Aiud Fortress

In the Heart of Aiud

In the heart of the city of Aiud, one of the oldest urban fortresses in Transylvania (13th-16th century) is preserved.

Aiud Fortress

In this location, archaeological research has revealed the existence of a Daco-Roman settlement from the 3rd century, over which an earth fortification was later built. On top of this fortification, the citadel was raised in two phases.

Construction Phases

• The first phase took place in the 14th century.
• These dates contradict local Saxon traditions that indicate the citadel was built before the great invasions of the Tatars in 1241, but this hypothesis could not be confirmed.
• In the first phase, the citadel was actually a fortified church, similar to many other fortified churches in Transylvania.
• The second phase of construction of the Aiud citadel occurred during the 16th-17th centuries.

The current shape of the citadel was defined in the second phase of construction when the walls were extended. It has an irregular polygonal plan, with an area of approximately 3500 m².

Fortress Structure

Built from rough stone with a wall thickness of 1.2 meters, the fortress was reinforced with towers attributed to various craft guilds that maintained them and whose names they bore. It had 9 towers:

• Butchers' Tower
• Tailors' Tower
• Shoemakers' Tower
• Furriers' Tower
• Coopers' Tower
• Potters' Tower
• Kalendas Tower
• Locksmiths' and Blacksmiths' Tower
• The Gate Tower

From the ranks of each guild responsible for the towers, guild officers were chosen, the military commanders of the fortress. The connection between the towers was made via the watch path located behind the parapet, accessible through several wooden stairs. Inside the 9 towers, the upper levels could be reached via the interior wooden stairs.