Romania seeks EU funding to protect and restore Ancient Dacian fortress Sarmizegetusa Regia

The Dacian fortress Sarmizegetusa Regia could get an EU financing boost as the County Council of Hunedoara is in the process of applying for non-reimbursable funding for the more than 2,000 year-old archeological site in the Orastie mountains, according to the local press. The president of Hunedoara County Council, Mircea Ioan Molot, said the first job is to introduce security to stop thefts from archaeological site. The local council is also seeking European funding in 2014 to carry out restoration work at the site, for which a project has already been outlined. The plans also include an access road to the fortress because the existing track is in poor condition. The fortress Sarmizegetusa was the most important military, religious and political center of the ancient Dacians. The fortress, which was on top of a 1,200 meter high mountain, was the core of the strategic system in the Orastie Mountains, which compromised six citadels. The Roman emperor Trajan conquered the Dacians and their king, Decebal, after two wars, from 101 -102AD and 105 - 106AD. Trajan's victory over the Dacians is commemorated on Trajan's column, still standing in Rome. Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com