<p>This work highlights the interplay between microbialites, cement crusts and calcified sponges to further understanding of how these components contributed to the formation of reef edifices in an upper Ladinian‒Carnian succession in the eastern part of the Getic Nappe (Southern Carpathians, Romania). The studied bioconstructions fit well with the Triple Hybrid Model of reefs that thrived under the optimal conditions pertaining between the Late Carboniferous and the Triassic. Dealul Melcilor represents the only location in the Southern Carpathians where Wetterstein Limestones are present and it offers the unique opportunity to describe in detail the facies characteristics of these deposits. Three main facies types with abundant reef-building microorganisms were identified (MT 1‒3), all characterizing a slope environment. They are represented by a pel-intra-bioclastic grainstone with encrusting organisms, a pel-intra-bioclastic rudstone to floatstone, and a sponge microbial boundstone. The micropaleontological assemblage contains calcified sponges, encrusting organisms, rare dasycladalean algae and rare foraminifers, all indicating a late Ladinian‒Carnian age for the studied carbonates. The reef deposits from Dealul Melcilor contain different amounts of microbialites, and early marine cements. They share features common with coeval deposits of the Tethys Realm, especially with other Triassic deposits from Hungary (Aggtelek, Alsohegy), Slovakia (Slovak Karst), Serbia or Albania. Microbial crusts and early marine cements played a key role in stabilizing the slope deposits in the study area. The studied succession represents a useful example for recognition of new features and various encrustation patterns of the Triassic microbialite‒microencruster dominated reefs of the Neo-Tethys Ocean.</p>