Geological complex of Racos - a place in the center of Romania containing the last active volcano in Romania, basalt rocks, lake and wild area around.
Till '60 the place was used to get basalt rocks but then the place was declared monument of nature and now is a place visited for it's beauty and diversity.
Enjoy my trip there, my first visit that happened in a sunny and hot Summer day.
Basalt columns dated back 1.3 - 1.4 millions of years ago at the first eruption of Racos volcano. Around 8-10 meters high of basalt surrounded by vegetation
Basalt - an extrusive igneous rock made from the rapid cooling of lava at Earth's Surface. Basalt is composed of minerals including plagioclase feldspar, olivine, pyroxene, quartz, hornblende, and biotite.
A final view from a different angle to spectacular basaltic columns, time to move on to next places around ...
Next place on the list: Smarald Lake. The name comes from the water color of the lake that varies with the Sun light, ranging from bright blue-green to dark blue.The maximum deep is around 18 meters and is mostly filled from snow and underground springs.
One side of the Smarald Lake, no Sun this time
Basalt rocks around the lake, nice mix of rocks, water and vegetation
Our brave dog, Amur, joining us in this trip as well
We leave behind the Smarald Lake and we hike for some kilometers towards the last and main place: the Racos Volcano, the last active volcano in Romania. Now we are literately inside the volcano crater.. a place of fire and lava till 10.000 years ago.
The land has a red color and frequent burned marks. Vegetation reclaim back the place covering wounded and burned soil
Still in the crater ...
Side wall of the crater. Incredible place to be.
A shot from ground level, lucky to get a dramatic sky matching the dramatic colors on the ground, marks of lava and ash
A small tree with an electric green color shining in the crater
Burned walls of the crater with ash all around
A volcanic bomb, burned big pieces of lava and rocks found scattered inside the crater
A taller crater wall with scattered rocks
A lot of flowers in the area, just one picture to mark this statement. Onobrychis viciifolia
