Arieș River (Mureș)

Arieș
Aranyos
River
The Arieș River in Turda
Countries Romania
Region Transylvania
Counties Alba County,
Cluj County
Towns Turda, Câmpia Turzii
Source
 - location Lake Mihoeşti, at the junction of headwaters: Arieșul Mare and Arieşul Mic.
 - elevation 570 m (1,870 ft)
 - coordinates
Mouth Mureş River
 - location Upstream of Gura Arieșului
 - elevation 263 m (863 ft)
 - coordinates
Length 164 km (102 mi)

The Arieș (Hungarian: Aranyos) is a tributary of Mureș River in Transylvania, Romania.

Most probably "Arieș" means "Gold River" in Dalmatian which is thought to be very similar to the Dacian language. It is concluded that the Romanian name most probably derives from the Dacian name of the river. The Hungarian name "Aranyos" means "Golden" and it was first mentioned in 1177.[1]

Contents

Course

The source of the river is in the Bihor Mountains, part of the Apuseni Mountains, which translates as The Western Mountains. The Arieș is formed near the village of Mihoiești at the junction of two headwaters: Arieșul Mare and Arieșul Mic. Its length is approximately 164 km. It flows through Alba and Cluj Counties and flows into the Mureș near the village of Gura Arieșului, which is close to the town of Luduș.

The towns of Câmpeni, Baia de Arieș, Turda, and Câmpia Turzii lie on the river Arieş. The upper valley of the river, Țara Moților, is a beautiful rustic region and an important mining region (Roșia Montană), rich in gold, silver and uranium. Those mines of Apuseni Mountains (also known as "Metaliferi") were exploited since Dacian reign, and later on they attracted the Roman invasion.

Towns and villages

The following towns and villages are situated along the river Arieş, from source to mouth: Mihoești, Gura Sohodol, Câmpeni, Boncești, Lunca Merilor, Bistra, Gârde, Lunca Largă, Pițiga, Lupșa, Hădărău, Lunca, Valea Lupșii, Valea Șesii, Muncelu, Baia de Arieș, Sartăș, Brăzești, Sălciua de Jos, Poșaga de Jos, Lunca, Vidolm, Lungești, Buru, Moldovenești, Cornești, Cheia, Mihai Viteazu, Turda, Câmpia Turzii, Luna, Luncani, Hădăreni, Gligorești

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries to the river Arieş (from source to mouth):

Left: Arieşul Mare, Valea Caselor, Bistra, Bistrişoara, Dobra, Valea Caselor, Izvorul Călugărului, Lupşa, Sartăş, Sălciuţa, Poşaga, Ocoliş, Ocolişel, Iara, Borzeşti, Pârâul Muntelui, Hăşdate, Pordei, Sănduleşti, Valea Racilor, Valea Sărată, Pârâul Florilor, Valea Largă

Right: Arieşul Mic, Sohodol, Abrud, Râul Luteştilor, Ştefanca, Râul Maşcanilor, Valea Şesei, Hermăneasa, Cioara, Ponor, Huda lui Papară, Vidolm, Rimetea, Nadeş, Văleni, Plăieşti, Bădeni

References

Maps