Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
About Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
Roman Buridava is the archaeological site in the Stolniceni district, in the south of the city of Râmnicu Vâlcea, on the terrace on the right bank of the Olt. The Roman presence here begins at the end of the First Dacian War (101–102), and the inscriptions and stamped bricks point to an important place: troops from three legions of Moesia Inferior, auxiliary cohorts and the personal guard of the provincial governor, the pedites singulares. The historian Dumitru Tudor suggested that the governor of Moesia Inferior himself was based here between Trajan's two wars. The settlement then became part of the Roman frontier on the Olt, and since 2024 it has been a component of the UNESCO site "Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia".
The first finds date from the mid-20th century. The excavations, many of them hasty rescue digs, uncovered two bath complexes; the large building is one of the largest and best preserved in Roman Dacia south of the Carpathians. The site covers about 50 hectares, but a good part of it has been built over, and the exact location of the fort is unknown. The name comes from Dacian Buridava, the settlement near Ocnele Mari, which is a different site.
What you can see
A field of grass and shrubs, between houses, the main road and the chemical works in the south of the city, where the low walls of the baths, of river stone and quarry stone bound with mortar, come to the surface. The rooms and apses of the baths can be made out, and behind them you can see the chimneys and cooling towers of the plant. In 2025 temporary protective shelters were put up over two of the most fragile parts, the praefurnium (the furnace that heated the water for the pools) and the sudatorium (the steam room). The visit is short and worthwhile mainly for those interested in the Roman frontier.
Good to know
Until recently the site was not set up for visitors. In June 2026 the "Aurelian Sacerdoțeanu" Vâlcea County Museum announced it would open to the public from that summer, with a museum point on site displaying finds from here in ten cases; no confirmation of the opening and no schedule have been published. The photos below date from 2012, before the shelters.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- The walls of the large baths, of river stone bound with mortar, with the rooms and apses of the bath house.
- The protective shelters put up in 2025 over the praefurnium and over the sudatorium, the steam room.
- The museum point announced on site, with bricks stamped by the auxiliary troops who built the baths and restored vessels.
- The contrast between the Roman ruins and the chimneys and cooling towers of the chemical works behind.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the site is in the south of Râmnicu Vâlcea, in the Stolniceni district, at the end of Strada Buridava, about 400 m east of the DN64. From the city centre it is about 11 km along Calea lui Traian and the DN64 (around 20 minutes), and from Drăgășani about 45 km north on the DN64.
Public transport: on the DN64, about 400 m from the site, is the "Buridava" bus stop; check routes and times with Râmnicu Vâlcea's urban transport.
- Fees & discounts
No entry fee for the site is published. Check with the Vâlcea County Museum.
- Rules
An archaeological site protected by law: do not climb on the walls, do not go under the protective shelters and do not take anything from the ground.
- Facilities
Protective shelters over the ruins
Frequently asked questions about Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
- How long does a visit to Roman Buridava (Stolniceni) take?
- A visit to Roman Buridava (Stolniceni) takes about 30 min (estimate; open-air ruins).
- Can you visit Roman Buridava (Stolniceni) with kids?
- Yes, Roman Buridava (Stolniceni) is suitable for children (uneven ground, pits).
- How do I get to Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)?
- Roman Buridava (Stolniceni) is located at Strada Buridava, Stolniceni district, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Vâlcea County. By car: the site is in the south of Râmnicu Vâlcea, in the Stolniceni district, at the end of Strada Buridava, about 400 m east of the DN64. From the city centre it is about 11 km along Calea lui Traian and the DN64 (around 20 minutes), and from Drăgășani about 45 km north on the DN64. Public transport: on the DN64, about 400 m from the site, is the "Buridava" bus stop; check routes and times with Râmnicu Vâlcea's urban transport.
- When is the best time to visit Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)?
- The best season for Roman Buridava (Stolniceni): April – October (open-air site).
Reviews
Other attractions nearby
The closest attractions to Roman Buridava (Stolniceni), sorted by distance.
Top 1008 km from Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
10 km from Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
15 km from Roman Buridava (Stolniceni)
