After doing some research online (and trying to avoid dirt roads as much as possible), I decided to visit what seems like the most complete and representative location of the Dacian Fortresses, Sarmizegetusa Regia (a mouthful!).

The ancient Sarmizegetusa Regia, at an average altitude of 1,000 metres, is situated in Gradistea de Munte and the most straightforward way it can be reached is via the now fully paved main road DJ 705 A (still quite narrow and not ideal in very rainy conditions due to the risk of landslides) which ends at a small parking area and an 800 metre slightly uphill pedestrian road to the ticket office.

Sarmizegetusa Regia is truly the core of the Dacian fortification system in the Orastie Mountains and played a very important role as suggested by the sheer amount and size of the remains. Three main different areas with different functions have been identified: the fortress, the sacred zone and the civilian settlements. Starting from the first century BC, the terrain on this side of the Muncelu Mountains has suffered drastic changes, having as a result hundreds of man-made terraces surrounding mainly the temple area. The highly complex organisation of the territory, the various types of monumental architecture and the large number of inhabitants, stand in favour of Sarmizegetusa Regia as an important urban centre and the largest human settlement in the Dacian area. Its location as a capital of the kingdom was probably chosen for strategic, political, economic and spiritual reasons. The fortification system surrounding the capital in the first century BC was not built as a reply to the pressures exerted by the Roman Empire but as a political reflection of the local power structures, influenced by the Hellenistic backgrounds from the west shore of the Black Sea.

After buying your ticket at the ticket office, you'll be able to visit the remains of the Western, Southern and Eastern Gates, and the quite impressive preserved paved road, of the fortress area (where there is also a small UNESCO sign just next to the office). The 200 metre paved road, which used to be a ceremonial one, leads to a vantage point over the small and large limestone temples in the sacred zone. From there you head downhill towards a square paved with limestone slabs, a channel used for water drainage made of limestone elements and a spring which was used as a water source. The grassy area is frequently mowed as a precaution as much as possible to keep snakes away and to avoid overgrowth. A steep stairway leads down the main terrace of the sacred zone to the pentagonal tower where there is a secondary entrance via Godeanu.

The highlights of this site are the andesite altar, the large circular temple and the small circular temple, made up of several pilasters and stones. There are also the remains of five quadrilateral temples. From the ancient sanctuaries only the limestone and andesite plinths are left, which supported the wooden or stone pillars as well as the limestone and andesite pilasters, settling the boundaries of the sacred zone of the temples. The andesite altar, probably used for sacrificial purposes, had astronomic significance and uses. All these stone elements left from the Dacian temple structures, which were systematically destroyed by the Romans, still offer a very good overview of the site to the visitor when compared to certain Roman fortification WHS locations especially from the different vantage points around the sacred zone of Sarmizegetusa Regia.

A good pointer is that there is a good large accomodation option (with good food and wifi too) just before the uphill road to the parking area. It seems large enough to risk as a walk-in, even in summer, so it can be a useful base if you arrive late or if you want to explore the other locations as well.