Defileul Jiului

Defileul Jiului National Park protects the spectacular gorge cut by the Jiu River through the Southern Carpathians, lying on the border between Gorj and Hunedoara counties in Romania. Covering 11,127 hectares, the park was established in 1999 and encompasses a 33-kilometer canyon that represents one of the deepest and most dramatic river gorges in Romania. The gorge walls rise 300-400 meters above the riverbed in places, with near-vertical cliffs of limestone and crystalline rock alternating along the canyon's length. The area is biologically exceptional, combining elements of several distinct biogeographic zones, and contains habitats of European importance listed under the Habitats Directive.