Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa
Sarmizegetusa, Hunedoara County · Transylvania
About Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa
Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa was the first Roman city in Dacia and the capital of the province. It was founded soon after the conquest of 106, between 108 and 110, by the governor Decimus Terentius Scaurianus in the name of the emperor Trajan, and was given the rank of colony, settled largely with veterans. Under Alexander Severus it became a "metropolis", and the assembly of the three Dacias met here. Home to probably 20,000–30,000 people, the city faded after the Roman administration withdrew in 271.
Do not confuse it with Sarmizegetusa Regia, the capital of Decebal's Dacian kingdom: that is a mountain fortress, at over 1,000 m above sea level in the Orăștie Mountains, some 40 km away, and it has its own page on this site. Ulpia Traiana, by contrast, lies on the plain, in the Hațeg Depression, at 531 m, and is a Roman city with walls, a forum, temples and an amphitheatre. The two share only a name, which the Romans took over from the defeated capital.
The city walls enclosed a rectangle of some 33 ha, about 600 by 500 m, and outside them stretched dozens more hectares of houses, temples and cemeteries. Most of the city has not yet been excavated. The site and the museum belong to the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilisation in Deva.
What you can see
The most imposing monument is the amphitheatre, outside the walls: an ellipse of 88 × 69 m that held some 5,000 spectators. It was restored with European funds and reopened to the public in the summer of 2025, and the project received the National Restoration Triennial Prize the same year. You can see the arena with its central channel, the spot where the mechanism for special effects (the "pegma") stood, and the rows of seating, some with inscriptions on the seats reserved for notables.
Inside the city lie the ruins of the forum, with the courtyard in front of the basilica, the tribunalia on its two sides, the curia and the city's treasury chambers, next to which stood a few shops. Other buildings have also been conserved and laid out, including the temples in the sacred area beside the amphitheatre (among them those of Aesculapius and Hygieia) and a large temple near the walls. The archaeological museum, founded in 1924, keeps the finds from the site: inscriptions, sculpture, pieces of military equipment, mosaic and objects of bronze, bone, pottery, glass and coins.
Good to know
The site is in the open, almost without shade: bring water and a hat in summer. The site and the museum are closed on Mondays. Under the "Attractive Romania" programme (PNRR) a new building with museum spaces and an information point is planned at the entrance, along with the rehabilitation of the forum entrance, so the layout of the entrance area and access to some parts of the forum may change; phone before you go.
Information verified on 12 October 2026.
- The restored amphitheatre, 88 × 69 m, with its arena, central channel and seating for about 5,000 spectators.
- The city's forum, with the tribunalia, the curia and the treasury chambers, the centre of public life in the provincial capital.
- The temples in the sacred area beside the amphitheatre, including those of the healing gods Aesculapius and Hygieia.
- The archaeological museum, open since 1924, with inscriptions, sculpture, mosaic and everyday objects from the Roman city.
- The panorama of the Hațeg Country, with the Retezat Mountains on the horizon, over the ruins of the city.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Sarmizegetusa is on the DN68, about 17 km from Hațeg (~20 minutes), about 54 km from Caransebeș and about 57 km from Deva (~1 hour 10 minutes). From Petroșani it is ~63 km.
Public transport: there is no confirmed connection to the site; the safest option is a car or a taxi from Hațeg.
- Fees & discounts
Adults 30 lei; pupils, students and seniors 10 lei; people with moderate or mild disabilities 10 lei. Free for children under 7, people with severe or marked disabilities and their companions, war veterans and invalids, and holders of the Euro 26 card on the 26th of each month. Entry is also free on Open Doors Day, on 1 June and on 16 November (UNESCO World Heritage Day). The single ticket for all the Deva museum's sites (valid for 7 days) costs 150 lei for adults and 50 lei for children. A guided tour for a group of up to 30 people costs 100 lei in Romanian and 150 lei in English. The official tariff also provides a photography fee, 15 lei for individuals; ask at the ticket office whether it applies.
- Rules
Do not climb on the ruins or take stones or pottery fragments from the site. Fires, camping and interfering with markers and panels are forbidden. Drones and professional filming need permission and a fee. Dogs must be kept on a lead. Groups can request a guide before the visit.
- Facilities
Archaeological museum · information panels on the site · guided tours on request
Frequently asked questions about Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa
- How much is a ticket to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa?
- A ticket to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa costs 30 lei (pupils, seniors 10 lei). Adults 30 lei; pupils, students and seniors 10 lei; people with moderate or mild disabilities 10 lei. Free for children under 7, people with severe or marked disabilities and their companions, war veterans and invalids, and holders of the Euro 26 card on the 26th of each month. Entry is also free on Open Doors Day, on 1 June and on 16 November (UNESCO World Heritage Day). The single ticket for all the Deva museum's sites (valid for 7 days) costs 150 lei for adults and 50 lei for children. A guided tour for a group of up to 30 people costs 100 lei in Romanian and 150 lei in English. The official tariff also provides a photography fee, 15 lei for individuals; ask at the ticket office whether it applies.
- What are the opening hours of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa?
- Opening hours at Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa: Monday closed, Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 – 18:00. Summer hours, valid from 1 August 2026: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–18:00, the ticket office closes at 17:30; closed on Mondays. Winter hours: Tuesday–Sunday 09:00–17:00, the ticket office closes at 16:30. The archaeological museum and the monuments on the site keep the same hours. The date of the switch to winter hours is not stated, so phone to check.
- How long does a visit to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa take?
- A visit to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa takes about 1½ – 2 hours (the amphitheatre, the forum and the museum).
- Can you visit Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa with kids?
- Yes, Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa is suitable for children (open space, low ruins).
- How do I get to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa?
- Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa is located at Sarmizegetusa no. 1, on the DN68, Sarmizegetusa, Hunedoara County. By car: Sarmizegetusa is on the DN68, about 17 km from Hațeg (~20 minutes), about 54 km from Caransebeș and about 57 km from Deva (~1 hour 10 minutes). From Petroșani it is ~63 km. Public transport: there is no confirmed connection to the site; the safest option is a car or a taxi from Hațeg.
- When is the best time to visit Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa?
- The best season for Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa: All year round (all year, nicest in summer).
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