|
RRI newsletter subcription
(e-mail address):
|
 |
Archives:
|
|
| TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ALBA IULIA 01/04/2009 |
| (2009-04-02) |
| Last updated: 2009-06-04 14:54 EET |
Today, Alba Iulia is a modern European city, divided into the Lower and the Upper City. The Upper City is home to millennia-old historical landmarks, well preserved to this day, while the Lower City is made up of buildings erected in modern times.
On our trip to Alba Iulia, we’ll focus our attention on the Upper City. Gheorghe Fleser, chief curator at the Union Museum we’ll give us a guided tour of the city.
“Alba Iulia is well known to specialists and public at large for its age and for the significant historical events that took place here. Over the past few years, we’ve managed to shed light on a less explored side of the city’s development over the centuries, based on old maps and drawings. The city was built on the site of the Roman settlement of Apullum.”
The fortified citadel of Alba Iulia was built between 1714 and 1738, and is considered to be the most important Vauban-style fortification in Romania. The citadel’s layout was designed by Italian architect Giovanni Morando Visconti under the guidance of General Stefan de Steinville, and was later refurbished by general Weiss. Gheorghe Fleser will tell us more about the landmarks of the citadel.
“There is a wide range of historical buildings, ranging from religious to military. Examples of the second category are the 18th century fortification and the military buildings that once housed the Alba Iulia garrison. The Roman Catholic Cathedral is the oldest and most outstanding religious building in the Upper City, and represents a combination between the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles. Also important landmarks are the Augustinian, Dominican, Jesuit, Franciscan and Trinitarian monasteries. The Orthodox Cathedral was built inside the Upper City following the 1918 Union of the Romanian Principalities. This monument stands out on account of its architecture, which is actually representative of Wallachia, the region south of the Carpathians.”
Inside the fortress, you can see monuments dedicated to Romanian ruler Michael the Brave or to the uprising of 1784. Also, in front of the third gate of the fortress, a beautiful obelisk was erected in 1937, with the population’s contribution, in memory of the leaders of the 1784-1785 uprising. A symbolic cell lies at the foot of the obelisk, and a Winged Victory holding a laurel wreath is placed on its eastern side. On the western side there is a bas-relief depicting the key figures of the 1784 uprising, Horea, Closca and Crisan. The monument’s pedestal bears an inscription saying:” Humble homage to Horea, Closca and Crisan,” a tribute paid to the three martyr peasants.
Yet the best-known tourist route is the one which takes you to the three fortresses. In the area, we met Vali Serban, master of ceremonies with the Alba Iulia Medieval Hotel architectural compound, one of the old corners of the Alba Carolina fortress.
“The location is unique in Europe, in every respect. First of all, traces of three military structures were found there: a Roman castrum, built in 106 A.D, after the conquest of Dacia, then a medieval fortress erected above the castrum. In the early 18th century the Austrians built their great Vauban-style fortress – Alba Carolina, encompassing the two previous structures. Time took its toll and the Austrian and medieval buildings fell into disrepair. But things have recently changed for the better, when a the Romanian army decided to pay a specialised company to carry out restoration works in this corner of the fortress. Actually this corner is only the seventh part of the entire Alba Carolina fortress. Those visiting the site will reach it following the so –called the route of the three fortresses.”
Vali Serban has told me that being a master of ceremonies seems a funny and slightly outdated job. Yet he has told me it is not like that. So, let’s join him on a virtual tour.
” We enter the gate of the former imperial mint and reach the royal hall. Here we can see the original 300 year old fir-tree beams. We go out now and cross the footbridge, over the Roman and medieval wall, reaching the Austrian military area. We can now see the bastion of St Eugene, which bears the name of prince Eugene of Savoy, who supervised the first stage of the works on the Austrian construction. Let us now go the ethnic Saxons’ bastion. This medieval construction built before 1625, under the guidance of Prince Gabriel Bethlen, was dubbed the ethnic Saxons’ bastion, because the Transylvanian Saxons' community in Sibiu financed the construction works. These were guard rooms initially, but their destination was changed. For instance, during the Austrian rule, the armoury was turned into a huge kitchen where bread was baked for some 10,000 people working on the Hapsburg fortress. One of the attractions is the Knights Templar Room. Approximately one year ago, the Transylvanian Saxons' bastion became the headquarters of the Iancu of Hunedoara Chapter of the Knights Templar Order of Romania, in Alba Iulia. It bears the name of a prominent figure of Romanian history. The room is 40 or 50 meter long, has a vaulted ceiling and is currently decorated with Templar symbols. Medieval weapons, costumes and a medieval armour bearing templar symbols are on display here. ''
So if you decide to visit the fortress, you are in for a special experience. Not only the city, that has won faithful visitors, but the entire county is worth seeing. Alba county hosts the largest number of protected areas in Romania, no less than 70. If you like monuments of nature, here you can see the edelweiss. As to sports, the area boasts a golf course at international standards. We have found out all these details from Lucian Docea, the head of the Alba County Council's tourist department, who has a message for our listeners.
''Firstly I want to wish the best of luck to all participants in the contest 'The Gold of the Apuseni Mountains' organized by RRI and assure them that once in Alba county, they will have the opportunity to meet special people and visit wonderful places, full of history.''
We should now put an end to our journey to the Alba Iulia fortress , but not before thanking “Transylvania Tour” company for its support. And don’t forget that RRI’s contest 'The Gold of the Apuseni Mountains' continues.
|
|
| |
WMA |
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
128kbps : |
1
2
3
|
| |
MP3 |
|
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
128kbps : |
1
2
3
|
| |
AAC+ |
|
|
48kbps : |
1
2
3
|
|
|
64kbps : |
1
2
3
|
 Historical mascot of
RRI |
2024-04-18
Print
Listen again