Vidraru Dam

Vidraru was completed in 1966 after five and a half years of work, a double-curvature arch dam some 166 metres high and 300 metres along the crest, built to power a hydroelectric station in the mountain below. The Transfăgărășan crosses the top, so most visitors arrive by driving over it, and the drop on the downstream side is the point: the valley falls away sharply and the road curls around the abutment. Beside the dam stands the Electricity statue, a stylised figure of Prometheus in metal, and a bungee jump operates from the crest in season. Above, the reservoir stretches for kilometres between forested ridges, with the road following its western shore and small boats running trips in summer. Poenari citadel stands on its crag below the dam, and the Transfăgărășan continues north from here towards the Bâlea tunnel.

History

The dam on the Argeș took five and a half years to build and was completed in 1966: 166 metres high with an arch 305 metres long, it needed 42 km of tunnels and 930,000 cubic metres of concrete, and it holds 465 million cubic metres of water. When finished it ranked 5th in Europe and 9th in the world, and its power plant has an installed capacity of 220 MW (Wikipedia, Vidraru Dam).

The main sights

• The arch dam - a 166-metre concrete curve with the road across the crest.
• The reservoir - a long lake between forested ridges above the dam.
• The Electricity statue - a metal Prometheus figure beside the crest.
• Bungee jumping - a seasonal operation from the dam.

When to go

May to October, though the dam itself is reachable from the south all year; the Transfăgărășan beyond it opens only from around July to October. Summer weekends are busy at the crest. Morning light on the reservoir is best.

What to expect

Parking at the crest is limited and cars queue on summer weekends. The dam is a working installation with restricted areas and security. Boat trips are informal and weather dependent. Beyond the photographs from the crest, there is not much to occupy a visit beyond an hour.

Nearby

Poenari citadel is below the dam; the Transfăgărășan climbs north to Bâlea.

Key facts