Danube's Iron Gates Submerged Villages, Once Heavily Guarded Border Zones

The shores of the Danube River at the Iron Gates in Romania hold submerged secrets, with villages, train stations, and old roads disappearing under the water since the 1960s. These now-submerged areas were once among Romania's most dangerous and heavily guarded border zones during the communist regime.

The dramatic transformation of the landscape began with the construction of the Iron Gates I Hydroelectric and Navigation System, initiated in 1964. This massive project deepened and widened the Danube, creating a vast reservoir. The dam, approximately 1.3 kilometers long, now connects Șip in Serbia with Gura Văii near Drobeta-Turnu Severin in Romania, replacing the treacherous rock formations that once hindered navigation.

Numerous islands and islets that once dotted the Iron Gates have been covered by the new reservoir. Closer to Orșova, the legendary Ada Kaleh, an island fortress inhabited for centuries by a community of several hundred Turks, was also swallowed by the rising waters. On the Romanian bank, villages between Orșova and the Caraș-Severin county were inundated, forcing thousands of residents to relocate to the new Orșova town, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, and settlements built on higher ground.

The spectacular section of the National Road 6 and the accompanying railway line, connecting Orșova and Drobeta-Turnu Severin along the Danube's left bank, were completed in 1969. These routes, largely carved into the mountainside, feature numerous bridges and viaducts spanning deep valleys and the reservoir's gulfs. Many viaducts bear the names of the submerged localities, while others incorporate 'padina,' indicating crossings over deep valleys. Road tunnels, Bahna and Baba, were excavated through the rock, partly by soldiers.