Romania's Wallachia Region from the Sky

Romania's landscape is dominated by the Carpathian Mountains, which serve as the borderlands between its core regions.  The various Carpathian sub-ranges which cover much of the country are spectacular to behold and include some of the world's most breathtaking rock formations and valleys.  Contributor Webmosphere treats us to an incredible aerial tour of the Romanian mountains, which includes footage of the spectacular Transfăgărășan road, which connects the region of Wallachia with Transylvania to its north.

Top contributor Mattcoq brings us this fantastic drone video from Romania's Transfăgărășan, one of the most famous mountain roads in Europe.  Designated as DN7C, it crosses the Southern Carpathian Mountains.  Its southern end is near the town of Bascov in Argeș County, in the region of Muntenia.  The 90 km (roughly 60 mi.) road runs north between two of the country's tallest peaks, crossing into the region of Transylvania near Sibu.  The Transfăgărășan was constructed in the 1970's on the orders of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.

Transylvania is forever associated with a fictional "vampire" from the famous late 19th century novel gothic horror novel Dracula by Bram Stoker .  The character is loosely based on Vlad the Impaler, a medieval nobleman known for his cruelty.  The castle most closely linked to the Dracula legend is Bran Castle, which is located right at the border between the regions of Wallachia and Transylvania.  In this drone video by Fabriziob you'll get a bird's eye view of the famous Carpathian castle.

Frame Hunters Media created this spectacular drone video of the Bucegi Mountains in central Romania.  They are part of the Southern Carpathians, which form the dividing line between Wallachia (the core of modern Romania) and the region of Transylvania to its north.  The highest peak of the Bucegi's, Mt. Omu, is one of the tallest in Romania with an elevation of 2.5k meters above sea level (about 8.3k ft).  The Bucegi's are known in part for their spectacular rock formations, caused by extensive wind and rain erosion.

AirVuz contributor and pilot Mihaiflorea used a DJI Phantom 3 drone to create this remarkable aerial tour of the Prahova Valley, a scenic alpine valley in the Carpathian Mountains in the Wallachia (Montenia) region of Romania.  The Prahova Valley is created by the junction of the Eastern and Southern Carpathian Mountains, and it serves to connect Wallachia with Transylvania to the north.  The video contains epic bird's eye views of some of the highlights of the region, including Pele's Castle.

Contributor Mihaiflorea used a DJI Phantom 4 drone to create this aerial video of the Romanian capital and largest city, Bucharest.  Bucharest is part of the country's Wallachia region, which united with the Principality of Moldavia to form the immediate predecessor of modern Romania in 1859.  Bucharest became the national capital of this proto-Romania (then called the United Principalities) in 1862, following an initial three year period in which the city of Iasi served that role.  

The Neo-Renaissance style Peles Castle is one of the most recognized sights in Romania.  The castle is situated in Prahova County in northern Wallachia, near one of the routes connecting Wallachia through the Southern Carpathian Mountains to the Transylvanian Plateau.  The castle was built in the late 19th century as a hunting lodge for King Carol, the first king of modern Romania.  Contributor and pilot Nikolaikarpatov flew a drone over the remarkable landmark to create this amazing video.

Romania has a long tradition in coal mining, although (like most of Europe) most of what it produces is low quality lignite.  Today it's a mid-tier coal producer within the EU, using virtually all of its production for domestic electricity generation.  In this video, contributor Alin Constantin gives us a fascinating look at a coal mine in Filipestii de Padure, a town in the Wallachia (Muntenia) region of the country not far from the capital.  Dating to the 1800's, it was one of the first modern coal mines in the country.

Contributor Guydrory flew his drone over the Romanian Parliament Building in Bucharest, Romania to create this awesome aerial view of the landmark structure.  Built in a neoclassical style, it's actually quite new, having been completed in 1997.  It was ordered built by the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, who had been removed from power shortly before it opened.  Dominating the Bucharest landscape, it's the second largest governmental building in the world after the Pentagon.  

Contributor and pilot Nikolaikarpatov brings us this beautiful aerial video of a well known Neo-Roman castle in the middle of Romania.   Cantacuzino Castle is situated in Bușteni, which is located in Prahova County in the region of Wallachia (also known as Muntenia).  It's on the southern slope of the Carpathians, near where Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania come together.  It belonged to a Romanian noble family prior to being nationalized by the Communist government after World War II.

Contributor and pilot T H Neacsu used a drone to create this magnificent video of Romania's Buzau Mountains.  The mountains lie in the eastern part of the region of Wallachia, which (along with the Moldavia region) was the core of the modern nation of Romania.  The Buzau's are essentially foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, which run through much of Romania and for the most part define the boundaries between the country's core regions.  The video was taken during the height of the Fall colors season.  

Top AirVuz contributor Nelstill brings us this outstanding DVOW Finalist drone video of the Berca Mud Volcanoes, one of the most well known natural sights in Romania.  They are located near the town of Berca, in the Wallachia (Muntenia) region of the country, roughly halfway between Brasov (one of the main cities in the Transylvania region) and the national capital Bucharest.  The structures aren't actually volcanoes; they are caused by saltwater and mud pushed up by gas eruptions thousands of meters/ft. below the surface.

While the Danube is not the longest in Europe it is generally considered its most important.  It rises in Germany's Black Forest, and runs through four European capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade) before discharging into the Black Sea in Romania.  At 2.85k km (just under 1.8k mi.), it's second only to the Volga in length.  In this video, contributor Fabriziob treats us to a drone's eye view of the mighty river as it flows through  a region of Romania called Cazanele Dunarii.

Check out this amazing drone video of a famous Romanian fortress, compliments of contributor cnaerialview.  Poenari Citadel is located on a plateau above the Argeș River, near the great Transfăgărășan highway which connects the regions of Wallachia (Muntenia) to Transylvania through the Southern Carpathian Mountains.  In the 15th century, the structure was fortified by Vlad the Impaler, the notorious Wallachian prince who was the inspiration for the legendary literary figure known as Count Dracula.

Former DVOW Winner Nelstill brings us this stunning drone video of Romania's Transalpina, the country's highest road.  Otherwise known is DN67C, the Transalpina runs a course of about 90 mi. (148 km) over the Urdele Pass through the Southern Carpathian Mountains and connects the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia.  The Transalpina was built during World War II, decades before the better-known Transfăgărășan (DN7C), which runs on a roughly parallel path through a different Capathian pass about 140 mi. (around 230 km) to the east.  

In this video by contributor Guydrory, you'll get to see three famous landmarks in Romania's Wallachia (Muntenia) region, which covers the southern third of the country.  Peleș is a neo-Renaissance 19th century castle built on the traditional route between Wallachia and Transylvania for the Romanian monarch of the time, King Carol I.  Bran Castle, a 14th century castle, is connected to legend of Dracula, is located a bit to its northwest.  Poenari is a fortress located to the west of the two castles.  

Take an aerial tour of Romania's Bucegi Mountains in this amazing drone video from contributor nikolaikarpatov.  The Mountains are part of the Southern Carpathian chain which separates the Regions of Transylvania (to the north) from Wallachia (to the south).  The highest peak of the chain, Mt. Omu, has an elevation of about 2.5k meters (8.2k ft.) above sea level.  To the east, the mountains slope down to the Prahova Valley, one of the most popular spots in the Wallachia region.

The Municipality of Ramnicu uploaded this video of the Romanian city as it observed International Education Day in 2018.  The city is the capital of Vâlcea County, one of the counties which makes up Romania's Wallachia region.  It's located in the western part of the region, near the border of its two halves - Muntenia to the east and Oltenia to the west.  The city sits just south of the Southern Carpathian Mountains, the mountain chain which serves as the boundary between Wallachia and the Transyvania region to its north.  

The mountains of Romania present some of the most visually stunning natural scenery in Europe, and never more so than in the winter.  All of Romania's mountains are part of the greater Carpathian system, and for the most part they act as the borders between the various historical regions.  In this drone video, you'll get a look at the snow-covered mountains in the Wallachia region, where the Southern Carpathian Mountains represent the border with the Transylvania region to the north.

Busteni is a town in the mountains of central Romania.  It is situated in Prahova County, which is part of the region of Wallachia (Muntenia).  In addition to being a popular ski area, it's well known as the site of Heroes Peak, a cross which sits atop nearby Caraiman Peak in the Bucegi Mountains.  The cross was built in the 1920's to commemorate Romania's massive losses in World War I, in which Romania fought on the Entente side.  The monument is highly visible from virtually anywhere in Busteni and is a major tourist attraction.  

Check out this drone video of a fortress-monastery built atop a giant rock in the Romanian mountains, compliments of contributor mihaflorea.  It's called Negru-Voda, and it's in the municipality of Câmpulung in Argeș County just south of the Southern Carpathian Mountain range in the country's Wallachia region.  The monastery, which dates to the 13th century, is sometimes called the Meteora of Romania by comparison to the famous rock monasteries of Meteora in the northern part of Greece.  

Check out this stunning drone video from Romania's Bucegi Mountains, compliments of contributor EthanHunt.  The Bucegi Mountains are part of the Southern Carpathian range, which form the boundary between the historical regions of Transylvania and Wallachia (Muntenia).  They sit towards the eastern end of the range, south of the Transylvanian city of Brasov.  The highest peak of the range is Mt. Omu, which has a top elevation of about 2.5k meters (around 8.2k ft.).  

Check out these beautiful drone views from western Romania, compliments of former Drone Video of the Week Winner Nelstill.   He was able to catch the stunning Autumn colors of Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park, which lies in the Cerna Valley.  The valley is created by four ranges of the Southern Carpathian Mountains: the  Cerna, Godeanu, Vâlcan, and Medinţi Mountains.  The park includes territory of  Caraş-Severin, Gorj and Mehedinţi Counties.  Most of the park lies within the historical region of Oltenia, part of Wallachia.  

AirVuz contributor and pilot Memories Catcher brings us this excellent drone video of an important landmark in the mountains of Romania.  It's called the Heroes' Cross on Caraiman Peak, and it's located in the Bucegi Mountains, which are part of the Southern Carpathians.  Situated at an elevation of about 7.5k ft. above sea level (around 2.3k m), the 129 ft. structure (around 30 m) is dedicated to the Romanian railway workers who were killed during the First World War, when Romania fought on the side of the Allied powers.  

When the Soviet Union invaded what was then Czechoslovakia in 1968 to crush an uprising, it caused other Warsaw Pact countries to worry they could face the same fate.  The most visible manifestation of this was in Romania, where the dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu ordered the construction of a new road across the Făgăraș Mountains that divide the regions of Transylvania and Wallachia.  Thus was born the famous Transfăgărășan road, which you'll see here in this drone video by AirVuz contributor Daniel Gavrilas.  

Contributor razvanli used a DJI Mavic Air to create this beautiful aerial view of a famous mountain pass in Romania.  It's called the Transfagarasan Road, and it connects the historical regions of Transylvania and Wallachia through the Southern Carpathian Mountains.  The road, which was built in the 1970's, passes between Romania's highest peaks, Moldoveanu and Negoiu.  Both peaks are just over 2.5k meters or around 8.3k ft.  Both are part of the Făgăraș Mountains, a Southern Carpathian sub-range. 

New contributor NeedToFly Romania created this beautiful drone video of a well-known lake in the Romanian capital city of Bucharest. Lake Morii (Lacul Morii) is a man-made lake about 6 km (around 4 mi.) from the center city.  Created in 1986 as a flood-control measure, it's since become one of the city's more popular recreational spots.  Its used extensively by individuals as well as for organized events such as air and water shows.  The video also features footage of a small island called Angels Island at the north end of the lake.   

Contributor Alin Constantin created this beautiful aerial tour of an early 20th century modern palace in Romania called Little Trianon.  It's located in the village of Floresti in Prahova County, less than an hour's drive north of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest.  Built for an important noble family beginning in 1911, its nickname references the Trianon Palace complex near Versailles, France.  Unfortunately, World War I interrupted the construction process and it was never completed.   

Check out this drone video of a famous bridge in eastern Romania, compliments of former Drone Video of the Week Winner Nelstill.  The Anghel Saligny Bridge crosses the Danube River, connecting the regions of Muntenia (the eastern part of the historical region of Wallachia) and the region of Dobrogea to its east.  The railroad truss bridge has a total length of just over 2.6k meters (about 8.6k ft.); its longest single span of 190 meters or 520 ft.   When it was completed in 1895, it was one of the longest bridges in the world.

Constructed for King Carol l beginning in the late 1800's, Peles Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle high in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. It was built for King Carol, the country's monarch when the modern nation of  Romania was formed in 1859.  The castle is actually a complex of three structures: Peleș Castle, Pelișor Castle, and the Foișor Hunting Lodge.  In this drone video, contributor Alin Constantin does a wonderful job capturing this architectural masterpiece from a bird's eye perspective. 

Fly over the Romanian capital city of Bucharest in this excellent drone video by Iulian Iancu.  The video opens with shots of the city's Triumphal Arch (Arcul de Triumf), which commemorates the formation of modern-day Romania in 1878 and which was completed in 1936.  At the :15 mark, you'll see the Basarab Overpass, the widest cable-stayed bridge in Europe.  Other recognizable spots include the Dâmbovița River, which flows through the city.  The video, which was filmed with a DJI Air 2S drone, includes both day and night footage.  

The Transfăgărășan is a mountain road crossing Southern Carpathian Mountains of Romania, connecting the Wallachia and Transylvania regions. The Transfăgărășan was constructed in the 70's on the orders of then-dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, who was worried about an invasion from his "ally" the Soviet Union.  The nearly 56-mile route that weaves through the mountains can be seen in this cinematic piece by pilot ridethefog, who captured the famous route in full 4K resolution with the DJI Mavic Pro.