# Giurgiu Fortress

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Muntenia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/muntenia) › [Giurgiu County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/giurgiu) › [Giurgiu](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/giurgiu)

> The ruins of a medieval fortress on a former island in the Danube, with thick stone walls and paths around the old enclosure.

**At a glance:** Fortresses and fortifications in Giurgiu, Giurgiu County. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 11 November 2026.

## Key facts

- **Visit duration:** 30 min — ruins and information panels
- **With kids:** Yes — ruins and uneven ground
- **Address:** West of Șoseaua Portului, beside the Sfântul Gheorghe branch, Giurgiu, Giurgiu County
- **Coordinates:** 43.88357, 25.96191
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cetatea_Giurgiu
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18538883
- **Categories:** [Fortresses and fortifications](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/fortresses-and-fortifications)

## About Giurgiu Fortress

West of Șoseaua Portului, on the left bank of the Sfântul Gheorghe branch, stand the ruins of Giurgiu Fortress. The stronghold originally occupied an island, and the surrounding water formed part of its defences. Embankment works changed the landscape, so you can now reach the ruins overland from the town.

The fortress was built in several stages, beginning in the 14th century. Mircea the Elder incorporated it into the defences of Wallachia's Danube frontier. Over the following centuries it repeatedly changed hands between the Ottomans and the rulers of Wallachia, undergoing repairs and extensions. After the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829 it lost its military role.

### What you can see

Low walls and taller fragments of stonework reveal the outline of the fortress. In places you can distinguish the outer blocks and the rubble core of the walls. Paths around the ruins and panels showing reconstructions help explain the stages of its development. Landscaping and access improvements were completed in 2024, and an open-air amphitheatre stands beside the site.

## Don't miss

- The thick stone walls of the fortress on the former island.
- Sections of masonry showing the outer blocks and rubble core.
- Panels with reconstructions of the fortress in different periods.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** from central Bucharest, take the DN5 towards Giurgiu, then follow signs for the port and Șoseaua Portului. The journey is about 66 km and takes around an hour and a quarter, depending on traffic.

**Public transport:** coaches and minibuses run between Bucharest and Giurgiu. Check the arrival stop and timetable with the operator before you leave. From Giurgiu railway station, the fortress is about 1.6 km away, around 20 minutes on foot.

### Rules

Keep to the visitor paths and avoid climbing on the walls. Supervise children near the ruins and changes in ground level.

### Facilities

Footpaths · information panels with reconstructions of the fortress

## Details

- **Construction period:** 14th–19th centuries
- **State of preservation:** ruins

## Frequently asked questions about Giurgiu Fortress

**How long does a visit to Giurgiu Fortress take?**

A visit to Giurgiu Fortress takes about 30 min (ruins and information panels).

**Can you visit Giurgiu Fortress with kids?**

Yes, Giurgiu Fortress is suitable for children (ruins and uneven ground).

**How do I get to Giurgiu Fortress?**

Giurgiu Fortress is located at West of Șoseaua Portului, beside the Sfântul Gheorghe branch, Giurgiu, Giurgiu County. More under “Getting there”.

## Nearby attractions

- [Giurgiu Clock Tower](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/giurgiu-clock-tower) — Monuments and historic sites · Giurgiu, GR · Free · 15 min · 1 km
  An 18th-century Ottoman watchtower, 22 m high and slightly leaning, in the middle of Piața Unirii: the symbol of Giurgiu and of the county's coat of arms.
- [Neajlov Delta](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/neajlov-delta) — National parks and reserves · Comana, GR · 5 lei · 2½ – 3 hours · 45 km
  The roughly 1,200 ha Neajlov marsh in Comana Natural Park, with channels, reed beds and waterbirds, less than an hour from Bucharest; seen by small boat, rowing boat or kayak.
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  A fortified lowland monastery founded by Vlad the Impaler in 1461 and rebuilt by Radu Șerban in 1588, with thick walls, a Brâncoveanu-style loggia and the church of St Nicholas, on the edge of the Comana marsh.
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- [Cathedral of Saint Alexander in Alexandria](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cathedral-of-saint-alexander-in-alexandria) — Churches · Alexandria, TR · Free · 30 min · 67 km
  The cathedral of the Diocese of Alexandria and Teleorman, built between 1869 and 1898 in the town centre: a three-towered brick church painted in 1898 by Ștefan Luchian and Constantin Artachino, and a listed historic monument.
- [Negoiești Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/negoiesti-monastery) — Monasteries · Negoești, CL · 45 min · 75 km
  A foundation of 1648–1649 by Matei Basarab and Lady Elina on the bank of the Argeș: a three-towered church with 19th-century frescoes, restored with EU funds and reconsecrated in 2016.

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Last updated: 11 November 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania