Borsec
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Borsec Borszék |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Romania |
| County | Harghita County |
| Status | Town |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Valentin Alexandru Vaida (Independent) |
| Area | |
| - Total | 96 km² (37.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2002) | |
| - Total | 2,864 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| - Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Website: http://www.borsec.ro/ | |
Borsec or Borszék (Romanian: Borsec, Hungarian: Borszék) is a town in Harghita County, Romania. The town and the surrounding area are well known for their spas and mineral waters.
Borsec, a resort chiefly known for its mineral water and favourable climate, is situated in the intracarpatic depression of the same name, at an altitude of 900 m, and a distance of 120 km of Piatra Neamţ, 28 km of Topliţa, 130 km of Târgu-Mureş, 220 km of Braşov, 490 km of Bucharest and 200 km of Iaşi. The resort is surrounded by a curtain of coniferous forests which protects it from cold winds. The mountain range and the forests which protect the town alleviate the wind’s effects, purify the air and lessen the sudden temperature variations. The summer months are warm but not hot; brief rains refresh the air. The autumn is very beautiful. Mornings and evenings are chilly but during the day the weather is warm and sunny. Winters are not as cold as one might expect. The mild climate is justified by the high altitude at which the resort is situated.
Borsec owes its fame to its mineral waters, known for their curing properties. Natural cures (the microclimate, the air cure, the place cure, the watering cure and healing waters), and physiotherapeutic procedures are reputedly able to heal or ameliorate nutrition or metabolism illnesses.
Its name is derived from Hungarian "borvizszék" meaning "mineral water chair", the chairs being traditional administrative units in the Szekely Land.
Borsec is a favorable place for rest and recreation: it is a real paradise for those who enjoy excursions (known destinations include Poiana Zânelor, the ice cave, the bears' cave, Izvorul Strǎvechi, Cetatea Bufniţelor), those who like winter sports (on Făget and Fagetel for beginners and those more advanced) as well as those who like to fish, who can try their luck in the waters of Bistricioara or the Bicaz lake, which are near the resort.
One famous visitor to Borsec was Vasile Alecsandri, who wrote the following in 1845: "at Borsec they all are brothers, if not in Jesus then in mineral water [...] one of the most important merits of Borsec is that it gives people human feelings!"
[edit] Surrounding tourist attractions
Nearby locations include the monasteries of Moldavia (Neamţ, Secu, Văratec, Agapia, Durău, Sihăstria), the Lazarea Castle, Lacu Roşu, Cheile Bicazului, Lake Bicaz, the Durău resort, the Praid salt mine, Sovata, and the ceramics centre of Corund.
[edit] Demographics
According to the 2002 census, the town's population is 2,864, of whom 2,241 (78.2%) are Székely Hungarians forming the majority.
[edit] External links
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