Iron Gates Natural Park

{{Short description|Natural park in southwestern Romania}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Iron Gates Natural Park | alt_name = | image = Danube near Iron Gate 2006.JPG | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_size = | map = Romania | map_alt = | map_caption = | map_width = | location = Southwestern Romania | nearest_city = | coordinates = {{coords|44.638|22.106|region:RO|notes=<ref>[http://protectedplanet.net/sites/Portile_De_Fier_Natural_Park Portile De Fier Natural Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330173534/http://protectedplanet.net/sites/Portile_De_Fier_Natural_Park |date=2012-03-30 }} protectedplanet.net</ref>|display=inline, title}} | area = {{Convert|115666|ha|acre}} | established = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = | url = http://www.portiledefier.ro/ | module = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_date = 5 March 2009 | designation1_number = 1946<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iron Gates Natural Park|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1946|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}} }} The '''Iron Gates Natural Park''' ({{langx|ro|Parcul Natural Porțile de Fier}} <ref name="agerpres">{{cite news |title=Cazane yellow tulip has flourished |url=https://www.agerpres.ro/english/2011/04/25/cazane-yellow-tulip-has-flourished-17-21-34 |access-date=24 June 2021 |work=www.agerpres.ro |date=25 April 2011 |language=ro |archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624211810/https://www.agerpres.ro/english/2011/04/25/cazane-yellow-tulip-has-flourished-17-21-34 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) is a {{Convert|115666|ha|acre|adj=on}} natural park located in southwestern Romania. It includes the Romanian part of the Iron Gate of the Danube River, and stretches along the left bank of the river in the counties of Caraș-Severin and Mehedinți. Across the river is the Đerdap national park in Serbia.

The Iron Gates Natural Park is the second largest natural park in Romania. It stretches from Socol in the west, to Drobeta-Turnu Severin in the east; to the north are the Banat Mountains and the Mehedinți Mountains. The park contains 18 protected areas, the largest one being the wet zone Ostrov–Moldova Veche.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rozylowicz |first1=Laurentiu |url=https://zenodo.org/record/7032466 |title=Iron Gates Natural Park. Monograph |last2=Pătroescu |first2=Maria |last3=Jiplea |first3=C. Marian |last4=Bagrinovschi |first4=Vasile |last5=Baratky |first5=Felix |last6=Dumbravă |first6=R. Amalia |last7=Ciocănea |first7=M. Cristiana |last8=Gavrilidis |first8=A. Athanasios |last9=Grădinaru |first9=R. Simona |date=2022-09-15 |location=Bucharest |doi=10.5281/zenodo.7032466}}</ref>

The Iron Gates Natural Park is home to 205 species of birds and 34 species of mammals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uncover-romania.com/attractions/nature/the-iron-gates-natural-park/|title = Iron Gates Nature Park: Biodiversity and Multiculturalism|date = 10 September 2015}}</ref>

It also home to several plants which are protected by law including; ''Tulipa hungarica'', Banat's corn (''Cerastium banaticum''), Cosaci (''Astragalus rochelianus''), Cazane bells (''Campanula crassipes''), Wild carnation (''Dianthus kitaibelli'') and Rock iris (''Iris reichenbachii'').<ref name="agerpres"/>

==References== {{Wikivoyage}} {{Reflist}}

Category:Geography of Caraș-Severin County Category:Protected areas of Romania Category:Geography of Mehedinți County Category:Tourist attractions in Caraș-Severin County Category:Tourist attractions in Mehedinți County Category:Ramsar sites in Romania