Costești – Blidaru Fortress

You find yourself in the heart of a complex network of fortifications, at an altitude of over 700 meters, where the Costești - Blidaru Fortress watches over the Dacian land.

Built in the 1st century BC, the fortress occupies a strategic position in the defensive landscape of the Dacian kings' residence, controlling access from the Mureș Valley to Sarmizegetusa Regia. Today, the adventure to the fortress involves a short journey of about 50 minutes from the main road, on a picturesque path, shaded by beech and birch trees.

The fortified complex, initially trapezoidal in shape, developed over time, adapting to the needs of the period. The quadrilateral towers, massive walls, and unique construction technique, called "murus dacicus," attest to the monumental character of Dacian architecture. In addition to military constructions, ingeniously arranged cisterns were discovered in the fortress area, reflecting the technological advancement of the era.

With a tumultuous history, marked by the Dacian-Roman wars, the fortress was destroyed in 105 - 106 AD. Presently, its ruins represent a valuable testimony to Dacian military architecture. 

Since 1999, Costești - Blidaru has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage, along with the other Dacian fortresses in the Orăștie Mountains.

Architectural Features

The Dacians began building the Blidaru fortress in the middle of the 1st century BC. In the context of wars with the Romans, the fortress enclosure was expanded, adding another quadrilateral tower to the existing five, as well as new sections of walls. On the west and northwest sides, the Dacians arranged quadrilateral rooms, whose floor could be used as a fighting platform, while provisions were kept on the ground floor.

What deserves highlighting is the originality of the construction technique. The Dacians chose a Hellenistic construction technique but ingeniously adapted it to their own conditions and needs. The walls thus built are now known as murus dacicus.

Invaluable treasures

Two water cisterns were discovered on Blidaru Hill. One of them is located slightly below the northwest tower of the fortress. It has a parallelepiped shape and a capacity of 200 cubic meters. 

The Dacians plastered the walls of the cistern with a mixture of sand, lime, and crushed brick, to ensure their impermeability. The technique used is of Roman inspiration and is called opus signinum. 

Another cistern was carved into the rock and lined with wooden planks. For the capture and distribution of water, the Dacians used fired clay pipes, with archaeological research identifying their routes for many tens of meters.

Unique Experiences

If you have already visited the Sarmizegetusa Regia and Costești-Cetățuie fortresses, we recommend another fortress in the Orăștie Mountains, less known but equally interesting: the Red Stone Fortress. It is located near the village of Luncani, on Red Stone Hill, at an altitude of 831 meters. Its role was to defend the royal fortress from the west at Grădiștea de Munte - Sarmizegetusa Regia.

A stroll in the Historic Center of Orăștie is also welcome. Why? Because here you will discover the medieval Orăștie Fortress, within which lie the ruins of an ecclesiastical rotunda (a circular chapel), probably dating back to the 11th century. Remarkable is also the ensemble formed by the Reformed Church (Calvinist), rebuilt by the Hungarians in the 14th century, and the Evangelical Church (Lutheran) erected by the Saxons in the 19th century.