Sarmizegetusa Regia
The capital and religious centre of the Dacian kingdom. This World Heritage Site preserves mysterious stone-pillared round and square temples in the mountain forest.
Sarmizegetusa Regia sits in dense forest at an elevation of about 1,200 m in the Orăștie Mountains. From the 1st century BC until the Roman conquest in AD 106, it was the political and religious heart of the Dacian kingdom. In 1999, it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site together with the surrounding fortresses, under the name “Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains.” The highlights include the large round sanctuary in the sacred area, the andesite “sun disc,” rows of stone pillar bases, and the remains of massive stone walls. From Costești, take the mountain road toward Grădiștea Muncelului for about 18 km, then walk about 1 km from the car park. Tickets are required, and the site is open roughly 9:00 to 19:00 in summer. It is about a 1.5-hour drive from Hunedoara and is best visited on the same day as the Costești Fortress.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–19:00 (summer; road conditions limit access in winter)
Nearby sights
- Costești-Blidaru Dacian Fortress
- Costești-Cetățuie Dacian Fortress
- Bolii Cave
- Strei Church
- Hațeg-Slivuț Bison Reserve
- Sântămăria-Orlea Church
- Hațeg UNESCO Global Geopark
- Corvin Castle