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{{Infobox Romanian subdivision
|type               = commune
|county             = Gorj
|name               = Polovragi
|subdivisions       = Polovragi, Racovița
|image_flag         =
|image_shield       = ROU GJ Polovragi CoA.png
|image_skyline      = Biserica manastirii Polovragi.jpg
|imagesize          = 
|image_alt          = 
|image_caption      = Polovragi Monastery
|image_map          = 
|map_caption        = Location in Gorj County
|leader_name        = Gheorghe Epure<ref>{{cite web |url=https://prezenta.roaep.ro/locale27092020/romania-pv-final |title=Results of the 2020 local elections |publisher=Central Electoral Bureau |access-date=14 June 2021 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|leader_party       = PSD
|leader_term        = 2020&ndash;2024
|coordinates        = {{coord|45|11|N|23|48|E|type:city|display=inline,title}}
|established_date   = 
|elevation          = 546
|elevation_min      = 
|elevation_max      = 
|area_total         = 84.95
|area_footnotes     = 
|population_as_of   = 
|population_total   = auto
|population_footnotes = 
|postal_code        = 217365 
|area_code          = +(40) 253
|website            = {{URL|https://comunapolovragi.ro/}}
|footnotes          = 
}}
'''Polovragi''' is a commune in [[Gorj County]], [[Oltenia]], [[Romania]]. It is composed of two villages, Polovragi and Racovița.

The commune is located in the northeastern part of Gorj County, {{cvt|54|km}} from the county seat, [[Târgu Jiu]], on the border with [[Vâlcea County]]. [[Roads in Romania|National road]] {{ill|DN67|ro}} connects it to Târgu Jiu and [[Drobeta-Turnu Severin]] to the west and to [[Râmnicu Vâlcea]] to the east.

Polovragi is situated in a hilly area at the foot of the [[Southern Carpathians]], at an altitude of {{cvt|546|m}}. It lies on the banks of the river [[Olteț]], which has its source in the {{ill|Căpățână Mountains|ro|Munții Căpățânii}}, and carves a {{cvt|3|km}}-long [[Canyon|gorge]] just to the north of Polovragi village. In the gorge, some {{cvt|20|m}} above the river, is the {{ill|Polovragi Cave|ro|Peștera Polovragi}}, where about 300 [[horseshoe bat]]s roost. The cave is said to have been home to [[Zalmoxis]], a divinity of the [[Getae]] and [[Dacians]]; the "Dacian Oven" and "Zalmoxis' Throne" are among the rock formations that can be found here.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pesterapolovragi.ro/|title=Peștera Polovragi|lang=ro|website=pesterapolovragi.ro|access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref>

The {{ill|Polovragi Monastery|ro|Mănăstirea Polovragi}} was built in 1505 by [[Ktetor|ktitors]] Radu Comisul and Pătru Spătaru, the sons of [[boyar]] Danciu Zamona.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crestinortodox.ro/biserici-manastiri/mitropolia-olteniei/manastirea-polovragi-68217.html|title=Mănăstirea Polovragi|lang=ro|website=www.crestinortodox.ro|access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref>

[[Ceaușescu family|Andruță Ceaușescu]] (1886–1969), [[Nicolae Ceaușescu]]'s father, was the descendant of a family of shepherds from Polovragi.<ref>{{cite news|author=Toma Roman, Jr|url=https://jurnalul.ro/special-jurnalul/la-taifas-nepotul-lui-ceausescu-povesteste-15151.html |title=La taifas &ndash; Nepotul lui Ceaușescu povestește|lang=ro|newspaper=[[Jurnalul Național]]|date=August 7, 2006|access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Dacian fortress of Polovragi]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Gallery
|File:000 027 369 - 26-07-2010 - Manastirea Polovragi.jpg|Entrance to the Polovragi Monastery
|File:Bolnița Sf. Nicolae a mănăstirii Polovragi.JPG|Saint Nicholas Church within the monastery
|File:Cheile Oltețului.JPG|The [[Olteț|Olteț Gorge]], near Polovragi
}}

{{Gorj County}}

[[Category:Communes in Gorj County]]
[[Category:Localities in Oltenia]]

{{Gorj-geo-stub}}