The Dacian fortress Sarmizegetusa Regia is reopening its gates to visitors after the winter break.

Ancient Romania: A Tale of Two Populations

Two population groups shaped ancient Romania: the Romans, who came as conquerors, and the Dacians, who defended themselves in bloody battles against the invasion of the Roman Empire. The military confrontations were traumatic for the Romans, although ultimately their military superiority prevailed, allowing them to depict and celebrate themselves—along with the defeated Dacians—on Trajan's Column in the Forum Romanum.

Sarmizegetusa Regia

One of the most impressive testimonies from this time is Dacia's largest fortress, Sarmizegetusa Regia, located in the mountainous region around Oraştie. It sits atop the 1,200-meter-high rock plateau of Gradistea Mountain—positioned perfectly to elevate Sarmizegetusa as the strategic center of the Dacian defense network that spread like a web across the slopes of Oraştie.

From December 1, 2013, to February 28, 2014, the site, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, was closed for necessary restoration work.

Restoration and Significance

To make the excavation area more attractive, a number of terraces were cleared of underbrush and trees, resulting in a completely new perspective on and view of the royal Sarmizegetusa, allowing for a better understanding of the significance of this place. For Sarmizegetusa Regia was nothing less than the capital of pre-Roman Dacia, reaching its peak under the rule of the legendary Dacian king Decebal.

After the tragic defeat of the Dacian king in battle against the Roman Empire, the conquerors allowed the fortress to be dismantled. Instead, they established their own Roman capital, Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa, about 40 kilometers southwest of Sarmizegetusa Regia, in the midst of the newly created Roman province of Dacia. It was likely the desire for prestigious continuity that led to the new settlement being named after the once-powerful epicenter of Dacian rule.

Modern Sarmizegetusa

Times have changed: today, Sarmizegetusa is just a small village with around 1,500 inhabitants in Hunedoara County, built on the remnants of the ancient Roman Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa.

Visiting Sarmizegetusa Regia

A visit to the fortress of Sarmizegetusa Regia is definitely worthwhile, especially since the "ancient experience up close" is available for a modest fee:

• Adults pay an entrance fee of 5 Lei (approximately 1.25 Euros)
• Tickets for children, students, and seniors cost only 2 Lei (50 cents)

The site is open daily from May 1, from 8 AM to 8 PM. To protect the historical excavation site, certain regulations must be observed, which are due to its UNESCO status. For example:

• Commercial filming can only be done for a fee of 300 Lei
• Direct access is only possible with a ticket (10 Lei)

Text: Heike Lammers