Alba Iulia

A couple of days ago I saw an amazing place: the citadel of a place called Alba Iulia (White Julia). When I first looked at a map it looked like a small village, but I couldn't have been more wrong. It turned out to be one of the grandest places imaginable - and especially its core which was a huge fortress dating back to perhaps the 17th century in its recent reincarnation and back to Roman times at its archaeological base. It's grand in all dimensions as my pictures show, so let's have a stroll around it. By the way, it seems that this modern version of the city was constructed by the Hungarians who then 'owned' Transylvania.

This eastern orthodox cathedral was having a long (3-4 hour) service when we arrived, with much chanting and choral singing. The elderly men and women outside were clearly in a state of immense metion. Religion seems to have a large hold on rural Romania.

One of the monumental gates to the citadel.

It was crowded with metal sculptures like the kids shown here. There was even a scene where a professor was lecturing two children and a dog!

The inside of the Catholic cathedral.

The dude who first united Romania - it only lasted a couple of weeks!

Even the man-hole covers were impressive!!

Me and George with a dame. He lectured at UNE for a while and is now at Curtin University.

The University of Alba Iulia has many of its buildings in the citadel.

This fractured bell symbolises the reunification of Romania in the 20th century.

Roman foundations.

Another fancy gate.

Military barracks.

Archaeological works on the Roman Forum.

And a quiet street to end with!

AS