Romania Mraconia Monastery / Iron Gate

The bottleneck of the Danube in the southern Carpathians is considered one of the most impressive valley breakthroughs in Europe. Between the Banat Mountains and the Serbian Carpathians, on the Romanian-Serbian border, the river has carved a path: the Iron Gate (Porțile de Fier). The Danube has been dammed in this area since 1972, yet the narrowest section is only about 200 m wide. The rock walls rise almost vertically here. This is exactly where the Mraconia Monastery stands between the river and the road.