If you would like to know the belifs of lipovan russians, we invite you to visit the Lipovan Church in Chilia Veche. The church orthodox-christian. Amongst the few differences we can mention: the cross sign is done only with 2 fingers (index and middle), not with 3, representing God-the Father and God-the Holy Son (the other 3 fingers together symbolising the Holy Trinity; the cross of the lipovan russians has 8 corners; the icons are made even in this day in bysanthin style, and only on wood or metal.

Members of the comunity built the orthodox church on their own, carrying sand and stone from across the Danube. The hight of the church reaches 52 m, and that makes this church the second one in the country after the Black Church in Brașov.

This area has been protected since 1940 – when it was declared a natural reservation, and starting from 1979 it was declared a biosphere reservation, alongside Letea Forest. The reason for declaring it a strictly protected area is the presense in these lakes of the bigges colony of Common Pelican (Pelecanus Onocrotalus) in Europe. Now there are over 3500 pairs of common pelican that gather to nest, alongside other birds as the Great Egret, Small Egret and other species that enjoy the same status as the first one. You can also meet Cormorants and Night Herons in vast numbers.

The forest grew as large strip called (“hasmacuri”) in the space between sand dunes and consists of oak, ash, lime. A characteristic of the forest consists in the abundace of climbing plants: wild grape vines, hop, and last but not least, greek liana (Periploca graeca), that gives the forest a mediterannean aspect.