Surduc Pass
Surduc Pass (in Romanian: Defileul Jiului or Pasul Surduc, in Hungarian Szurdok-szoros) is a mountain pass in the Gorj and Hunedoara counties of Southwestern Romania, connecting the Petroşani Depression with Oltenia.
| Surduc Pass | |
|---|---|
| Traversed by | DN 66/E 79 |
| Location | Romania |
| Range | Vâlcan Mountains / Parâng Mountains |
In Surduc Pass, the Jiu River divides two mountain ranges that belong to the Southern Carpathians: the Vâlcan Mountains to the west and the Parâng Mountains to the east.
In 1947, a road (DN66, part of E79) and a railway line were opened that connect Transylvania with Wallachia (the two other passes in region are in the Timiş-Cerna Gap and Turnu Roşu Pass). In August 2005, a national park with an area of 110 km² was created in this pass.
The Romanian name of the pass derives from the Hungarian word "szurdok", which means "defile" or "canyon".