Caraiman Cross

        Peak Caraiman, a mountain peak in the Bucegi Mountains, at an altitude of 2384 m, is visible from the ridge “Pietrei Mari”, from the Prahova Valley, or from the ridge Bucegi, being easily recognized by the cross on one of its slope. At base of  the peak Caraiman it`s placed the city “Bu?teni”.
        Cross on Caraiman Peak (the monument`s name is Cross of the Ancestry Heroes but popular is called the Cross Caraiman) is built on the initiative of Queen Mary (some legends tell that the monument was build cause of its appearance in a dream that the Queen had ) between 1926 and 1928 in memory of Romanian soldiers fallen in the First World War in battles against the German army to restore Transylvania. Bucegi Mountains, represented by top Caraiman, were sprinkled with romanian blood in the First World War.

        To build the monument was chosen Caraiman of secondary peak (2291 m) as if it would be built on top of the main monument (2325 m), the Cross would not have been visible only from nearby, from the plateau. It is built at an altitude of 2 291 m and a height of 28 m and the two arms, each of 7 m. It is mounted on a pedestal 7.5 m high, of reinforced concrete with stone washed, inside which is installed generator which feeds the 120 light bulbs of 500 W on the contours of the cross.

        The work was done by Department of Bridges, L1 and L5 sections Bridges in Sinaia, after engineers Teofil Revici projects and Alfred Pilder and it was headed by engineer Victor Bruckner. The inauguration was held on 14 September 1928, the Holy Day crosses. It was for the first time the inhabitants of Superior Prahova Valley had seen the Heroes Cross lighted during the night. Since then, each person who passed through that area could see, on holidays, up there, close to heaven, the lighted monument, built to be admired. Looking at this imposing monument, you can not ask you how it has been built , what means were used, how were provided the necessary materials. Tools, wood, metal parts and the rest of the necessary materials were transported by train until the station Busteni. From here a part of materials were carried by cart with oxens on the route Busteni - Sinaia -Peak Paduchiosul  - Peak Dichiu - Bucegi Plateau - Peak Caraiman and the rest with paper factory telpher Busteni (of Guys Schiel). The Pieces, anchored on the telpher railway station in the paper factory, were transported to Valley Jepilor untill Canton Schiel - the Bucegi Plateau, where they were taken on narrow paths with horses and dunkeys up to the top Caraiman. Since the number of carts was insufficient, a bank granted a loan with low interest for the purchase of others carts. The road was difficult, a cart could not make in a week more than two or three transports. For providing their own team, the cartmans - of which preserves untill today the local memory of the family name Clinci, Sinaia - were paid with money, some arms of hay and food. All of  these operations were carried out under the coordination of the site chief Nicu Stanescu employed by the Direction of Bridges Bucharest.
        During the communism times, the light did not worked a good while. By installing the communism regime in 1948, the Cross was lighted the night of Holy Marie (August 15), and also the night of Ascension of the Lord, when it is also the Heroes Day (June 5). In 1990, through an effort of the City of Busteni, of people and some companies have begun repairs, and the cross was again lighted.
 

         Monuments of this kind exist in the world. Thus, in Spain, between San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Guadarrama, less than 60 km. from Madrid is the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the fallen), where in 1940, thanks to the initiative of another country, General Franco, was built a mausoleum-church complex consists of a metal cross, a vault and charnel house and a grandiose church digged in rock, all near a large benedict monastery.  The Cross of 150 meters high embedded in a pedestal decorated with sculptures, which has 25 meters height it is at the 1750 rate peak of the mountain Risco Nova and commemorates also heroes, this time related heroes, but although resting together they killed each other cause of the  opposing political beliefs. Although higher, the cross near Madrid was achieved after 11 years from the Caraiman, which is also at a higher rate, with about another 540 meters.
        There are a few large metalic crosses in the world , such as the one on Mont Royal in Montreal that was made four years before the Caraiman Cross.

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