Dacian Fortress of Căpâlna

Situated at the top of a steep hill, the Dacian fortress of Căpâlna was built in the second half of the 1st century BC as a military defense, guarding the entrance from the Sebeș Valley to the capital of the Dacian kingdom, Sarmizegetusa Regia [1]. Archeological findings include ceramics, iron and bronze tools, silver and bronze jewellery and Roman coins from the Republican and Imperial periods [1]. The fortress was witness to Dacian - Roman battles during Trajan's Dacian Wars [1]. In the first war, the fort was occupied by the Romans [1]. Ultimately, it was burnt and destroyed by the Romans around 106 AD [1]. The fortress is encircled by an elliptical wall (c. 270 m long) [1]. The fort follows the architectural principles of the Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains; the wall being the typical murus Dacicus [1]. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 [1].