Roman Fort of Tibiscum
Jupa, Caraș-Severin County · Banat
About Roman Fort of Tibiscum
Tibiscum was born during the Dacian Wars, in 101–102 AD, when a Roman unit built an earth-and-timber fort on the left bank of the Timiș. The spot lay at a crossroads of imperial roads, and the fort was rebuilt and enlarged several times; in the 2nd century, under Antoninus Pius, it was given stone walls. Auxiliary troops were stationed here, among them the archers of Cohors I Sagittariorum and the Moorish horsemen of the Numerus Maurorum Tibiscensium. A civil settlement grew around the fort and, after 200 AD, rose to the rank of municipium, one of the great Roman towns of western Romania.
The site belongs to the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – Dacia, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2024. Research began in the 19th century and continues every year: since 1965 not a summer has passed without excavations, and students from the West University of Timișoara do their archaeological practice here. The archaeological reserve, opened in the 1970s–80s, covers some 16–17 hectares.
What you can see
On the ground you can see the foundations and low walls of the stone fort, with the praetorian gate, the headquarters building (the Principia), the schola and the soldiers' barracks, plus buildings and workshops of the civil settlement, marked out with paths, signs and small footbridges over the trenches. At the entrance an archaeological exhibition shows finds from Tibiscum, and the museum can be complemented by an augmented-reality virtual exhibition. To picture what stood here, it helps to know that in the 18th century the walls still stood over two metres high, but floods of the Timiș have destroyed much of the eastern sector, where mostly foundations remain.
Good to know
The site has two parts: the fort and the civil town (the municipium), both within the reserve at Jupa; you visit an open-air archaeological field, not standing walls. In 2024 the gate at the north-eastern corner and a stretch of the north-eastern wall were consolidated, and in summer 2026 new information panels were installed under the "România Atractivă" programme. Opening hours and prices come from the Caransebeș museum, which runs the site.
Information verified on 12 October 2026.
- The fort gate at the north-eastern corner, consolidated in 2024, and the praetorian gate.
- The Principia, the headquarters building, and the soldiers' barracks of the stone fort.
- The buildings and workshops of the civil town, raised to the rank of municipium.
- The archaeological exhibition at the entrance, with finds from the fort and the town.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the site is in the village of Jupa, on DN6 (E70), about 6 km north-west of the centre of Caransebeș, on the road towards Lugoj and Timișoara.
Public transport: no confirmed connection to the site is published; from Caransebeș it is about 6 km.
- Fees & discounts
2026 rates (decision of the Caraș-Severin County Council of 27.11.2025): adults 6 lei, pupils and students 2 lei, seniors 3 lei. Free entry for people with disabilities and their companion, preschool children, staff of the museum network and of the INP, ICOM card holders and other categories listed in the decision. Augmented-reality virtual exhibition: 5 lei. Photography fee listed in the annex: 10 lei per visitor. Guide on request for groups of up to 30: 30 lei per hour, booked at least 48 hours ahead (by phone or e-mail).
- Rules
A site protected by law and still under excavation: stay on the paths, do not climb on the walls and do not take anything from the ground. Entry is by ticket.
- Facilities
Archaeological exhibition at the entrance · information panels · augmented-reality virtual exhibition · guide on request
Frequently asked questions about Roman Fort of Tibiscum
- How much is a ticket to Roman Fort of Tibiscum?
- A ticket to Roman Fort of Tibiscum costs 6 lei (pupils 2 lei, seniors 3 lei). 2026 rates (decision of the Caraș-Severin County Council of 27.11.2025): adults 6 lei, pupils and students 2 lei, seniors 3 lei. Free entry for people with disabilities and their companion, preschool children, staff of the museum network and of the INP, ICOM card holders and other categories listed in the decision. Augmented-reality virtual exhibition: 5 lei. Photography fee listed in the annex: 10 lei per visitor. Guide on request for groups of up to 30: 30 lei per hour, booked at least 48 hours ahead (by phone or e-mail).
- What are the opening hours of Roman Fort of Tibiscum?
- Opening hours at Roman Fort of Tibiscum: Monday closed, Tuesday–Saturday 09:00 – 17:00, Sunday closed. Tuesday–Saturday 9–17, closed on Sunday and Monday, according to the museum that runs the site. The official page is undated; call 0255 512 193 before you go, especially in winter. Guidebook entries give slightly different hours.
- How long does a visit to Roman Fort of Tibiscum take?
- A visit to Roman Fort of Tibiscum takes about 1 – 1½ hours (estimate; open air).
- Can you visit Roman Fort of Tibiscum with kids?
- Yes, Roman Fort of Tibiscum is suitable for children (open-air site, no shade).
- How do I get to Roman Fort of Tibiscum?
- Roman Fort of Tibiscum is located at DN6 (E70), Jupa village, north-west of Caransebeș, Jupa, Caraș-Severin County. By car: the site is in the village of Jupa, on DN6 (E70), about 6 km north-west of the centre of Caransebeș, on the road towards Lugoj and Timișoara. Public transport: no confirmed connection to the site is published; from Caransebeș it is about 6 km.
- When is the best time to visit Roman Fort of Tibiscum?
- The best season for Roman Fort of Tibiscum: April – October (open-air site).
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