Cetatea Trascăului (Colțești)

Cetatea Trascăului, also referred to in the second half of the 20th century as Cetatea Colțești, is one of the most spectacular medieval monuments in the Munții Trascău, part of the Western Carpathians. It is situated to the west of the village of Colțești, approximately 5 km south-west of Rimetea commune, Alba County, built on the steep summit of a limestone klippe, which gave it a naturally difficult-to-access position. The fortress was built around 1296 by the vice-voivode Thoroczkay of Trascău as a habitable fortress and place of refuge, its construction motivated by the destruction caused by the Tatar (Mongol) invasion of 1241. On the northern tower, which stands approximately 20 metres tall, an inscription has been preserved attributing the construction to the Thoroczkay family. Over time, the fortress changed hands on several occasions: in 1470 it was confiscated by King Matia Corvin and entrusted to the voivode of Transylvania, before returning to the Thoroczkay family in 1510. Today, two towers and a significant portion of the lateral walls have survived, with the ruins imposingly dominating the valley and remaining visible from a distance. The monument is listed on the List of Historical Monuments of Alba County and has been the subject of a major rehabilitation project funded by European funds. The area is associated with numerous local legends, including that of an underground tunnel said to have connected the fortress to the fortifications on the Râmeți hill. Cetatea Trascăului is situated near the Piatra Secuiului massif and the village of Rimetea, renowned for its traditional architecture, with the entire area being one of the most picturesque in the southern Munții Apuseni.