Alba Iulia: Fortresses, Museums and Cathedrals

Fortress and Architecture

Alba Carolina Fortress was built between 1715 and 1738 on the initiative and with the involvement of the Habsburg authorities. Its design follows the Vauban system. Its ground plan has the shape of an irregular heptagon. The restored Route of the Gates of Alba Carolina Fortress crosses the fortress from Gate I in the east to Gate VI in the west. The Route of the Gates presents seven gates of the fortress. The Three Fortifications Route leads visitors through the remains of three fortifications from three different periods. The three structures were built successively at the same location. Each new structure incorporated the older one. Those who explore the fortress area on foot encounter both the geometry of the Vauban system and the traces of the older structures that were enclosed at the same location by later fortifications. The Route of the Gates and the Three Fortifications Route make two different historical orders visible: the sequence of the gates and the chronological layering of the structures.

Roman Heritage

The Roman fortress of Apulum was built on a terrace above the Mureș. At that time, it was located along a navigable section of the river. The Principia Museum preserves part of the former building of the fortress of Legio XIII Gemina in Apulum. Visitors to the Principia Museum can see a Roman hypocaust. Its location on the terrace above the Mureș connects the military installation with the navigable section of the river at that time and complements the surviving structural elements with a topographical context.

Places of Remembrance and Cathedrals

On 1 December 1918, Sala Unirii hosted the session in which 1,228 delegates decided on the union of Transylvania with Romania. The present-day building of the Roman Catholic Cathedral “Sfântul Mihail” was built around the middle of the 13th century. It was constructed entirely from hewn stone blocks taken from the ruins of the Roman fortress of Legio XIII Gemina. The Orthodox Coronation Cathedral was built in Alba Iulia in 1921–1922. Its construction was connected with the coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie on 15 October 1922 as rulers of Greater Romania. Thus, Alba Iulia contains a medieval church building, a political place of remembrance and a cathedral from the early 20th century within the same historic cityscape.

Museikon and Events

Museikon houses a collection of Romanian icons from Transylvania. Museikon also contains old books and other religious objects. Temporary exhibitions, painting and restoration workshops, conferences and academic symposia are held there regularly. Its contents therefore range from historic images and books to events concerned with painting, restoration and academic discussion.

Routes and Landscape

The cycle path on Mamut Hill, “Transalpina de Mamut”, is more than 5 kilometres long and runs through the forest. The cycle path connects Micești and Pâclișa, two districts of Alba Iulia. The connection between the two districts makes the route geographically comprehensible; its length and its course through the forest characterise the section described on Mamut Hill.

Local Public Transport

Public transport in Alba Iulia offers electronic ticketing. Passengers can pay for their tickets by SMS. Another payment option is the mobilPay Wallet. For local public transport, this means that, in addition to electronic ticketing, two explicitly named mobile payment methods are described.

Further Destinations

Find further destinations on this page under Jidvei, Kudsir, Gârda De Sus, Vadu Moților, Blaj, Gârbova, Lancrăm and Pleșcuța.

To the higher-level travel overview: Alba.