Sarmisegetusa Regia

Sarmisegetusa Regia is the capital of the pre-Roman Dacia, a complex of sanctuaries actually, situated in the Orastiei Mountains at 1200 m altitude, where the Great Round Sanctuary (Sanctuarul Mare Rotund) and “The Sun of Andesite” are remarkable. Most of the archeologists say that the town was built in III-II centuries B.C., as long as other people think that may be older with at least 600 years. Maybe one of these reasons is the unbelievable resemblance between the plans of the Great Round Sanctuary and the Stonehenge’s. It seems like the same architect pictured both of them, only that the Sanctuary from Orastie is smaller. Besides “The Sun of Andesite” may easily be resembled with the famous Maya calendar.

Dacia’s capital was conquered and destroyed by the Roman army in 106 A.C. It ruins were drew out for the first time in 1923 thanks to the accomplished delves under the leading of D. M. Teodorescu from the archeology department of Cluj-Napoca University, the academic teacher C. Daicoviciu and Hadrian Daicoviciu continuing his work until 1944. The way it’s not pleasant for those who wants to get to the ruins of the Dacian stronghold. If from Orastie to Costesti there is asphalt, further few people dare to drive those 12.4 miles of forest road. Otherwise, Orastie can be considered a starting point for the Dacian strongholds: Sarmisegetuza Regia, Stronghold from Costesti (at 11.1 miles from Orastie), the stone walls of Blidaru’s Stronghold (at 2.4 miles from Orastie).

At about 24,8 miles from Orastiei Mountains, in Sarmizegetusa Commune, in the south-west of the Hateg Hallow, there are the ruins of the other stronghold, with the same name, the capital of the Roman Dacia, so called as Ulpia Traiana Sarmisegetusa, founded by the governor Terentius Scaurianus between 108 - 110 years. During 2 centuries, this was the political-administrative center of the Dacia province.
The governor’s and administrative departments, of the fiscal device, the religious, economic and military centres, were placed outside of the stronghold’s walls. During the Hadrian King’s reign (117-138), Sarmizegetusa was named Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa Colony, and afterwards, between 222-235 it was called a metropolis too.

Ulpia Traiana Sarmisegetusa

On the other hand, the ruins of the Ulpia Traiana Sarmisegetusa, are the most interesting tourist objectives from this area, offering to the tourists the image of a Roman town, as many other, with the Forum, the augustals’s palace, the thermals, the amphitheatre, the public and private edifices. In 1982 a museum was inaugurated, where it took place an exhibition of silver and bronze objects, pottery, god’s statues, coins, head-stones, medallions, Mosaics, fibules and others. Other objectives are The Corner Stronghold, The Malaiesti Stronghold.
To the Densuş Church, Strei Church and the Hateg’s Stronghold, the tourists can arrive using the national road DN68 Hateg-Caransebes or by train using Petrosani - Subcetate or Simeria - Subcetate routes. Also, the chances of quartering are many thanks to the tourist pensions and the places for tents around the colony.
Except the Roman fortified town, the tourists can also visit Sarmisegetusa, the Cioclovina caves, Ohaba Ponor, The Prislop Monastery si “The Corner Stronghold” from Suseni village.