Orșova, Port settlement in Mehedinți County, Romania.
Orșova sits on elevated ground above the Danube, where the Cerna River flows into the main channel at the Iron Gates region. The town occupies a strategic location on rolling terrain with river views, serving as a trading and transport hub between Romania and Serbia.
Between 1966 and 1971, the Iron Gates dam was built and completely flooded the original town center. The residents were relocated to a new location on higher ground and rebuilt their community in a different form.
The town reflects the presence of several peoples and carries traces of Romanian, Serbian, and Hungarian traditions in its daily life. As a border settlement, this cultural blend shows itself in the way the place looks and how people live here.
The area is accessible by the Danube and has a working port for smaller vessels and river traffic. Visitors should know that the town's layout includes slopes and elevation changes between different neighborhoods, so comfortable walking shoes are helpful.
The Crown of Saint Stephen, a sacred Hungarian object, was hidden in this area from 1848 until 1853 before being recovered. This episode reveals an overlooked chapter in the region's troubled political past.
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