Costești-Blidaru Dacian fortress, Dacian fortress ruins in Orăștioara de Sus, Romania.
The Costești-Blidaru fortress is an ancient fortified stronghold positioned on a mountain summit at approximately 750 meters elevation. The complex includes defensive walls, watchtowers, and fortified structures built using traditional Dacian stone construction techniques.
The site was built in the 1st century BC during King Burebista's rule as a defensive bulwark against Roman military advances. It served as a key stronghold within a network of fortifications designed to protect Dacian lands from invasion.
The fortress represents how the Dacian people built strongholds deep in mountain territory to protect their settlement areas. Walking through the site, you can see how communities organized their defenses using the natural landscape to their advantage.
The hike to the fortress starts from Costești village and follows marked mountain trails leading uphill to the ruins. Wear proper hiking boots and bring water, as the ascent is steep and there is limited shade along the path.
The walls use a distinctive construction method called murus dacicus, where parallel stone blocks are bonded by wooden beams filled with river rocks and earth. This technique made the structures flexible enough to withstand earthquakes, which was remarkable engineering for its time.
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