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For more than a century a secluded mountain in Transylvania, in the Apuseni Mts has been regarded as the place to find your perfect mate.
The Maidens' Fair is an annual event held mid-July in the Carpathian mountains. Thousands of Romanians in traditional costumes have come to Gaina Mt. bearing in their hearts the hope that they might meet a special person. This fair always opens with the sound of the ancient alphorns (Romanian “tulnic”) and is a great opportunity to enjoy real folk music and admire traditional costumes. Initially it was a marriage fair, where the young men came to search and eventually choose their future wives. Nowadays the fair is more like a celebration and preservation of the local traditions.
The Transylvanian traditions are well and alive and can be directly observed by the tourists.
The legend goes that once there was a hen who laid golden eggs living in the Apuseni Mts, respected and protected by the mountain people. Once a year the hen presented herself to the people, turned into a beautiful fairy, who gave the newlyweds a golden egg for happiness and long life.
After the golden eggs were stolen from the nest by an evil character, the fairy flew away and never returned. Ever since the mountain people meet every year celebrating and hoping that the fairy will re-appear.
![Maidens' Fair on Mt Gaina, Alphorn Players [Source: www.evenimente.alba24.ro]](/images/galerii/1181/596x400_tulnicarese_gaina (evenimente.alba24.ro).jpg "Maidens' Fair on Mt Gaina, Alphorn Players [Source: www.evenimente.alba24.ro]")
