Izvorul Bigăr

Bigăr (English: Bigăr Spring, but more commonly known as Bigăr Waterfall) is a protected area (nature reserve IUCN category IV) situated in the administrative territory of Bozovici, in Caraș-Severin County in southwestern Romania. On 7 June 2021, part of the Bigăr waterfall collapsed.

Izvorul Bigăr
Bigăr Waterfall
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Bigăr Waterfall
Location within Romania
Location	Caraș-Severin County  Romania
Nearest city	Anina
Coordinates	45.003389°N 21.959703°E / 45.003389; 21.959703[1]
Area	176.60 hectares (436.4 acres)[3]
Established	2000, designation 1982

Location

The Izvorul Bigăr is located at the south-west limit of the country, in the south of the Anina Mountains (a group of mountains included in the Banat Mountains), in Caraș-Severin County, on the upper Anina River, in the Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park.^[4]

Description

Izbucul Bigăr with an area of 175.60 ha^[5] was declared a natural protected area by the Law Number.5 of March 6, 2000 (published in Romanian Official Paper Number.152 on April 12, 2000).^[6]

Bigăr was one of the most unusual waterfalls in the world and one of the most beautiful in Romania. According to The World Geography,^[7] there are a number of facts that placed it as number one on the list of eight unique waterfalls around the world due to the way the water spreads and falls in tiny shreds of water, and also the fact that it is located exactly on the 45th parallel north, at the halfway point between the Equator and the North Pole.

On 7 June 2021, Romsilva announced the collapse of a part of the falls due to the weight of travertine and moss that had increased over time.^[8][9]

• 
  View from above
• 
  View from side

See also

• Tourism in Romania
• Seven Wonders of Romania

References

1. eunis.eea.europa.eu - Izvorul Bigar, location within Romania; retrieved on August 27, 2013
2. eunis.eea.europa.eu - Izvorul Bigar, location within Romania; retrieved on August 27, 2013
3. (in Romanian)apmcs.anpm.ro - Regional Environmental Protection Agenty Caraţ-Severin; retrieved on August 27, 2013
4. protectedplanet.net - Izvorul Bigar, protected area; retrieved on August 27, 2013
5. (in Romanian) apmcs.anpm.ro - Environmental Protection Agenty Caraş-Severin; retrieved on August 27, 2013
6. (in Romanian) cdep.ro - Law No.5 of March 6, 2000 Archived April 24, 2020, at the Wayback Machine; retrieved on August 27, 2013
7. The World Geography, "8 Unique Waterfalls Around the World "
8. Popescu, Alina, ed. (2021-06-07). "Cascada Bigăr din Parcul Național Cheile Nerei-Beușnița s-a prăbușit" [The Bigăr Waterfall from the Nera Gorge-Beușnița National Park has collapsed]. Digi24 (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
9. Pirv, Cosmin (2021-06-07). "Situație tristă: Cascada Bigăr din Parcul Național Cheile Nerei-Beușnița s-a prăbușit VIDEO" [Sad situation: The Bigăr Waterfall from the Nera Gorge-Beușnița National Park has collapsed VIDEO]. Mediafax (in Romanian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.