jiu, on the main road which binds the city to Drobeta Turnu-Severin. The karstic lakes Zătonul Mare and Zătonul Mic, which are said to be bottomless, can be admired not far away from “God’s bridge”.
Photo: Financiarul.ro and Ponoare.ro
Sources:
“Podul lui Dumnezeu – un adevărat monument al naturii” - http://www.financiarul.ro/2013/07/17/podul-lui-dumnezeu-un-adevarat-monument-al-naturii/
“Podul lui Dumnezeu” - http://www.ponoarele.ro/obiective-turistice/podul-lui-dumnezeu.html
“Turist acasă. Podul lui Dumnezeu, unic în lume, se află la Ponoarele, în Mehedinţi” - http://www.digi24.ro/Stiri/Digi24/Timp +liber/Vacante/Turist+acasa+Podul+lui+Dumnezu+unic+in+lume+se+afla+la+Ponoarele
Adriana Mit
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