91 Carpathian Mountains Facts: Myths, Geography, Ecosystem, And More

The Carpathian Mountain range holds the fastest-growing plant species, a mushroom, Phallus impudicus.

The last volcanic activity in the Carpathians range occurred about 30,000 years ago in Ciomadul. The Carpathians themselves formed around 50 million years ago.

The Carpathians or Carpathian Mountains, are a series of mountains that create an arc throughout Central as well as Eastern Europe. It is approximately 930 mi (1,500 km) long, making it the third-largest mountain range in Europe, following the Urals and the Scandanavian Mountains.

It stretches from the northwest, in Austria and the Czech Republic, covering the lands of Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, to the south, in Serbia.

The Tatra mountains in Poland and Slovakia are the highest range in the Carpathians, exceeding 8,500 ft (2,600 m) above sea level. Romania is the second-highest range in the Southern Carpathians, with a range of the highest peaks is between 8,200-8,370 ft (2,500-2,550 m) above sea level.

Facts About the Carpathian Mountains

For tourists, mainly for the people of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, and Poland, the Carpathians are a famous tourist and recreational spot. Zakopane, Poland, located in the north of the Tatra mountain ranges, provides a wide range of activities.

• S. Stashyts created the Carpathian map in 1809, which was the first-ever Ukrainian geological map.
• The most important paleontological discovery was the fossilized remains of Starunya village.
• The fossils of the ancient animals were preserved by the oxygen-free, oil solution, ozocerite, and salty conditions of the surface.
• In 1996, the 16 ft (5 m) monument was erected in the mountains, which is the highest construction in the Carpathians.
• The 'Beskyd' railway station is the highest, situated at 2592 ft (790 m).
• You can find the forest museum in Ust-Chorna, a Transcarpathian village.
• The Carpathians have become a region of forest and agriculture with developing industrial regions.
• In the lower parts of the Carpathians and in intra-montane basins on the plateau of Transylvania, agriculture flourishes.
• On the southern slopes of these mountains, grapes, tobacco, sugar beets, and corn are grown.
• On the northern slopes, potatoes, oats, rye, and wheat are grown.
• Among natural resources natural gas, particularly on the Plateau of Transylvania is important.
• Brown coal is mined in the Western Carpathians' low-lying areas, in Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
• Bituminous coal is found in the Southern Carpathians of Romania.
• The capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, is one of the large industrial regions with petrochemical and machinery industries.
• A railway network was built in the mountains between the 19th and 20th centuries.
• A national park on the Polish side of the Carpathians was established.
• Ceahlau National Park was established in the northern region of the Eastern Carpathians.
• One of the unusual swamps located on the mountain slopes is the hanging swamp.
• The Ukrainian National Reserve in these mountains was established in 1968.
• The old-growth and primeval forests in the Ukrainian Carpathian mountains are very unique on the European continent.
• A few notable mountain peaks in the Western Carpathians are Lysa Hora, Kekes, and Rysy.
• Important cities near the Eastern Carpathians are Chernivtsi in Ukraine and Cluj-Napoca in Romania.
• The Eastern Carpathian mountains are divided into the Inner and Outer Eastern Carpathians.
• The largest unfragmented forest regions in Europe are found in the Southern Carpathians.
• The Carpathian mountain ranges experience a humid and cool climate.

Myths About the Carpathian Mountains

The Carpathian Mountain ranges are the subject of numerous legends and myths in Europe. These legends are mainly from Romania and also from the ethnic group called Hutsul, living between Ukraine and Romania.

• The inspiration behind the mysterious aura around the Carpathians is the European virgin forests and the largest European bear and wolf populations.
• The Dacian mythology was formed in the center of the Carpathians. The term 'Carpati' is derived from 'karpate' a Dacian word, meaning 'rocky cliffs'.
• The traditions and legends of Transylvania, combined with the scenery of the mountains, have promoted European mysticism and generated tourism.
• The Romanian myths are related to a literary character, a vampire called Count Dracula, created by Bram Stoker, an Irish author.
• Jules Verne was also inspired by the Carpathians when he wrote his popular novel called 'The Carpathian Castle'.
• Many famous movies have been filmed in the Carpathian Mountains.
• A lot of the myths and folklore about the Carpathians are of Romanian origin.
• The ancient occupants of Transalvaniya, the Geto-Dacians, worshiped the Zalmoxis god.
• Zalmoxis was a mystic and prophet and found the immortality of the human soul after he retreated for three years to a Mount Kogaion cave.
• The Baba Dochia legend is also associated with the Carpathians.
• The Baba Dochia is a tale about an old lady forcing her daughter-in-law to pick up berries in winter from the forest.
• When God sees Baba Dochia's daughter-in-law crying, he sent berries to the girl to take back.
• Baba Dochia thought that the spring season had finally come back and set out to take her flock to the mountain.
• When Baba Dochia reached the top of the mountain, winter returned and froze her with her flock, which became the rock formation known as Babele.
• It is believed that a group of weather-controlling wizards, the Solomonari, reside in the Carpathians' caves.
• The Solomonari are believed to bring hail and they all ride dragons.
• Although Solomanri wizards' reputation is not bad, it is believed that they are taught by the Devil.
• It is also believed that among the Hutsul people, Molfares are found, who are similar to the Solomanri.
• It is believed that Molfares is capable of levitation, speaking to animals, summoning thunder, and dissolving clouds.
• Another myth is about a woodman called Chugaister, who loves to dance and sing and resides in the forest.
• It is believed that Chugaister provides protection to herdsmen who offer food and usually invite visitors to dance.
• The Carpathians hold the frantic lake, or Lake Nesamovyte, which is a glacial lake that is believed to hold a frozen 'mirror' which was the destination for a sinner's soul and brought a storm to terrorize humans.
• The werewolf myth of the Carpathians is because of the largest number of wolves found in the Romanian Carpathian mountain range.

Carpathian Mountains' Geographical Facts

The Carpathian Mountains have a crescent shape and were formed by forces that lifted the Alps to the west. It is the second-longest mountain range system in Europe.

• The north-western Carpathians start in south-western Poland and Slovakia.
• This Carpathian mountain range surrounds Transylvania and Transcarpathia forming a big semi-circle, rounding off the southeast and ending in Romania's Danube.
• The width range of the Carpathian mountain range is between 7-311 mi (12-500 km). At its widest range, the highest peaks occur.
• In the Transylvania plateau, this mountain range has the greatest breadth.
• The Gerlachovsky stit of the Tatra Mountains group in the northern part of Slovakia has a peak of 8,711 ft (2,655 m), the highest peak above sea level.
• The surface area covered by the Carpathians covers around 73,000 sq mi (190,000 sq. km), the most extensive mountain range after the Alps in Europe.
• The Carpathian Mountains are usually referred to as a mountain chain. However, the mountains do not form an uninterrupted chain.
• The Southern Carpathians range covers eastern Serbia and Romania.
• The Eastern Carpathians cover Romania, Ukraine, Eastern Slovakia, and southeastern Poland.
• The Western Carpathians cover Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria.
• The Carpathian Mountains have many geologically and geographically distinctive groups, having a great structural variety like the Alps.
• The highest altitude of the Carpathian region reaches up to the midpoint of the Alps region, sharing similar flora, climate, and appearance.
• At only one point do the Alps and Carpathian Mountains meet, Bratislava's Leitha Mountains.
• The region that is now covered with the Carpathian Mountains was once a small ocean basin.
• A huge part of the north-eastern and western Outer Eastern Carpathians in Slovakia, Ukraine, and Poland is commonly known as the Eastern Beskids.
• During the Tertiary and Mesozoic Era, Carpathians formed in the Alpide orogeny.
• In the south of Prahova and the Brasov valley, the Predeal pass forms the border between the southern and eastern Carpathians.
• In the modern-day, the Central European region is the most seismically active.
• The Romanian Carpathians are a part of the Carpathians within the Romanian border.
• The Ukrainian Carpathians are the Carpathian Mountains within the Ukrainian border.
• Peaks on the Ukrainian Carpathians are gentle rising only up to an altitude of 6761.8 ft (2061 m).
• The Romanian Carpathians are divided into three parts, Western Carpathians, Southern Carpathians, and Eastern Carpathians.
• These mountains also provide great regions for human settlements. Many cities in Romania are located close to the Carpathians.

Carpathian Mountains' Ecosystem

The Carpathian mountain chain is the richest and a significant nature refuge In Europe. Almost 30% of Europe's flora is found in these mountain ranges.

• Carpathian forests are known as Carpathian montane forests or Carpathian montane conifer forests.
• The temperate coniferous forests of the Carpathian mountain range spread across Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
• The ecoregion of the forests covers 48,393 sq. mi (125,337 sq. km).
• Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests encircle this ecoregion in the nearby lowlands.
• On the southeast, east, and north lie the Central European mixed forests.
• To the southwest and west, the Pannonian mixed forests cover Transylvania and the Pannonian plain.
• Foothill forests with altitudes less than 1968-2132 ft (600-650 m) are usually of broadleaf deciduous trees.
• In the southern range, montane forests are between 2132-4757 ft (650-1450 m), and in the north, they are between 1968-3609 ft (600-1100 m).
• Some characteristic trees in montane forests are sycamore maple, Norway spruce, silver fir, and European beech.
• The subalpine zone is 4593-6233 ft (1400-1900 m) in the southern region and 3609-4593 ft (1100-1400 m) in the north.
• The subalpine zone is mostly covered by Norway spruce with less mountain ash.
• Large raptors and predators of Central Europe are found to take refuge in the Carpathians.
• Golden eagle, European wildcat, Eurasian lynx, wolf, and brown bear are all found in the Carpathian mountain forests.
• The subspecies of goat-envelope, Tatra chamois is an endemic species of the Tatra Mountains.
• European bison are also found in free-range, in a small population, around the Carpathians.
• Roe deer and Red deer are two of the many large herbivore species in these mountains.
• As per a 2017 assessment, almost 24% of the Carpathian ecoregion falls under the protected region.
• Other trees that are part of the foothill forests are linden, hornbeam, and oak.
• Silver, gold, and iron were discovered in the Western Carpathians in huge quantities.
• After Dacia was conquered by Trajan, the Roman emperor, he brought back a lot of silver and gold to Rome.
• The Carpathians are also home to many insect species, ranging from beetles to butterflies.
• There are around 1,350 plant species on these mountains, of which 116 species are endemic.
• You will also find many caves where several fossils of huge carnivores have been discovered.