Polovragi

Polovragi is a commune in Gorj County, Oltenia, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Polovragi and Racovița.

Key Information

Polovragi
Commune
Polovragi Monastery
Coat of arms
Polovragi Location in Romania
Coordinates: 45°11′N 23°48′E / 45.183°N 23.800°E / 45.183; 23.800
Country	Romania
County	Gorj
Subdivisions	Polovragi, Racovița
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Gheorghe Epure[3] (PSD)
Area	84.95 km2 (32.80 sq mi)
Elevation	546 m (1,791 ft)
Population  (2021-12-01)[1][2]	2,693
• Density	31.70/km2 (82.11/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+02:00 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+03:00 (EEST)
Postal code	217365
Area code	+(40) 253
Vehicle reg.	GJ
Website	comunapolovragi.ro
Show more

The commune is located in the northeastern part of Gorj County, 54 km (34 mi) from the county seat, Târgu Jiu, on the border with Vâlcea County. National road DN67 [ro] connects it to Târgu Jiu and Drobeta-Turnu Severin to the west and to Râmnicu Vâlcea to the east.

Polovragi is situated in a hilly area at the foot of the Southern Carpathians, at an altitude of 546 m (1,791 ft). It lies on the banks of the river Olteț, which has its source in the Căpățână Mountains [ro], and carves a 3 km (1.9 mi)-long gorge just to the north of Polovragi village. In the gorge, some 20 m (66 ft) above the river, is the Polovragi Cave [ro], where about 300 horseshoe bats roost. The cave is said to have been home to Zalmoxis, a divinity of the Getae and Dacians; the "Dacian Oven" and "Zalmoxis' Throne" are among the rock formations that can be found here.^[4]

The Polovragi Monastery [ro] was built in 1505 by ktitors Radu Comisul and Pătru Spătaru, the sons of boyar Danciu Zamona.^[5]

Andruță Ceaușescu (1886–1969), Nicolae Ceaușescu's father, was the descendant of a family of shepherds from Polovragi.^[6]

1. ^ "1.5 Populaţia rezidentă după domiciliu (Sexe, Domiciliu, Județe, Municipii, orașe și comune*)" (in Romanian). National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
2. ^ "2021 Romanian census". National Institute of Statistics. 1 December 2021.
3. ^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
4. ^ "Peștera Polovragi". pesterapolovragi.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved June 24, 2024.
5. ^ "Mănăstirea Polovragi". www.crestinortodox.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved June 24, 2024.
6. ^ Toma Roman, Jr (August 7, 2006). "La taifas – Nepotul lui Ceaușescu povestește". Jurnalul Național (in Romanian). Retrieved June 24, 2024.

• 
  Entrance to the Polovragi Monastery
• 
  Saint Nicholas Church within the monastery
• 
  The Olteț Gorge, near Polovragi

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