The Dacian Site of Blidaru

The Dacian Site of Blidaru is a Dacian fortress located in the Munții Orăștiei, on a rocky summit at approximately 705 m altitude, near the town of Orăștie, Hunedoara County, on the border with Alba County. The fortress forms part of the defensive system of the Dacian capital Sarmizegetusa Regia and has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, alongside the other six Dacian sites in the Munții Orăștiei. Built in two stages during the 1st century BC – 1st century AD, Blidaru is a remarkable example of Dacian military architecture. The first phase involved the construction of a fort with four corner towers, which was subsequently extended with a second enclosure featuring two additional towers, resulting in a structure with a total area of approximately 4,400 sq m. The construction technique used is characteristic of the Dacians — walls made of dressed stone blocks, known as murus dacicus, with a core of stone and earth. The site is accessed from the village of Costești, located approximately 18 km south-west of Orăștie via DJ 706, followed by a marked walking trail of approximately 2–3 hours round trip, which is partly steep. The Fortress of Blidaru is well worth visiting, as it offers one of the best-preserved Dacian defensive structures, allowing visitors to gain a concrete understanding of the military and architectural system of the Geto-Dacian civilisation prior to the Roman conquest of 106 AD.