"Castles and Fortresses in Transylvania: Alba County //
Castele si cetati din Transilvania: jude]ul Alba" (ISBN 978-973-0-06141-3)
Liviu Stoica, Gheorghe Stoica, Gabriela Popa

If we were to use our mind's eyes and see history personified in a celestial entity flying softly, at times tossing in tumultuous whirls, in an uninterrupted breath as if from Paradise connecting future to past, we would realize that in its perpetual passing, it rested for longer periods on the ancient land of Transylvania. The castles and fortresses built here represent genuine treasures and are a living proof that this land was blessed, becoming almost a fascinating attraction for the people who settled in these places, lived on them and defended them. The centuries-old magic that has reached us like a bright light from medieval times, documents, as well as archeological sites, has also enveloped us, the authors of the pages of this book.

After systematic documentation in libraries and then travelling more than 2,000 km in Alba county, we present from the perspective of an architect, a historian and a philologist a real universe made up of 25 fortresses and castles, historical monuments along the touristic routes grouped on geographical criteria. Know, Cherish, Preserve! This is the triad that guided us in our searches and efforts, every so often made more difficult by the scarcity of historical sources, by the state of dilapidation of several fortifications or by their 'sky-high' positioning, in 'nests of vultures'.

This volume continues the series of castles and fortresses that started with those in Cluj county, which we have already introduced to the reader, and is meant to be a guide for people who love history, culture, but also trekking, nature, geography. We have the conviction that we have written a book that is brimming with life, in which the meticulously chosen photographs represent the screen onto which is projected historical information, together with architectural and touristic descriptions.

The main aim of the pages bound between these covers is to present to the public in general the fortified settlements from a county that belongs to the Transylvanian space - Alba. The old age, historical and architectural value of the edifices described here are strong reasons for this true heritage to be popularized, respected, preserved and even rebuilt. Beyond the cold walls, the hard-to-decipher inscriptions or the low doorposts, we can try to recreate in our mind, as different as they were from those of today, the aspirations, skills, behaviour and reasoning of the people who built them.

We dedicate this book to our Angela, for her beauty, dignity, sacrifice, and courage.

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