Among Romania’s picturesque and always surprising landscapes, Dămuc commune in Neamț County is a breathtaking area, located at a really high altitude.

A charming mountain village with forests as far as the eye can see, Dămuc is situated between two majestic mountain ranges, Tarcău Mountains and Hășmașul Mare Mountains, not far away from the impressive Bicaz Gorges.

“The Land at the Foothill of Hășmaș” is one of the most beautiful tourist areas in the country, unique for its spectacular landscapes. Bicăjel River Valley and Trei Fântâni Village are continuously increasing their tourist visibility, due to their proximity to the much sought-after Bicaz Gorges and also to some other tourist attractions in the area: Bicăjel Gorges, Șugău Nature Reserve, Multicelu Cave, and last, but not least, Via Ferrata Astragalus.

Dămuc commune scored 9 out of 10 points in a research carried out by the Romanian Academy’s Institute of Geography, for its natural setting, mountains, forests, lakes, mineral springs, landscapes, and hunting fund.

Speleologists estimate that there are around 200 caves and grottoes in the Bicaz Gorges area, many of which remain unknown to the tourists. A few of them can be easily visited, the effort of reaching these caves being rewarded by the mesmerizing view of the surroundings. Munticelu Cave was discovered in 1973 by a few children who came searching for snowdrops. Munticelu Cave is considered by specialists to be the most important of its kind in Moldavia. It has a length of 120 meters and is also known as Ghiocelului Cave. Cascada Cave is located downstream from the Hell’s Throat, with a length of 69 meters. Maria Spring, the largest karst spring in the gorges, is to be found near the bridge.

Bears Cave is located on the north-western slope of Mount Hășmașul Mare, in a place called Versantul Pârjolit, with a total length of 17 meters and an opening of 3 meters. During the winter, this cave is inhabited by bears. The Ice Cave in Piatra Singuratică is a gallery that descends 15 meters to a water basin with ice floes. The length of the cave is 16 meters. For mountain lovers, numerous hiking trails have been marked, along with other attractions in the communes of Dămuc, Bicazu Ardelean, and Bicaz Chei. Another tourist attraction is the Water Mill in Dămuc. In addition, there are several tourist guesthouses and trout farms on the teritory of Dămuc commune.

The people from Bicaz and Dămuc know how to preserve their ancient heritage and pass it on to future generations. One of the great keepers of such treasures and folk traditions is Alexandru Găină from Dămuc, a craftsman who has installed hand carved crosses at the main crossroads of beloved places, as well as a sculptor of alpenhorns, author of folk poetry, and a naive-style painter, with works awarded at national competitions, who has become a member of the Traditional Arts Academy.

Another prominent representative of the Dămuc community is sculptor Daniel Bucur, an artist who took part in numerous international exhibitions, whose works can be found in collections all over the world, and who is appreciated by Romanians for his avant-garde artistic views, inspired by Constantin Brancusi. The originality of his artworks is given by a unique touch he gives the wood, perhaps due to his talent inherited from his ancestors, who also left crosses piercing the misty hights of Dămuc, as a testimony of their faith and artistic taste.

As far as the history of these places is concerned, in the early 18th century, Dimitrie Cantemir indicated that the current territory of the Dămuc commune belonged to Moldavia, being under the administration of Bisericani Monastery since 1412. Later, from 1848 until the First World War, this area was under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which merged with Romania in 1918.

Moreover, on the current territory of Dămuc commune and its surroundings, numerous graves of the soldiers who fell in duty during the two World Wars, either grouped or isolated, can  be found. Trenches and bunkers marking the front lines have also been identified in the area.