Fortress of Deva
History
After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, it was acquired by Péter Perényi and, in 1529, by King John I of Hungary (John Zápolya), who gifted it as a wedding present to his wife, Queen Isabella. In November 1550, Turkish vanguard troops led by Pasha Kasim were stopped near the fortress by János Török of Enying, the ispán of Hunyad County.
Throughout the 16th century, ownership of the fortress shifted multiple times—passing from King Ferdinand to Queen Isabella once more, and later to Kristóf Báthory and Ferenc Geszthy, both of whom reinforced its defenses. The round bastion on the southern side was built during the reign of Prince George I Rákóczi.
In 1657, the Ottoman Grand Vizier captured the fortress and handed it over to his ally, Prince Michael I Apafi. During the Rákóczi War of Independence, the fortress fell into the hands of the kuruc forces, but was later recaptured by Imperial General András Csáky. As its military importance declined, it was eventually auctioned off.
In 1817, Emperor Francis I of Austria visited the region and was so impressed by the fortress and its surroundings that he ordered its reconstruction. During the Hungarian War of Independence in 1848–49, the German garrison surrendered it to the Hungarian revolutionaries. General Bem used it as an ammunition depot until it mysteriously exploded. It was here that Bem ultimately surrendered to Austrian forces.
Style
Between 1717 and 1719, Deva Fortress was transformed into a Vauban-style fortification by General Steinville, the then military commander of Transylvania. The most distinctive features of this design are the star-shaped bastions, which reduced blind spots and provided better firing positions for defenders.Famous residents
Deva Fortress is most widely known through the Hungarian ballad of Kőműves Kelemen (Clement the Mason), a tragic legend tied to its construction. The fortress also served as a prison, where Ferenc Dávid, the first Unitarian bishop of Transylvania, was imprisoned and died. Additionally, Mária Széchy, the infamous “Venus of Murány,” is said to have once sought refuge here from her second husband.Present day
After standing in ruins for a long time, the fortress underwent a nearly eight-year-long restoration process—sometimes partially or fully closed to visitors. Today, it has been transformed into one of the region’s cultural landmarks and, since 2016, is open to the public year-round. It can be reached by three hiking trails or by a cable car, which offers a scenic ride to the top.
