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THE CITADEL’S SQUARE
DRUMMER’S SQUARE
October 23, 2017
VELICAN HOUSE
October 23, 2017THE CITADEL’S SQUARE
Located in the middle of the citadel and being the location for numerous events in Alba Iulia, this area had a special importance in the ancient past of our city. Here was the headquarters of the 13th Legion Gemina, the building being named „Principia”. Since in the middle ages a significant part of this area was not overlapped by other constructions, and then, in the 19th and 20th century it was transformed into a park, the Roman archaeological level was not affected. It was a happy and extremely rare situation that ancient remains of a maximum importance were preserved intact in the middle of the city. Parts of these vestiges, discovered in 2011, were made visible inside the „Principia Museum”, located in the northern side of the square. Other discoveries, like the walls of different Roman military buildings, were marked on the pavement by means of white pavement tiles.
Beyond the „Principia Museum”, into the north, the „December 1st University” is located, a new university, established in 1991, which became the most important education institution in Alba County. In the north-eastern corner, in the building now belonging to the Sapper Battalion, in the 17th century, the „Bethlen” Academic College (named after the prince Gabriel Bethlen, its founder) used to function, the first such education institution into the Romanian territory. Further on, on the eastern side, the square is limited by the old Barracks of the „Franz Joseph” Pioneers Unit (transformed in „Carol I” Barracks Building after 1918), on the southern side by „Jericho” Building and, on the western side, by the Union Hall, the place where, on December 1st, 1918, the union of Transylvania with Romania was decided.
A gallery of busts of some political personalities of the time, who were more or less involved in the union process, is exhibited in the vicinity of the Union Hall, and it continues on the oppositre side of the building. Towards the middle of the square there are two monuments: the one in the east, dating from 1900 is the so-called „Custozza” monument and, the one in the opposite side is named „Losenau”, erected in 1860. Towards the southern side there are other monuments, in stone or in bronze, placed here in contemporaneity: a bell that refers to the Union in 1918 (the artist allowed himself a license, by replacing in the quote of the Resolution/Proclamation of the Union the words „Hungarian Country”, referring to „Partium” or the western part of Transylvania, with „Romanian Country”); different personalities from the 19th and 20th centuries inspire the area; and a four sided pyramid that presents on each side the projects developed in the recent years for the rehabilitation of the citadel.
Scientific consultant: Tudor Roșu, PhD historian
Translation made by: Ciprian Dobra, PR expert
It is the place in the heart of the Citadel where thousands of people of every age meet every year in order to enjoy concerts full of rhythm. Here, artists from Romania and abroad demonstrate that music is best to be heard in the Citadel Square. If you come here for a concert or simply stop for socializing or to take pictures, you must know that this area had a special importance since the Roman times. As an argument, we can tell you that here was the headquarters of the 13th Legion Gemina, the only legion that remained in Dacia for the entire period of Roman domination. The traces of the „Principia” are visible inside the Roman Museum with the same name, located on the northern side of the square. The inner part of the museum preserves in situ important parts of the 1800-year-old building.
On the same northern side, one can see the „December 1st, 1918” University established in 1991. The central building of the university is one of the grandiose edifices inside the citadel, built at the end of the 1800s, in a neoclassic architecture. The building next to it (the so called B-wing of the University) has inherited the patrimony of the Jesuit College.
In the Northeastern corner of the square we have the building where in the 17th century functioned the Academic College „Bethlen”, the first such institution in the Romanian area. Nowadays it is a military building. On the eastern side, the square is limited by the former „Franz Josef” Pioneer Barracks.
The building on the southern side is called „Jericho”. The stone and bronze monuments on this side are of recent date. The area is „animated” by characters from the border of the 19th and 20th centuries. The four sided pyramid helps us make a visual incursion of the rehabilitation stages of the Alba Carolina Citadel.
The square is limited on the west by one of the most important buildings in Romania, the Union Hall. It is the place where, on December 1st, 1918, the union of Transylvania with Romania was concluded.
The central part of the square is dominated by two monuments. The one on the east is shaped like an obelisk and reminds us of the battle in Custozza, in 1866, during the military conflict between Italy and Austria for the possession of Venice. The Austrian 50th Infantry Regiment from Alba Iulia participated in that battle. The monument on the west, shaped as pyramid tower was erected to honor Ludwig von Lossenau. He was the military commander who lead the Austrian troops against the Hungarian ones in the battle from Simeria, February 9th, 1849. In that battle, the commander was severely wounded and died a few days after.
The Citadel Square has ever been a place of strolling and entertainment for both locals and visitors.
