Idea #230 – Explore the ancient Dacian citadels in Roumania
In the Mountains of Oratie, six fortresses were settled in the Dacian period, between Ier century BC and Ier century AD, toprotect the territory also as aristocratic residences. Ruins, still visible today, offer a rather clear image of a civilization fleurissante of the second Iron Age. Since 1999, all these daciques fortresses is classified UNESCO world heritage. Among fortresses daciques, that of Costesti is on Dealul Cetatuia, at a height of 561 m, on the left bank of the river Apa Gradistii. The civil housing environment occupied probably terraces at the foot of the hill as well as the lower zone near the valley, under the current center of the village. The citadel was protected by concentric belts established by ramparts of earth, arranged at various heights, then by a wall in big stones flanked by quadrangular towers.
Among the visible vestiges, we can again perceive the foundations of a wall connecting three towers or bastions, at the stone constructed ground floors of size. The wall, 3 meters thick and probably 5 meters high originally, is made by blocks of limestone placed in assizes on two facings, bound by the wooden transverse beams; between both facings a filling of pebbles and hard-packed surface or emplecton strengthened the structure of the rampart. There was the entrance of the citadel. A monumental staircase in paving stones of limestone led to the first tower house, situated extremely south of the plateau of the fortress. This staircase has a width of 3 m and is lined by two drop pipes in limestone. The second tower block is extremely north. Both possessed a ground floor built in blocks.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Costesti, Orastioara de Sus, Hunedoara, Romania.
Larger Map