View of the big circular temple and the Andesite Sun
A late Iron Age development
Tucked in the beautiful forests of the Carpathians mountains, this legendary capital of the Dacians', an UNESCO world heritage, is a must-see for all of those who travel to Romania. This visit will surely give you a better understanding of the Romanians' origin.
Located in Sureanu Mountains, in Gradistea Muncelului-Cioclovina Nature Park, Sarmizegetusa Regia is an impressive site, totally worth being visited.
This amazing site built at 1200 m altitude, has over 30.000 square meter surface. It was not only the Dacian capital for more than 150 years, but also the most important military, spiritual and political centre of the Dacians' prior to the wars with the Roman Empire. These ruins belonged to a fortress that consisted of six citadels which were the back bone of defensive system in the Orăştie Mountains. The archeological studies revealed that the capital was founded in the 2nd half of the 1st century BC. It was designed as an urban space with residential areas, dwellings, workshops as well as a sacred zone, all fortified by massive stone blocks. The artifacts found in these three distinct structures showed that they had water supply systems (they used ceramic pipes), a sundial and thousand of iron objects. Also there is a stretch of 200 meters segment of paved road, 4 m in width, bordered with limestone blocks. All of these are the indicators of a flourishing society with a high standard of living. The sacred zone has seven temples: two circular and five rectangular. The large circular sanctuary resembles to England's Stonehenge. It is famous for its rich healing energies and a place of pilgrimage for those who believe in paranormal and the ancient history buffs. Rumours say that Sarmizegetusa is more than meet the eye as it sits on top of a much bigger buried complex city. The site is merely the tip of the iceberg! This pre-Roman architectural site is an unique place. You should definitely add it to your bucket list! The ancient positive energies felt in this mystic place are beyond words! The Andesite Sun which served as a sundial showed the Hellenistic Greek influence in the Dacian culture. It is believed that they were not strangers to geometry and astronomy. Based on the mysterious form of settlements researchers believe that these were astronomical observation shrines. Although the ruins of these temples have been preserved, there is no clue about the Deities to whom they were dedicated. This druid-like temple of wood and stones is a reminder of the relations between the Dacians and the Celts. The closest bigger cities are Hunedoara and Orastie. If you drive, you can take the road to Costesti and pass by the Blidaru/ Costesti Fortress. From Costesti village, head towards Gradistea de Munte and take a right turn on the bridge next to the church. Keep on going straight and after seeing a power plant, you will need to turn left. Continue on this road for a few more kilometres and you will reach the parking lot of the site. Once you parked your car, get ready for a 2 kilometres hike uphill. You can also hop on a bus from Orastie to Costesti, a village which is only 20 km away from the site. From this point you may either walk or hitch a ride because there is no public transportation connecting the village to the site. The entrance fee for the Sarmizegetusa Regia is 1 euro for children and 2 euros for adults. Here are other travel related posts: ECUADOR SERIES - DUE DILIGENCE TRIP LAURENTIANS MOUNTAINS: COTTAGE TRIP AT LAKE CACHÉE OTTAWA LIGHTS SHOW ON PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS HIKING AT DANUBE’S GORGES, ORSOVA, ROMANIA DECEBALUS CARVED STATUE, ROMANIA PIRATES TREASURE PLAYGROUND, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA DOLPHINARIUM 2, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA DOLPHINARIUM 1, CONSTANTA, ROMANIA GONDOLA RIDE IN MAMAIA RESORT, ROMANIA BEACH DAY IN CONSTANTA, ROMANIA BUBBLES - INDOOR PLAYGROUND IN CONSTANTA, ROMANIA VISITING DAMARLI ESTATE IN BOQUETE, PANAMA BAHIA DE PAQUERA, NICOYA GULF, COSTA RICA EXPLORING AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS MACKINAC BRIDGE, MICHIGAN, USA CHASED BY TORNADOS IN MINNESOTA MINNEHAHA FALLS REGIONAL PARK, A GEM IN BETWEEN THE TWIN CITIES BANFF, A RESORT TOWN INSIDE THE BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALBERTA, CANADA OLD PORT OF CONSTANTA, ROMANIA TEN FACTS OR MORE ABOUT BOQUETE, PANAMA MORAINE LAKE, A SURREAL BEAUTY IN ALEBERTA, CANADA TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A LIVING WHILE TRAVELLING THE WORLD FEELING UNINSPIRED? VISIT A WELSH RETREAT: GLADSTONE’S RESIDENTIAL LIBRARY TURDA’S 400 FEET UNDERGROUND AMUSEMENT PARK, A HIDDEN GEM OF TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA Ready to Blog & Earn? With TravelFeed, easily start your own travel blog and earn as you go. It's the smart platform for travelers who want to profit from their passion. Create a free account CARIBBEAN PARADISE: BOCAS DEL TORO BOQUETE’S FLOWERS AND COFFEE FESTIVAL, PANAMA VISIT TO SAINT-JOSEPH’S ORATORY IN MONTREAL, CANADA Don't Forget: Get Travel Health Insurance! To make your trip a worry-free experience, TravelFeed recommends SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. It provides comprehensive health coverage while you travel, so you can focus on exploring, not the unexpected. Get a quote here Unless stated otherwise, all photos used in this posts are taken and owned by myself. If you wish to use any of my images, please contact me! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave your feedback in the comments, I would love to hear your thoughts!
The lime stone temple
View over the terraces
View over the sacred area
The paved road
Site opening hours:
Entrance fee
For extra 8 euros you can request an audio-guide at the entrance of the site.
Recommendations for travellers
Travel Resources for your trip to Romania
Recommended by TravelFeed
Flights: We recommend checking Kiwi.com to find the best and cheapest flights to Romania.
Accomodation: Explore the best places to stay in Romania on Booking.com, Agoda and Hostelworld.
Travel Insurance: Medical emergencies abroad can be pricey, but travel health insurance is not. We always use SafetyWing for affordable and reliable coverage.
Car Rental: For hassle-free car hiring, DiscoverCars is our trusted choice with a wide selection of vehicles.
Internet: Got an eSIM compatible phone? Airalo is perfect for reliable internet access during your trip. Just install it before you go, and you're set!
Day Trips & Tours: We recommend GetYourGuide for a variety of well-organized and enjoyable activities.
Travel Planner: Need a hand planning? Our free travel planner chatbot is your personal guide to Romania. Chat now.
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