In the Roman era, Apulum (Alba Iulia nowadays) was the most important urban center in the East of the Roman Empire. The traces of the Roman castrum from Apulum, archaeologically researched and touristically highlighted, are part of the „European Cultural Route of the Roman emperors and wine along the Danube”.

Based on the results of archaeological research so far, in Alba Iulia are capitalized several objectives of the Roman era.

What will discover the tourist who chooses to "follow" the traces of the Roman emperors and arrives in Alba Iulia, the former Apulum?

The most visible trace of the Apulum Castrum is the gate on the southern side named Porta principalis dextra. It is the only one of the four gates of the rectangular castrum that was preserved until nowadays.

In order to offer the Romanian and foreign visitors a more coherent image of the Gate, the restoration team recomposed with a special elegance a wall, combining stone blocks from almost two millennia ago with new stone blocks, which are easy to identify due to their whiter color. In other words, a palpable testimony of 13th Gemina Legion `s settlement in Apulum, the only legion that stationed in Dacia during the entire Roman occupation, was brought in front of the interested visitors.

If you are wondering how did the roads that crossed the ancient Apulum look like, we can tell you that in Alba Iulia a segment of Via Principalis is preserved. It was the road that connected the main gates of the castrum, the southern and the northern ones. Via Principalis was passing in front of the „Principia” of the Roman castrum from Apulum, the headquarters of the command of the 13th Gemina Legion.

The Principia Museum is the place where a part of the Principia building of the Roman castrum from Apulum is touristically highlighted. Here was the headquarters of the command of the 13th Gemina Legion, the only legion that stationed the only legion that stationed on the territory of Dacia during the entire Roman occupation. The museum is one of the places where you can discover the story of the castrum built by the Romans in Apulum.

The interior area preserves in situ important traces of the Principia. Visitors can see the rooms where the treasure and the banners were kept, or the place where the officers and soldiers of the Legion were trained. Also, the original pavement of some rooms, or the hypocaustum, the well-known heating system of the Romans, placed in the inside of the building, are highlighted.

The traces of the Roman castrum from Apulum, archaeologically researched and touristically highlighted, are part of the „European Cultural Route of the Roman emperors and wine along the Danube”.