Retezat

Retezat National Park, Romania's oldest national park, was established in 1935 in Hunedoara County in the Southern Carpathians. Covering 38,047 hectares, the park encompasses the Retezat Mountains, a glacier-carved massif reaching 2,509 meters at Peleaga Peak. The park is recognized globally for its extraordinary glacial landscape, with over 80 glacial lakes (including Bucura, the largest glacial lake in Romania), extensive alpine meadows, and pristine ecosystems. A strict reserve of 1,630 hectares within the park — the Gemenele Scientific Reserve — is maintained free of any human intervention. Retezat is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is considered the crown jewel of Romanian protected areas.