COUNTY ALBA

ALBA IULIA

Residence city of Alba country is situated at the mountain’s foot, at the crossroads between the roads which come from the Apuseni Mountains, following the Sibiu way and from Transilvania plateau.

The most important settlement on the middle course of river Mures, Alba Iulia city has a particular rich history and valuable monuments which made it one of the important touristical cities of our country. One the city’s hearth settlements have succeeded from the V-th millenium b.ch. till today. Vestiges from the neolithic period ( an entire settlement out of the huts and hearth ) discovered in district ,, Lumea Noua “, traces from the bronze age, remains of the biggest fortress of wood and earth mud from the iron age discovered on the left bank of Mures river at Teleac, the great fortress of Dacians mentioned by Ptolemy in the II-nd century b.ch. ( Apulon ), discovered in 1960 at Piatra Craivii, the Roman camp and the city which surpassed the official capital of latin Dacia, becoming at the end of the II-nd century it’s political, economical and administrative center; the fortified center of the romano-slavian principality named Balgrad ( the white Castle ) from the IX-th – X-th century; the medieval city with its three successive fortresses, which became the capital of Transilvania from 1548 till 1685, city which has been attacked in 1784 by the revolted peasant from the Apuseni mountains leaded by Horea, Closca and Crisan- there’s just some of the titles on the visit card of Alba Iulia city.

Located at the confluence of Ampoi river ( the most direct road to the mines of the Apuseni mountains ) writhe the Mures river, in a beautiful land of mild hills where cereals, fruit trees and vine grow, this town, rich in historical repose, needed for visiting all the objectives, among those we mention:
The district museum ( the Union’s Museum ), who’s administrative head-office is found inside the fortress, in a historical building ( the military ,, cazina “) where at 1 december 1918, after people’s gathering on Horea’s Field ( where 100.000 delegates have participated ) the union’s act of Transilvania with the kingdom of Romania. The museum exposes in it’s galleries and observation towers around the orthodox cathedral, its rich collections which initiate the visitors in the rich history of Alba Iulia city and Transilvania. We mention the richness of ,, lapidary ” that contains statues and roman inscriptions and the section of the uprising of Horea, Closca and Crisan.

The medieval fortress from the XVII-th century, the last great fortress built in our country ( at its building 20.00 serfs were forced to work for 24 years, till 1715 to 1738 ). The fortress gates deserve a particular attention, stone constructions, built in baroque style, with many bas-reliefs statues. Above the main gate we found a cell where it’s supposed to have been locked Horea before his execution. In front of the main gate stands an obelisk raised in honour of the leaders of the revolted peasant from 1784- Horea, Closca si Crisan.

The Roman-Catholic cathedral, one of the most valuable architectural monuments of our country, built in romanic style with additions of gothic r, renaissance and baroque style. The construction begun in the second half of the XIII-th century instead of the romanic church from the XII-th century, inaugurated by the peasants in 1242 and finished in 1300. The church suffered along the centuries many repairs and additions. Inside its impressive interior we notice the bas-reliefs from the main apse, the ones on the right ( in gothic style ) belonging to Corvinesti family ( Ioan Corvin of Hunedoara, his Brother and his son ), the ones on the left ( with beautiful sculptures in Renaissance style ) belonging to queen Isabella ( 1559 ) and his son John Sigismund ( 1571 ) first prince of Transylvania.

In the Bishop palace, ( an old building which suffered many changes and which keeps the aspect of the construction of the medieval fortress from the XVII-th century ) there are many epigraphic roman monuments.

The Princely Palace, the residence of Transylvania voivodes, with buildings risem in stages beginning from the XIV-th century till 1662, when it’s destroyed by a Turkish – tartar invasion. Repaired partially the palace has been transformed after 1700, but it didn’t kept traces of the old luxury residence with frescos, marble stairs, artesian wells and gardens, inhabited by Michael the Brave and lady Stanca.
The Batthyaneum Library is installed in a building from 1729,risen as church and transformed after 1784 by the illuminist bishop Ignatiu Batthyani in library and astronomical observatory . The observatory, the oldest of the country, keeps the original parts pieces from the XVII-th century. The library owns manuscripts of great value, such as ,, Codex aureus “ ( the IX-th century ), written on a parchment with gold solution, the biggest number of printed books ( till 1500 ) of our country ( 530 ) and old Romanian printings.

The Orthodox cathedral, built between 1921-1922 according to the model of the royal church from Targoviste, with interior paintings in neo- byzanthine , where in pronaos we may admire a portrait of Michael the Brave and lady Stanca.

The Romanian plateau, founded at SW ( south-west ) of the citadel, where the remains of Roman camp Apulum are found as well as those of the feudal city pulled down to make way to the citadel from the XVII-th century. On this plateau the great gathering from 1918 which decided the union of Transylvania with the kingdom of Romania was held. In the south part of the plateu, above the present graveyards it is Forks Hill, the place where Horea and Closca were broken by wheel place marked by the Horea, Closca and Crisan’s monument.

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