Troesmis Fortress
About Troesmis Fortress
Troesmis was first a Getic stronghold, mentioned by Ovid in his letters from exile and taken by the Romans around AD 15. After Trajan's Dacian Wars the Fifth Legion Macedonica moved here and stayed at Troesmis until the 160s, when it was sent to the war against the Parthians and then to Dacia. A town grew up next to the military base and was granted the rank of municipium under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, in 177–180. Two bronze tablets bearing the town's law, stolen from the site, were recovered in 2002 from an auction in London.
In Late Antiquity the town was rebuilt as the base of the Second Legion Herculia. The two fortresses whose ruins can be seen today date from this period (4th–6th centuries) and stand ~500 m apart: the eastern fortress, ~145 × 120 m, with horseshoe-shaped towers and three basilicas from the time of Justinian, and the western fortress, trapezoidal, on a promontory above the Danube and also used in the middle Byzantine period. Excavations began in 1864–1865 with a French mission that took the inscriptions to Paris; the walls were later used as a source of stone, and today mostly their core survives. A Romanian-Austrian project (2010–2015) used geophysical surveys to locate the legionary fortress between the two fortresses, along with an aqueduct ~7 km long.
Troesmis is one of the components in Turcoaia commune of the "Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Romania)" nomination, on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2020.
What you can see
The site is a rolling, grassy field above the Măcin arm of the Danube and Lake Iglița, with the Măcin Mountains on the horizon. In the eastern fortress you can see stretches of rubble-stone wall 2–3 m high and the mounds of the towers; the plan of the basilicas can no longer be made out on the surface. The western fortress can be recognised by the earth banks and stones on the promontory. Nothing of the legionary fortress is visible. Next to the eastern fortress stand the ruins of a modern industrial building (a former stone crusher), which are not part of the ancient site.
Good to know
There are no visitor facilities, no guard and no shade, and the loess banks towards the Danube are steep. The site is a listed historic monument: metal detecting and taking stones or potsherds are forbidden.
Information verified on 21 October 2026.
- The stretches of wall of the eastern fortress, with the stone cores of the towers rising out of the grass.
- The view from the high bank over the Măcin arm of the Danube and Lake Iglița.
- The promontory of the western fortress, visible from far away on the Danube.
- The Măcin Mountains on the horizon, seen from the eastern fortress.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Măcin take the DN22D and then the DJ 222H towards Turcoaia, ~14 km (~15 minutes); the way to the site is marked with tourist signs, and from the DJ 222H a dirt road leads ~1.3 km west to the eastern fortress. It is ~41 km from Brăila (~45 minutes), over the Brăila suspension bridge and along the DN22D; ~65 km from Tulcea (~1 hour 15 minutes), via the DN22A and DN22D through Măcin; and ~260 km from Bucharest (~3 hours 30 minutes), via the A2 and the DN21 to Brăila, then over the bridge. The dirt road becomes hard going after rain.
Public transport: there is no public transport to the site. The nearest village is Turcoaia, ~4 km away; connections with Măcin and Brăila need to be checked locally.
- Fees & discounts
Admission is free: the site has no ticket and no staff on site.
- Rules
The site is a listed historic monument: metal detectors are forbidden, and stones, potsherds and coins must not be taken. Do not climb on the walls or go near the edge of the loess banks. Cars stay on the dirt road. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and sun protection.
- Facilities
No facilities at the site: no toilets, water, shop or shade · shops in Turcoaia and Măcin
Frequently asked questions about Troesmis Fortress
- How much is a ticket to Troesmis Fortress?
- Admission to Troesmis Fortress is free (no ticket). Admission is free: the site has no ticket and no staff on site.
- What are the opening hours of Troesmis Fortress?
- Opening hours at Troesmis Fortress: daily open 24 hours. An undeveloped, unguarded archaeological site with no opening hours; visit in daylight.
- How long does a visit to Troesmis Fortress take?
- A visit to Troesmis Fortress takes about ½ – 1 hours (both fortresses, on foot).
- Can you visit Troesmis Fortress with kids?
- Yes, Troesmis Fortress is suitable for children (steep banks, no shade).
- How do I get to Troesmis Fortress?
- Troesmis Fortress is located at On a dirt road ~1.3 km west of the DJ 222H, between Măcin and Turcoaia, Turcoaia, Tulcea County. By car: from Măcin take the DN22D and then the DJ 222H towards Turcoaia, ~14 km (~15 minutes); the way to the site is marked with tourist signs, and from the DJ 222H a dirt road leads ~1.3 km west to the eastern fortress. It is ~41 km from Brăila (~45 minutes), over the Brăila suspension bridge and along the DN22D; ~65 km from Tulcea (~1 hour 15 minutes), via the DN22A and DN22D through Măcin; and ~260 km from Bucharest (~3 hours 30 minutes), via the A2 and the DN21 to Brăila, then over the bridge. The dirt road becomes hard going after rain. Public transport: there is no public transport to the site. The nearest village is Turcoaia, ~4 km away; connections with Măcin and Brăila need to be checked locally.
- When is the best time to visit Troesmis Fortress?
- The best season for Troesmis Fortress: April – October (hot and shadeless in summer).
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