Cover picture © Credit to: ncristian
Cover picture © Credit to: ncristian

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Costești, where the stones come to life

3 minutes to read

Rocks and stones can tell us a lot about Earth's history. They're a great source of knowledge, one that we use to this day. Not only do they give us an insight into the type of environment the Earth used to have, but they also contain a very large number of fossils. If some stones were alive and could talk, they could share many secrets of the world. There is one place in southwestern Romania where the stones seem to come to life. The Trovants Museum National Reserve in Costești contains the largest number of gathered „alive stones” in Romania.

Trovants Museum National Reserve
Trovants Museum National Reserve
Costești 115200, Romania

The Trovants

Many years ago, people started seeing strange things happening to some stones called Trovants. After the heavy rains, the stones would start growing in size, seeming to be alive. Not only were they growing, but they were also making strange sounds during the night. In fact, the Trovants are unusually shaped and can grow up to 10 meters. Some of these stones are round, while others are ellipsoidal or shaped in the form of the number eight. Changing of shapes can also make them unstable on the ground. That is why some stones appear to change their place from time to time, rolling easily from one place to another. 

The composition of a Trovant

What is actually a Trovant? The Trovant is a stones made out of the cemented sand. A source of water filled with calcium carbonate is the birth giver of such a stone. During the heavy rainfalls, the stone gather the minerals from the rain. The minerals mix with the chemicals of the Trovant and build up pressure inside of it. This pressure makes the stones expand and change shapes.

Picture © Credit to: michalz86
Picture © Credit to: michalz86

Folklor and tradition

The inhabitants of Costești county view the Trovants with admiration and also fear. Many choose to keep a Trovant in their gardens, thinking that they bring good luck. The owners of the stones water them regularly, believing that the lack of water could anger the stones so that the bad things could start happening. The legend says that the Trovants are the weights of clouds. The clouds wanted to travel lightly from one place to another, and so have decided to drop their weight on earth. 

Different kinds of Trovants can be found in many places throughout the planet, yet the shapes of Romania's Trovants are special. Many are shaped in the form of figure eight. These have special meaning for Romanians, due to the resemblance to the infinity sign. Romanians are of the opinion that no obstacle is too big. The infinity sign means that the things aren't over when they get difficult, but that we always have a possibility of carrying on our journey of finding happiness. 

Picture © Credit to: achiartistul
Picture © Credit to: achiartistul

Once, it was a tradition in the area to put a Trovant in the cemetery instead of the headstone. Nowadays, the tradition has been lost, yet these sorts of stones can be admired in the entire Costești county.

The museum of Trovants

The locals started gathering all the Trovants they could find to be put into a museum. For now, the Trovants Museum isn't enclosed and doesn't have an entry fee. The area has been declared a national reserve in 2005 and can be visited throughout the year. This type of museum is unique for Europe, being the only existing national geological reserve of cemented formations.

Picture © Credit to: michalz86
Picture © Credit to: michalz86

Want to see how the stones come to life and move around? Then Costești should definitely be on your list of things to see while traveling around Romania. Come and visit the weights of clouds on earth and marvel in the greatness of these controversial stones.





The author

Eva Poteaca

Eva Poteaca

Hello, I am Eva from Bistrița, Romania. I studied art history and love to travel and discover hidden gems all over the world. Through my writing, I will share with you a different side of Romania.

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