Orăştie: Fortress, Churches and Landscape

The fortress in Orăştie was built around the year 1300. Originally, it was a rectangular stone complex with towers, a water-filled moat and a drawbridge. Inside the medieval fortress, the medieval Reformed Church of Orăştie stands next to the Lutheran church. Thus, fortification architecture and sacred buildings meet directly at this site. The historic complex is shaped not only by its external form but also by the structures within its walls.

Culture and History

The medieval Reformed Church of Orăştie dates from the 14th century, was rebuilt in the 16th century and has a tower dating from 1752. Its location inside the medieval fortress and next to the Lutheran church is among the stated historical references of the site. Several construction phases can therefore be distinguished in the church: its medieval origins were followed by the rebuilding, while the present-day tower dates from a later period.

Archaeological investigations in the medieval fortress of Orăştie uncovered the foundations of buildings, a round church and graves. The excavated findings thus range from building foundations and a round structure to graves. These different types of finds complement the picture of the fortress with traces of its buildings, religious use and burials. History therefore appears here not only in preserved walls, but also in the exposed foundations and graves.

The Franciscan monastery of Orăştie still exists today. However, extensive alterations in the 18th century have made the medieval origins of the monastic complex no longer recognisable. At that time, the Franciscan monastery was already in operation. The monastery’s continued existence and the later alterations therefore belong to different periods of its history: it was already in use, while the complex was extensively modified in the 18th century.

Landscape

There are orchards and vineyards on the outskirts of Orăştie. The deciduous forests on the outskirts of Orăştie include oak, hornbeam and cornelian cherry trees. Thus, both cultivated areas and deciduous forest with these three named tree species are documented for the edge of the town. The orchards and vineyards stand alongside the natural woodland areas and give the outskirts of the town several clearly named landscape features.

Dealul Uroiului is a hill in the surroundings of Orăştie. In the wider regional vicinity of Orăştie, there are also Dacia, an ancient site, and Hunyad Castle, a castle. Dealul Pleşilor and Dealul Pleşeioara, both mountains, as well as Dealul Gridului, a hill, are also located in this wider regional vicinity.

Surroundings

Dacia is an ancient site in the wider regional vicinity of Orăştie. Hunyad Castle is located there as a castle. Together with Dealul Pleşilor, Dealul Pleşeioara and Dealul Gridului, these named destinations form a regional setting of historic sites and landscape features.

Transport Links

The DN 7 runs through Orăştie along the Bucharest–Râmnicu-Vâlcea–Sibiu–Sebeș–Orăştie–Deva–Arad–Nădlac route. The route therefore passes through the named places from Bucharest to Nădlac and lists Orăştie between Sebeș and Deva. In the route sequence shown, Orăştie thus lies between the section through Sebeș and the onward route to Deva, Arad and Nădlac.

Further destinations

Further destinations: Petrila, Râu De Mori, Brad, Petroșani, Vața De Jos, Teliucu Inferior, Râu Bărbat, Uricani.

To the higher-level travel overview: Eisenmarkt.