The Roman Fort at Ilișua

One of the most important fortifications on the northern border of the province of Dacia and later of Dacia Porolissensis is the Roman fort at Ilișua.

The fortification had the role of overseeing the valley of the Someșul Mare River, constituting together with the fortress at Cășeiu, near Dej, the main defense base towards the Țibleș Mountains and the regions of free Dacians from the Lăpuș area.

The Roman fort at Ilișua was dated to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD, with three construction phases identified, the last consisting of the reconstruction in stone of the earth and wood fort raised in a previous phase.

Today, in the southeast part of the village of Ilișua, visitors can only see the ruins of the Roman baths, which were part of the civilian settlement. They outline the image of the superiority of Roman civilization and exceptional architecture.

Explore these amazing historical remains yourself!

Brief historical insight

The history of the fort begins with the establishment of a military unit at Ilișua, which built a small earth and wood fort here.

At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Hadrian (118/119 AD), a cavalry unit is brought to Ilișua, which will erect a second earth and wood fort at the same location, equipped with two defense ditches. In this second phase, the fortification is considerably enlarged, having dimensions of 182.2 x 181.5 m. However, it will not last, being destroyed by a fire, probably during the Marcomannic wars of Marcus Aurelius (166-180 AD).

In the third phase, the stone fort is built, which will also end in a strong fire.

 Architectural Features

At Ilișua, you have the opportunity to see the ruins of the Roman baths. These were public baths, which served hygiene purposes but also had a social and recreational role. Visiting them was a significant event in the daily life of the Romans.

The baths at Ilișua consist of two rectangular buildings, which present an interesting layout. In the first building, access was provided through a hall on the south side, from which one entered the apodyterium, a space intended for changing rooms. Here were also identified the three usual rooms in the structure of Roman public baths: tepidarium (warm bath room), caldarium (hot bath room), and frigidarium (for cold baths). The bath buildings had their own heating systems.

Unique Experiences

The village of Ilișua belongs to the Uriu commune, where other tourist attractions are located, among which we recommend the Roman Catholic Church in the village of Cristeștii Ciceului, dating back to the 14th century, as well as the Reformed Church in the village of Uriu, built of hard stone, in Gothic style, in the 14th-15th centuries.

The village of Cristeștii Ciceului is the only one in Romania where you will discover 11 statues over a distance of less than 2 km. They were placed under the care of a son of the village, Traian Gheorghe Dascăl.

If you are passionate about fishing, Lake Kendertau is nearby.