Outside of Romania, especially in the English-speaking world, Transylvania is a land associated with vampires, specifically Dracula. Inside Romania, where Vlad the Impaler is a national hero, his associations with the famed vampire are not as popular, though Transylvania is arguably still known for being home to one of the creepiest sites in the world. The Hoia Baciu forest, whether it is deserved or not, has earned the reputation of being the Bermuda Triangle of Romania.
Over time, the forest has gained a reputation for being haunted by unfriendly spirits, a site of UFO activity, and a place where cultists open portals to other dimensions.
Hoia Baciu’s Reputation as a Paranormal Hotbed
The forest is said to have been named Hoia Baciu after a shepherd by the same name went missing there with 200 of his sheep. In the late 1960s, a biologist by the name of Alexandru Sift is said to have taken pictures of a disc or flying saucer hovering over the forest. In 1968, a military technician by the name of Emil Barnea is said to have taken a picture of a UFO. It is claimed that he had no reason to make the story up since he had nothing to gain because the communist government at the time considered belief in the paranormal to be a sign of insanity and a threat to the state.
Other strange stories have also been told about the forest. In one, a young girl disappeared for five years, only to re-appear again with no memory of where she had been. In another tale, over 60 visitors were seen trying to open a portal to another dimension. People also report seeing strange lights in the forest, hearing footsteps from unseen figures, capturing otherwise non-existent faces in photographs, and hearing unexplained laughter or female voices.
It is stories like these which have given it the distinction of being the “creepiest forest in the world.” Furthermore, people who have gone into the forest report being overcome by nausea, strange rashes, unexplained fatigue, and the feeling that they are being watched. Some people have also reported experiencing time lapses, with no recollection of what they did during the missing time.
Find out more about the enigmatic Hoia Forest of Transylvania in the article ‘Romania’s Bermuda Triangle: The Creepy Hoia Forest of Transylvania,’ available in the September - October 2023 issue of Ancient Origins Magazine. Get it here!
Featured Image: Hoia Baciu forest, Romania. Source: Viorel / Adobe Stock
By Caleb Strom