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In 1849, just before the Central European Revolution defeat, after the general Bem retreat and then occupation, the fortress was blown apart by a powerful blast in the storehouse filled with explosives (12 August). Since then, the ruins are silent and now a historical monument. Accessed by foot, on winding alleys up to the top of the hill the ruins can be visited and also a rewarding panorama of the surrounding valley delights the visitors. Another important historic monument is the Franciscan Monastery (also known as the Bulgarian Monastery) built in the XVII-XVIII c. DEVA's oldest standing building, the Magna Curia (Bethlen Castle) was built in XVI c. and transformed in the XVII-XVIII c. and houses today the Museum of the Dacian and Roman Civilisations. Other listed buildings are: Parva Curia (XVIII c. today the Teachers' House-Casa Corpului Didactic), Franciscan monastery's church and claustrum (XVIII c.), The Old Church Tower (1700, in the Orthodox Cemetery). The city was first transformed in the XIX c. and new administrative and urban buildings added, such as, The Administrative Palace (Prefecture, 1890), Regina Maria Girls School, S,coala Normalã (Teachers' College), Liceul Decebal, Casina Românã (today the Military Club, 1872), the Synagogue (1896), Bulevard Hotel (today hotel and private University), Orient Hotel (today the ASAR group srl), Banca de Investit,ii (today the Territorial Centre for Economics, 1906), Banca Dacia (today the Romanian National Bank, 1907), Reformed Church (1908 on a previous foundation), City's Theatre (today Teatru de Estradã - Music Hall Theatre, 1911). Some or part of the streets managed to survive the demolition and modernisation programmes, and keep some of their original fin-de siècle buildings, such as Piat,a Unirii, Andrei S,aguna street, Octavian Goga street, Bul. 1 Decembrie 1918, 8 Martie street, Gheorghe Barit,iu street, making up what is loosely called today the historical city centre. DEVA hosts around the second week of January each year, the colourful Cãlus,erul Transilvan Festival very similar inn style to the Morris dancers, where dancing ensembles from Southern Transylvania and Wallachia perform intricate dances and rituals originally devised to ensure a plentiful harvest and dispel the spirits of departed friends and relatives- Rusalii, according to Romanian folklore. The only cure to these spirits taking possession of the living soul, should any taboos associated with the Whitsun week be transgressed, was an exorcism performed by the Cãlus,ari -translated as the (horse) riders, led by a vãtaf (leader) who knew the secrets of magic charms. often passed from father to son. The rite was also intended to promote fertility, and in the old days the male dancers were accompanied by a mute who muttered lewd invocations. Today it shows very colourful traditional folk costumes and acrobatic dances. |
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| Several important sites are situated around DEVA, the Bejan Forest natural reserve, unique in Europe for its variety of rare species of oak tree and flowering plants. The Simeria Arboretum, 6 miles from Deva, on the banks of Mures river has over 70 hectares of woodland and grassland, 250 years old, with rare species of trees and flowering plants from China, Japan and North America, together with some rare local species. Another important landmark is Mintia (the ancient municipium and castrum Micia ) , a Roman port on the Mures river, now with an archeological open site, rich in artifacts and also a coal-fired power station. | ||||||
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The origins of the name DEVA are still unclear:- first documented in Latin as Deva , since XII century, the name is believed by most of historians to be of Dacian (Thracian) origin from DAVA= citadel, fortified place (cf. Piroboridava, Singidava, Dacian places near today's Deva). It appears on XVI - XVII c. maps as Dewan or Deua. Another likely possibility is the Roman connection with the 2nd Legion (II Augusta) transferred from Britannia, from Castrum Deva, today's Chester in the UK. A Celtic connection was also suggested, as Celts were present all over Central and Eastern Europe. There was a Deva in the pre-Roman Gallia (Plinius, Ptolemy) and there are few places named Deva in Asturias, Oviedo, of Celt-Iberian extraction. The other rather unlikely connection, is Slavic from Djevoika=maiden. Another suggested connection is through Sanskrit with the ancient Deva(s). Recent research (Nikolaos Trunte, In Quadam Civitate, Quae Lingua Gentis Illius Dowina Dicitur, Versuch eine Neulokalisierung, Zeitschrift fuer slavische Philologie, 2002) suggests the (Slavic) name Dowina. |
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Other places named Deva in:
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 Hunedoara County |
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Hunedoara county is situated in the centre-west Romania in the historic province of Transylvania bordering the provinces of Banat and Lesser Wallachia, and has an area of 2,712 sq mi (7,025 sq km) (see maps of the Hunedoara county and the interactive map of Hunedoara county). Hunedoara county (Comitatus Huniadensis, Hunyad megye/kreiss) was created from a larger and older Alba county in the XIII c. (cca. 1276) and contained initially 9 parishes mainly east of Mures river and along the Strei valley, growing gradually to its present area, around the 14-15c. Crossed from East to West by the mid Mures, river course, the county is guarded by the Western Transylvanian Alps (Apuseni Mountains) in the North, Orãs,tiei and S,urianu mountains in the South-East, the Retezat Mountains, then Godeanu, Vâlcan and Parâng Mountains in the South and the Poiana Ruscãi Mountains in the South-West. Tributaries to Mures, river, the Strei, Cerna, Dobra rivers, create a fertile valley. Hunedoara county is also crossed by the Râul Mare (Big River), Cris,ul Alb (White Crish), and Jiu rivers and has two large plateaux, the Hatzeg Land (T,ara Hat,egului) and Zarand Land (T,ara Zarandului). The fertile river valleys and the rich hills and mountains made possible a very intense life pulsating since ancient times. Historical evidence, particularly rich and old, begins with traces of human habitation since early Palaeolithic times to the second half of the Iron age. This was the cradle of the Dacian (Thracian tribes) civilisation with a complex of fortresses high up in the Orãstiei Mountains, Piatra Rosie and Bãnita, the Roman conquest and the Daco-Roman civilisation. During the reign of King Decebalus , the capital of the kingdom was located at Sarmizegetusa Regia , today the ruins near Grãdis,te. After the Daco-Roman wars and the Roman conquest (105-106 AD) the capital moved to Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, in the Hatzeg Land (T,ara Hat,egului). Pre-state formations emerged during the 1st millennium at Deva, Strei, Dobra, Hunedoara. At the beginning of the XIII c. Hunedoara became an independent county (Hunod, Hunyad) at the border between the Principality of Transylvania and the Banat province. Among historical personalities born in the Hunedoara county one can mention, John Huniady (Ioannus Corvinus, Iancu de Hunedoara, cca 1387-1456) Prince (Voevode) of Transylvania, Count of Temes, Ban of Severin, and father of King Mathias I Corvinus of Hungary (Matei Corvin), then Nicolaus Olahus (1493-1568) a mediaeval humanist scholar, Ioan Budai Deleanu a representative of the Transylvanian Scholastic Movement (S,coala Ardeleanã), the great inventor and flight engineer Aurel Vlaicu, pioneer of modern aviation and many others. The area is rich in minerals such as, iron ores, polymetalliferous sulphides, then gold and silver ore from the Western Transylvanian Alps have been worked since Roman times, and the Romans used the natural thermal waters from the spas of Geoagiu, Cãlan and Vat,a de Sus. Non-ferrous ores are also abundant in the Brad area, known as Metalliferous Mountains. Iron ore and coal extraction from Poiana Ruscãi Mountains and Jiu Valley mirrored the English Industrial Revolution, Hunedoara county was one of the first European regions where cast iron and later on, steel were industrially produced since the XIV-XV centuries. Hunedoara county has five main cities (municipia), Deva , Hunedoara, Petros,ani, Orãs,tie and Brad, nine medium towns (Cãlan, Hat,eg, Ilia, Simeria, Vulcan, Petrila, Lupeni, Uricani and Aninoasa), 56 parishes and 458 villages and a total population of 485,712 (2002 est.). With a vast tourist potential, Hunedoara county offers a variety of attractions, a historical rich culture with a variety of sites of great natural beauty. The Retezat National Park is located in the Retezat Mountains , a natural reserve area exceeding 275 sq mi (700 sq km.), with over 60 peaks over 7,500 feet (2,300 m), more than 80 glaciary lakes (the Bucura Lake is the largest with over 11 ha), also rare and endangered alpine flora and fauna species, complemented by breathtaking scenery. © Copyright, Dr Radu Rautiu, 1996-2006 |
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Hunedoara Castle (Castelul Hunedoara) one of the most important examples of Gothic architecture in Central and Eastern Europe, was built sometimes before 1409 and later extended by John Huniady (1387-1456, Iancu de Hunedoara, Ioannus Corvinus, Huniady János), Prince (Voevode) of Transylvania and by his son, King Matthew Corvinus (Matei Corvin, Mathhias Rex, 1443-1490) in the XV century and by Count Gabriel Bethlen (Gabriel Bethlen Von Iktár, 1580-1629) in XVII century. The castle, beautifully preserved, was built in a gothic style with baroque and renaissance influences. The interior of the castle has halls with arms and artifacts and sometimes special presentations and "son et lumière" shows are organised here. The castle is situated in Hunedoara (Eisenmarkt, Hunyad Vajda), by the Zlas,ti river, in the Cerna valley and guarded by the Poiana Ruscãi Mountains. Mentioned since XII century as a hub for leather tanning , wool processing and clothing industry, Hunedoara became one of the main iron extraction and processing centres in Transylvania. Iron ores were extracted in the area since Dacian and later, in Roman times. During the XIV and XV centuries the iron foundries and works were famous for their swords and spears. The first tall industrial furnace for iron extraction was built in Toplit,a in 1750, and a later one in Govãjdia in 1806. Narrow gauge railways and suspended transporters for coal and extracted iron ore were built in the XVIII and XIX century and the Iron Works extended further. Around Hunedoara and into the mountains there is a famous area known as Tara Pãdurenilor or the Woodlanders Country, with breathtaking scenery and beautifully preserved costumes and folklore. © Copyright, Dr Radu Rautiu, 1996-2006 |
Decebalus Page |
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Decebalus was the last king of the Dacians. His name is allegedly translated as "The Braveheart". He led the Dacians side in the two Roman military campaigns (101-102 A.D. and 105-106 A.D.). Successful in the first campaign, he was nevertheless defeated in the second campaign but never caught alive, he preferred to take his own life.
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HUNEDOARA, judet (county), western Romania, occupying an area of 2,708 sq mi (7,016 sq km). The Transylvanian Alps (Southern Carpathians) and the Western Carpathians rise above settlement areas in the valleys. The Mures River and its tributaries drain the county southwestward. Deva is the county capital. Roman and Dacian archaeological remains were discovered in several towns, including Deva, Orastie, Mintia, and Gradestea de Munte. Archaeological finds, dating from the Middle Neolithic Age (3500-2600 BC), were found in Turdas. Gurasada, Sântãmaria, and Strei are known for their 14th-century churches. Metallurgical industries operate in Deva, Cãlan, Hunedoara, and Sântuhalm. Copper, andesite, iron, and coal mines are worked in the county. The Ghelar and Teliuc iron mines have been operated since the Roman occupation. Chemicals and building materials are produced in Sântuhalu. Agricultural activities in the county include livestock raising and fruit and cereal cultivation. A bamboo grove is situated near Mintia, and an arboretum containing deer and aurochs (European bison), was established in the 18th century near Simeria. Silvas Forest and the national park of Retezat are other nature reserves. The Petrosani Basin contains karst formations. Deva, Hunedoara, and Orãstie are highway and railway centres. Pop. (1982 est.) 543,643. Pop. (1999 est.) HUNEDOARA , city, Hunedoara judet (county), west-central Romania, in the eastern foothills of the iron-ore-bearing Poiana Ruscãi Mountains, 185 miles (300 km) northwest of Bucharest. The ore deposits at nearby Ghelari and Teliuc were known in Roman times. Hunedoara Castle, west of the city, was completed by Matthias I Corvinus in 1453 on the ruins of a 13th-century predecessor. The first major development of
the iron- and steelworks did not take place until 1884. After
World War II, their expansion and modernization included blast
furnaces, open-hearth furnaces, electric ore furnaces, coking
and chemical works, a sintering plant, rolling mills, and related
facilities. The city has become a major metallurgical production
centre. Pop. (1982 est.) 86,871. Pop. (1999 est.) |
| DEVA , city, capital of Hunedoara judet (county), west-central Romania, on the banks of the Mures River, at an elevation of 590 feet (180 m). The town is dominated by Citadel Hill (1,217 feet), shaped like a truncated cone, which affords a commanding view of the Mures valley. Atop the hill are the ruins of a citadel, built in the 13th century at the time of the Mongol invasions. The city grew in the protective shadow of the citadel during the 13th and 14th centuries, but an explosion of an arsenal in the early 19th century destroyed the structure. At the foot of the hill rises Bethlen Castle, also known as Magna Curia, built in 1621; it now houses the regional museum. Deva has little industry, but there is some food processing, and nearby are small copper and andesite mines. Pop. (1982 est.) 72,362. Pop. (1999 est. 80,000). |
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DACIA, in antiquity, the area of the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania, in present north-central and western Romania. The Dacian people had earlier occupied lands south of the Danube and north of the mountains, and the Roman province eventually included wider territories both to the north and east. The Dacians were agricultural and also worked their rich mines of silver, iron, and gold. They first appeared in the Athenian slave market in the 4th century BC; subsequently they traded with the Greeks (importing especially wine) and used Greek coins. They spoke a Thracian dialect but were influenced culturally by the neighbouring Scythians and by the Celtic invaders of the 4th century BC. The Dacians engaged Roman troops in 112, 109, and 75 BC. In about 60-50 BC King Burebista unified and extended the kingdom, which, however, split into four parts after his death. During the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus (ruled 27 BC-ad 14) and again in AD 69 the Dacians raided the Roman province of Moesia but were beaten back. The Dacian Wars (ad 85-89) under the emperor Domitian resulted in their recognition of Roman overlordship. The Romans under Trajan reopened hostilities in AD 101 and by 106 subdued the whole country. A large part of the population was either exterminated or driven northward. The Romans seized an enormous amount of wealth (the Dacian Wars were commemorated on Trajan's Column in Rome) and immediately exploited the Dacian mines. Roman influence was broadened by the construction of important roads, and Sarmizegethusa and Tsierna (Orsova) were made colonies. The new province was divided under Hadrian: Dacia Superior corresponded roughly to Transylvania and Dacia Inferior to the region of Wallachia. In AD 159 Antoninus Pius redivided
the region into three provinces, the Tres Daciae (Dacia Porolissensis,
Dacia Apulensis, and Dacia Malvensis), all subordinate to one
governor of consular rank. Marcus Aurelius made the provinces
a single military region in about AD 168. The limits of Roman
territory were probably never clearly defined, but the Romans
benefitted both militarily and materially from the occupation. DECEBALUS, (d. 106), king of the Dacians, a people who lived in the territory known presently as Romania. Decebalus unified the various Dacian tribes into one nation and led them in wars against the Roman emperors Domitian and Trajan. When Decebalus came to power in 85, he immediately organized an army and attacked the Roman province of Moesia (southeastern Balkans), killing its governor. In 86 or 87 Decebalus annihilated a Roman army under Cornelius Fuscus, but he was severely defeated by Tettius Julianus in 88. Fortunately for Decebalus, a pretender rebelled against Domitian and the German tribes in the West chose this moment to revolt against Rome. The new danger caused Domitian to come to terms quickly with Decebalus (89) and to provide the Dacians with a subsidy and loan of engineers in exchange for recognition of Roman overlordship. In 101 Trajan led an invasion of Dacia (First Dacian War). The capital of Sarmizegethusa (in modern Romania) was captured, and Decebalus was forced in 102 to accept Roman occupation garrisons. In 105 Decebalus defeated the occupation forces and invaded Moesia (Second Dacian War). But, after Trajan seized Sarmizegethusa a second time (106), the defeated king committed suicide, and in 107 Dacia became a Roman province. |
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DEVA (from Wikipedia, Free Encyclopaedia) is a Romanian city situated on the left bank of the middle course of the Murse river. The name Deva is considered to come from the ancient Dacian word 'dava'meaning fortress (eg Pelendava, Piroboridava, Zargidava, etc). Other theories trace back the name to the Roman legion II Augusta, transferred around Deva, from Castrum Deva, now Chester in Britain. On medieval maps, Deva (Diemrich or Schlossburg in German and Déva in Hungarian) appears as Deva or Dewan. Documentary evidence of the town's existence first appeared in 1269 AD. Under Voevode (Duke) John Huniady (Iancu de Hunedoara or Ioan Corvinul in Romanian, Ioannus Corvinus in Latin, János Huniady in Hungarian), Deva becomes an important military and administrative centre. Partially destroyed by the Turks in 1550, it was afterward rebuilt and the fortress extended. In 1621, Prince Gabriel Bethlen transformed and extended the Magna Curia Palace (also known as the Bethlen Castle) in Renaissance style. Today, Deva is the capital of Hunedoara County, with almost 100,000 inhabitants, inlcuidng the subordinated villages. Mining, food, civil engineering and power industries are present here. Also, a private University of Ecology and Tourism was established here in 1990, and the academic centres of Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca have opened branches in the city. Deva is dominated by Citadel Hill, a protected nature reserve because of its rare floral species and the presence of the horned adder. Perched on the top of the hill are the ruins of the Citadel built in the thirteen century. |
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© Copyright, Dr Radu Rautiu, 1996-2006.
Updated April 2006.
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