Pietrele lui Solomon

A fleeing king, a frightened horse and two rocks that kept his name

Few places near Brașov carry their legend so visibly in stone. The name of this gorge comes, so the local stories say, from the Hungarian king Salamon, who is said to have reigned between 1063 and 1074 and who, pursued by his enemies, is said to have taken refuge among the Vlachs of Șcheii Brașovului. A more dramatic version says that the king leapt with his horse over the chasm to escape, and his pursuers fell into the abyss; another, darker one, tells that, cursed by his own mother, he was startled at the sight of a shepherd, pulled too hard on the reins and plunged down together with his horse. The two great rocks that guard the entrance are said to have remained as a sign of that fall.

Beneath the legend, a real Dacian fortress

Beyond the folklore, the place has a real and far older history. In 1913, the researcher Julius Teutsch identified here the traces of an ancient fortification, and later excavations showed that the area was inhabited continuously, from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. The fortress had walls, an earthen rampart, palisades and a tower-dwelling, and archaeologists brought to light pottery, metal objects and a reservoir carved directly into the rock. It is believed that the settlement was destroyed during the Dacian-Roman conflicts.

A limestone gorge, at the edge of the forest

Pietrele lui Solomon lies on the north-western slope of the Postăvarul Massif, between Mount Tâmpa and the Stejărișul Mare nature reserve. The landscape is shaped by a stream called Valea cu Apă, which over time has cut a small gorge between limestone cliffs, with caves and karst landforms. The cool air of the forest and the murmur of the water make the place a natural refuge, just a few steps from the bustle of the city.

The festive place of the Juni of Brașov

The area is not only nature, but also living tradition. Here the Juni of Brașov hold their celebration after Easter, on the first Sunday following the holiday, with games, round dances and the throwing of the mace — a custom that has bound the community of Șchei to this mountain corner for whole generations.

How to get there and what you can do

It is easily reached from the centre of Brașov, through the Șchei district and Piața Unirii, at about two kilometres and roughly half an hour's walk. From here marked trails also set off towards Poiana Brașov. The place is sought after for picnics, for easy hikes and for the rock walls used for climbing. For visitors from the Râșnov–Bran area, a short distance away, it is a fitting half-day getaway. Check the schedule and access conditions on the official source before your visit.