Eșelnița lies in the Danube Gorge between Moldova Veche and Gura Văii. The town is a landmark in the Cazanele Nature Reserve, which is part of the Porțile de Fier Nature Park. Forests cover 86 percent of Eșelnița’s administrative area. The river landscape and settlement history thus define two distinct sides of the area.

Monuments on the Danube

At the entrance to Mraconia Bay, the bust of Decebalus Rex is carved into a limestone block weighing several dozen tonnes. It measures 40 metres high and 25 metres wide. The landing stage in the bay, where the sculpture is located, can only be reached by boat. The Tabula Traiana is a separate monument: carved into the rock on the right bank of the Danube, it is visible from the Romanian bank in the area of river kilometre 17. It commemorates the obstacles the Roman army encountered while crossing the Danube in 101 AD.

The two monuments offer different points of reference for planning: the Tabula Traiana is visible from the Romanian bank, while the landing stage by the Decebalus bust can only be reached by boat. Danube cruises are organised daily on request from the KM 13 landing stage in Eșelnița. Check their availability before your trip.

The present-day town and its collections

The present-day settlement was established in 1967–1970, after the old settlement site was submerged beneath the waters of the Porțile de Fier I reservoir. The present-day church also tells a story of change and reuse: it was built in 1972–1973 in the Viennese Baroque style, using material from the demolished former church.

The Doina and Teodor Grigore Ethnographic Museum houses more than 1,000 pieces of traditional clothing from all regions of the country. The collection also includes furniture, depictions of traditional activities, ceramics, icons and photographs from Eșelnița, Dubova and Ogradena. The parish museum preserves cultural heritage from villages and churches along the Danube Gorge. This includes objects from the places of Tișovița, Plavișevița and Ogradena, which were swallowed by the floods, as well as from Dubova and Eșelnița, which were relocated as part of the Porțile de Fier system. An icon from the church in Ogradena is dated to the first half of the 18th century. Preserved objects also include the royal doors and a lamp from the old Mraconia Monastery.

Monasteries and changing water levels

Mraconia Monastery, near Eșelnița, lies between Orșova and Moldova Nouă at the mouth of the Mraconia River, where it flows into the Danube. It was built on the site of a former observation and control point for Danube navigation. The monastery is visible from the water and can be reached via national road DN57. The walls of the old Mracunea Monastery in the Mracunea Valley are a separate site: they become visible when the water level in the Danube and the bay falls.

Route to Dealul Bisericii

Dealul Bisericii offers a view of the exit from the Danube Gorge. An unpaved path climbs uphill to the left of the old cemetery; at the first junction, turn right towards Eșelnița Bay. Check the condition of the path before setting out. The hill and the old cemetery preserve remains of Eșelnița’s former settlement site from before 1966, before the Porțile de Fier I reservoir was created. The route thus combines a viewpoint with a connection to the history of the submerged place.

For road travel, Eșelnița is accessible via DN57 on the Drobeta Turnu Severin–Orșova–Dubova route. Another perspective on the region’s nature is offered by the Centre for Monitoring Habitats and Species in Eșelnița, which supports environmental education activities for tourists in the Porțile de Fier Nature Park.

Discover more destinations: Orșova, Gura Văii, Baia de Aramă, Godeanu, Dubova, Floreşti, Corcova, Şimian

For the broader travel overview: Mehedinti.