Moneasa – Discover the Spa Town, Springs and Nature

Spa Town and Springs

Moneasa has been known since the 16th century and is particularly valued for its mesothermal springs. In 1886, Moneasa was granted the title of a spa town by the Imperial Ministry of the Interior in Vienna.

Moneasa lies at an altitude of almost 300 metres at the foot of the Codru-Moma Mountains. The mineral water of Moneasa is rich in bicarbonate, calcium and magnesium. Aqua Ștrand Moneasa has three pools. They are fed with thermomineral water that emerges from the spring at 31 °C.

The springs shape not only the history of the place, but also its special connection between water and spa resort. The thermomineral water flows directly from the spring into the pools, while the mesothermal springs have been connected with Moneasa for centuries.

Nature and Trails

The marble quarry of Moneasa is black and red. Its quarry face is large and terraced. With this quarry face, the quarry offers an impressive landscape.

The viewpoint in Moneasa can be reached from the access area to the quarry. The path leading there is about 200 metres long and marked with double white and red circles.

The path at the quarry thus leads to a viewpoint, while the quarry face itself defines the appearance through its black-and-red colouring and terraced form. The marking of double white and red circles is just as much part of the described route as its approximate length.

The Peștera “Grota Ursului” contains genuine fossils of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus). A 200-metre-long section of the cave is fully electrified. This section may only be visited as part of guided tours led by specialists.

The electrified section of the cave is therefore accessible only as part of a professionally guided tour and is not described as a route that can be visited freely. In the cave, the cave bear fossils meet a precisely specified, fully illuminated section measuring 200 metres.

Culture and History

The village museum of Moneasa contains a collection of old objects that reconstructs a traditional household. The collection includes tools and furniture. It also contains vessels, newspapers and traditional costumes.

The “Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel” hermitage is an Orthodox hermitage. It is situated on a gently sloping hill in the heart of the Moneasa spa resort.

The Czárán-Gyula monument commemorates his passion, courage and generosity. With these qualities, he promoted tourism in the Apuseni Mountains.

The ruins of the iron smelting furnace in Moneasa are an important testimony. They represent the intensive processing of iron in the Sebiș–Moneasa sector. This processing was carried out in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Moneasa thus preserves various traces of its past: in the village museum, the traditional household is represented through numerous objects, the hermitage stands for the Orthodox tradition, and the monument commemorates Czárán Gyula. The smelting furnace ruins additionally point to the industrial history of the Sebiș–Moneasa sector in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Tradition in the Area

The “Parada Clătitelor” festival has had a tradition in Moneasa for two decades. Every year, it attracts thousands of visitors. They come from several counties.

The festival’s long tradition complements the historical and scenic attractions with a regularly recurring event in the area. Its visitors come not only from Moneasa, but from several counties, making the regional significance of the festival visible.

Other places: Buteni, Vladimirescu, Bata, Săvârșin, Arad, Fântânele, Șagu, Hălmăgel

To the higher-level travel overview: Arad.