Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate
Ocna Mureș, Alba County · Transylvania
About Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate
On the terrace beside the village of Războieni-Cetate, about 2 km from the salt mines of Ocna Mureș, the Romans built a fort for Ala I Batavorum Milliaria, a cavalry unit of almost a thousand men, originally recruited in the Rhine region and brought to Dacia under Emperor Hadrian. With an interior of about 5.2 hectares, nearly twice that of an ordinary fort, it was the second largest on the present territory of Alba County, after the one at Apulum. Stamps on bricks and tiles show that detachments of Legio XIII Gemina and Legio V Macedonica were also stationed here. Its position let it watch over the transport of salt along the Mureș. The Roman road linking Apulum with Potaissa ran through the area, and locals call it "Trajan's Road".
Research began with systematic excavations in 1995–2000. Since 2016 the National Museum of the Union in Alba Iulia, together with Babeș-Bolyai University, has been investigating the civil settlement (vicus) west of the fort, with support from Alba County Council. A magnetometer survey revealed the layout of the site: the headquarters (principia), the commander's residence (praetorium), the barracks and the granary (horreum), two parallel defensive ditches and, to the west, the buildings of the military village, including one of about 23 × 20 m that is the main focus of the excavations.
What you can see
There are no standing walls or landscaped ruins here. The fort lies under farmland and under houses and their yards, and its traces show mainly in aerial photographs taken in autumn, after ploughing. On the ground you can make out the terrace it stood on and the wide Mureș landscape, and in the village the school's collection has kept tools, pottery and other local finds. Some of the finds from the vicus were shown in the "Ad Batavos" exhibition, held in 2023 at the National Museum of the Union in Alba Iulia.
Good to know
The site has no published visiting hours, information boards or paths. The "România Atractivă" portal lists it as "Temporarily closed" without giving a reason, and the press from 2024–2026 carries no news of redevelopment works. Most of the land is private: look from the road and do not walk onto crops or into yards.
Information verified on 12 October 2026.
- The terrace on the bank of the Mureș where a 5.2-hectare fort stood, the second largest in Alba County.
- The traces of the fort, visible in aerial photographs taken in autumn, after ploughing.
- The Roman road between Apulum and Potaissa, called "Trajan's Road" by locals.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Războieni-Cetate is a village belonging to the town of Ocna Mureș, in the Mureș valley, about 5 km from the town centre. The fort lies on the edge of the village, on the terrace next to the settlement.
Public transport: the village has a railway station, about 1.2 km from the site; check the train timetable beforehand.
- Rules
A site protected by law: do not dig, do not use metal detectors and do not take anything from the ground. Most of the land is private, so do not walk onto crops or into yards.
- Facilities
No facilities for visitors
Frequently asked questions about Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate
- How long does a visit to Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate take?
- A visit to Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate takes about 30 min (estimate; no visible ruins).
- Can you visit Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate with kids?
- Yes, Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate is suitable for children (open ground, no facilities).
- How do I get to Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate?
- Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate is located at Războieni-Cetate, Ocna Mureș, Alba County. By car: Războieni-Cetate is a village belonging to the town of Ocna Mureș, in the Mureș valley, about 5 km from the town centre. The fort lies on the edge of the village, on the terrace next to the settlement. Public transport: the village has a railway station, about 1.2 km from the site; check the train timetable beforehand.
- When is the best time to visit Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate?
- The best season for Roman Fort of Războieni-Cetate: April – October (open-air site).
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