Praid

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Coming from West we can call Praid (Parajd) " the gate of Harghita county". Here the valley narrows more and the mountains are really close. This countryside is a real paradise for all those nature lovers who don\'t limit only to sightsee it from the cars or coaches. 

Praid is the biggest municipality from Harghita approximately 4000 people). There are other 2 smaller villages belonging to Praid :  Ocna de Sus (Felsosófalva) and Becas (Bekastanya). In the whole municipality there are living approximately 7250 people.In the center of the town there is an intersection, where you can reach the Bucin Pass through North and Gheorgheni town (Gyergyoszentmiklos) at 51 km . At South - East is Corund (Korond) and Odorheiu Secuiesc (Szekelyudvarhely) at 38 km. This basin of Praid is limited at North -East and at South - East by the Gurghiu mountains (Gorgenyi havasok) and by the Siklod Hill at the South - West through Harom. 

The name of Praid (the original Parajd, in Hungarian) comes from "paraj" with diminutives, meaning a small field covered with grass.This "pasture" is crossed by the Târnava Mica river and it’s affluent. Târnava Mica starts at km 8 of the Gheorgheni road, from the two main springs: Creanga Mare and Creanga Mica. The area embraced by the two springs is called "Botul celor doua Crengi" by the local inhabitants. This used to be the favorite place of the great Hungarian poet, Áprily Lajos from which the World War separated him definitively.

Praid - as a concept - is closely related to salt and everything concerning this. But explaining the formation of the locality resuming it only to this would be a mistake. Considering only the number of the employees from the mine, until 1958 - 59, this did not reach one hundred and this was only 10-15% of the Praid\'s inhabitants. 
We may hope, not without reasons, that the power of attraction of Praid - and of the one and only Salt Zone - will grow in the future.We may say that those who have once halted here, have been enchanted by the beauties of nature and overwhelmed by the hospitality of the local people, being now richer for life in memories.

Returning is joy of life.