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"People refer to this spot a mysterious vortex of Transylvania," remarks a local guide, his breath creating wisps of vapor in the chilly evening air. "So many visitors have disappeared here, some say it's a portal to a parallel world." The guide is guiding a traveler on a evening stroll through commonly known as the world's most haunted forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of ancient native woodland on the fringes of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca.

Hundreds of Years of Enigma

Reports of bizarre occurrences here date back a long time – the forest is titled for a area shepherd who is believed to have disappeared in the far-off times, along with two hundred animals. But Hoia-Baciu achieved international attention in 1968, when a military technician called Emil Barnea took a picture of what he described as a UFO floating above a round opening in the middle of the forest.

Many came in here and vanished without trace. But rest assured," he states, addressing the traveler with a grin. "Our tours have a perfect safety record."

In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has attracted meditation experts, shamans, UFO researchers and paranormal investigators from worldwide, eager to feel the mysterious powers believed to resonate through the forest.

Contemporary Dangers

It may be among the planet's leading hotspots for supernatural fans, the forest is under threat. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a contemporary technology center of over 400,000 residents, known as the Silicon Valley of the region – are expanding, and construction companies are pushing for approval to clear the trees to erect housing complexes.

Aside from a small area housing regionally uncommon oak varieties, this woodland is without conservation status, but Marius hopes that the company he was instrumental in creating – a local conservation effort – will contribute to improving the situation, encouraging the government officials to appreciate the forest's importance as a visitor destination.

Chilling Events

While branches and fall foliage break and crackle beneath their footwear, Marius tells numerous local legends and reported paranormal happenings here.

• A well-known account recounts a little girl vanishing during a family outing, later to reappear half a decade later with no memory of her experience, showing no signs of aging a day, her garments shy of the smallest trace of dust.
• Frequent accounts describe mobile phones and camera equipment inexplicably shutting down on venturing inside.
• Emotional responses range from full-blown dread to states of ecstasy.
• Some people report noticing unusual marks on their bodies, hearing unseen murmurs through the forest, or sense palms pushing them, although sure they are alone.

Research Efforts

Although numerous of the accounts may be unverifiable, numerous elements before my eyes that is definitely bizarre. All around are trees whose stems are warped and gnarled into fantastical shapes.

Multiple explanations have been suggested to explain the abnormal growth: that hurricane winds could have shaped the young trees, or inherently elevated radiation levels in the ground cause their crooked growth.

But scientific investigations have turned up insufficient proof.

The Famous Clearing

The guide's tours permit visitors to participate in a modest investigation of their own. As we approach the clearing in the woods where Barnea photographed his famous UFO pictures, he gives his guest an EMF meter which measures energy patterns.

"We're entering the most powerful area of the forest," he comments. "Try to detect something."

The trees abruptly end as we emerge into a flawless round. The sole vegetation is the low vegetation beneath our feet; it's clear that it's naturally occurring, and seems that this unusual opening is organic, not the result of people.

Between Reality and Imagination

Transylvania generally is a place which stirs the imagination, where the border is indistinct between reality and legend. In countryside villages faith continues in strigoi ("screamers") – supernatural, shapeshifting creatures, who return from burial sites to haunt local communities.

The famous author's famous fictional vampire is always connected with Transylvania, and the legendary fortress – a medieval building perched on a rocky outcrop in the mountain range – is actively advertised as "the count's residence".

But including folklore-rich Transylvania – actually, "the place beyond the forest" – feels tangible and comprehensible in contrast to these eerie woods, which appear to be, for reasons nuclear, atmospheric or entirely legendary, a hub for human imaginative power.

"Within this forest," the guide comments, "the division between truth and fantasy is very thin."