# Báthory Fortress [Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Sălaj County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/salaj) › [Șimleu Silvaniei](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/simleu-silvaniei) > The ruins of the Báthory family’s fortified residence in central Șimleu Silvaniei, with round bastions and a Renaissance portal. Restoration is under way. **At a glance:** Fortresses and fortifications in Șimleu Silvaniei, Sălaj County. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 10 November 2026. ## Key facts - **Opening hours:** The restoration project is scheduled to run until 31 May 2028. Ask the town hall about access before visiting. - **Visit duration:** 20 min — exterior stop - **Address:** Strada Bathory Stefanus nr. 1, Șimleu Silvaniei, Sălaj County - **Coordinates:** 47.23079, 22.79925 - **Phone:** +40 260 678 622 - **Website:** https://www.simleusilvaniei.ro/cetatea-medievala-bathory-2/ - **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1thory_Castle - **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8083865 - **Categories:** [Fortresses and fortifications](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/fortresses-and-fortifications) ## About Báthory Fortress The ruins of Báthory Fortress stand in central Șimleu Silvaniei, by the street named after the family. The noble residence was already standing in 1532 and served as the centre of a large estate. Its defensive walls formed two enclosures, built in stages. Șimleu and this family are associated with Stephen Báthory, Prince of Transylvania and later King of Poland. The complex was rebuilt several times. It was burnt in 1660 and repaired in 1679, with further work in the early eighteenth century. Fragments of the residential buildings and defences survive. The shape of the bastions and the carved stone portal show how the site combined defence with the architecture of a noble residence. ### What you can see The round bastions are the easiest features to recognise. In the stone wall of the gate building, look for the arched entrance, framed in moulded stone and topped with a triangular pediment. Surviving walls between the buildings outline parts of the fortified enclosures. ### Good to know During restoration, view the ruins from public space and keep outside the works barriers. ## Don't miss - The round stone bastions that survive from the defences. - The arched portal with a triangular pediment above the entrance. - Wall fragments that trace the former enclosures. ## Good to know before you go ### Getting there **By car:** from Zalău, follow signs to Șimleu Silvaniei on the DN1H after leaving the DN1F. It is around 28 km and takes 30–35 minutes. The fortress is in the town centre. **Public transport:** buses and minibuses run from Zalău to Șimleu Silvaniei. Check the stop and departure time with the operator. ### Rules Keep a safe distance from damaged walls and stay outside fenced areas. ## Details - **Construction period:** 16th century - **Founder:** Báthory family - **State of preservation:** ruins under restoration ## Frequently asked questions about Báthory Fortress **How long does a visit to Báthory Fortress take?** A visit to Báthory Fortress takes about 20 min (exterior stop). **How do I get to Báthory Fortress?** Báthory Fortress is located at Strada Bathory Stefanus nr. 1, Șimleu Silvaniei, Sălaj County. More under “Getting there”. ## Nearby attractions - [Bánffy Castle in Nușfalău](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/banffy-castle-in-nusfalau) — Castles and palaces · Nușfalău, SJ · 1 – 1½ hours · 10 km A Baroque castle of the Bánffy family, reopened in September 2026 after a restoration costing over two million euros: exhibitions on ethnography, the family and the poet János Arany, plus a wine exhibition in the cellar. - [Porolissum Archaeological Complex](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/porolissum-archaeological-complex) — Monuments and historic sites · Moigrad-Porolissum, SJ · 11 lei · 1½ – 2 hours · UNESCO World Heritage · 36 km The northernmost bastion of Roman Dacia: the fort with its reconstructed gates, the paved imperial road, the civil town and the amphitheatre, on the hills at Moigrad in Sălaj. - [Roman Fort at Buciumi](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/roman-fort-at-buciumi) — Monuments and historic sites · Buciumi, SJ · 11 lei · 45 min · UNESCO World Heritage · 36 km A Roman auxiliary fort on the frontier of Dacia Porolissensis, with its walls, gates and headquarters building laid out for visitors, part of the UNESCO site of the Dacian limes. - [Wooden Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Margine](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/wooden-church-of-the-holy-archangels-michael-and-gabriel-in-margine) — Churches · Margine, BH · 30 min · 38 km A wooden church of around 1700, regarded as the oldest in Bihor County, with a slender shingle-clad tower, a porch on two sides and an iconostasis painted in 1780. - [Octavian Goga Memorial Museum](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/octavian-goga-memorial-museum) — Museums and memorial houses · Ciucea, CJ · 1 – 1½ hours · 41 km The ensemble at Ciucea, the former manor of the poet Octavian Goga, includes the castle, the White House, the Ady Endre House and the poet's mausoleum; the museum is closed for rehabilitation. - [Wooden Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Beznea](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/wooden-church-of-the-archangels-michael-and-gabriel-in-beznea) — Churches · Beznea, BH · 30 min · 44 km A wooden church of 1723 with a tall pointed bell tower, a carved rope-like belt and a porch whose balustrade is cut with small hearts, in the Bihor village of Beznea. --- Full page: https://peplaiuri.ro/en/bathory-fortress Other languages: Română: https://peplaiuri.ro/cetatea-bathory.md · Deutsch: https://peplaiuri.ro/de/burg-bathory.md · Italiano: https://peplaiuri.ro/it/fortezza-bathory.md · Français: https://peplaiuri.ro/fr/forteresse-bathory.md · Español: https://peplaiuri.ro/es/fortaleza-bathory.md · Magyar: https://peplaiuri.ro/hu/bathory-var.md Last updated: 10 November 2026 Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania