Alba Carolina Fortress

Info

The fortress is located in the city of Alba Iulia, Alba County.

Daily at 12:00, you can witness the change of the guards.

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 09:00-23:00.

Entrance fee: No.

There are fees at some of the museums inside the fortress.

If you are a history buff, you can get a specialized tour guide to give you a thorough tour of the fortress.

Discover

Expanding over 120 ha, the Alba Carolina Fortress astonishes with its size and its state of preservation. Any trip here would be like a real journey back in time.

The Vauban construction began in 1715 and it was built to hold off the Ottoman Empire.

The star shaped fortress has seven bastions which still bear their original names: Trinity, Eugeniu of Savoy, Saint Stephen, Saint Michael, Saint Carol, Saint Capistrano and Saint Elisabeth. You can discover its various buildings and historical monuments by renting an electric minibus or by following several routes like Route of the Three Fortifications, Heroes Route, Northern Route or The Gates Route.

Inside the citadel you can also visit: the artillery platform, with three functional cannon balls to be admired at work every Saturday at 12:00; the Gun Hall, dungeon, torture chamber, Orthodox Cathedral (The Coronation Cathedral), the Roman Catholic Cathedral St. Michael, the Apor Palace, The Princely Palace and the National Union Museum.

The citadel is hosting many international and national festivals of theatre, film, music and entertaining.

Did you know?

Alba Carolina Fortress is the biggest and most well preserved Vauban citadel in Europe.

Conservation facts

After its recent restoration the fortress simply came back to life and the Middle Age atmosphere was revived within its walls, thus leading to an increase in the number of tourists. The fortress received the TripAdvisor Excellence Certificate in 2015 and again in 2016.

Weather


Monday
14°C

Tuesday
14°C

Wednesday
18°C
Activities