Hunedoara

Hunedoara is the second biggest city in Hunedoara County, after Deva.

Understand

The city is in the Cerna Valley near the Poiana Ruscă Mountains within the Carpathian Mountains. It is most known because of the Corvinestilor Castle (Hunyad Castle) in the city. Besides the Romanian population, there are ethnic Hungarians and Germans living in Hunedoara. A Roma population also thrives in a small village near the city, called Hăşdat. The city has many green gardens, and old trees flank the streets. The castle has been turned into a museum, following reconstruction. Cincis Lake, with tourist facilities, is 15 km from the city.

During the 20th century, Hunedoara's population grew to 86,000 inhabitants. The city used to have the second largest steel works in Romania, but it has closed down. However, the economy of the city is benefiting from new investment.

Get in

By train

The closest railway station is in Simeria (~13 km north), with connections to Arad, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Bucharest. However, Deva is more convenient, because it has a direct bus connection with Hunedoara. Buses leave about every 20 minutes on weekdays and cost 12 lei. If you do get off in Simeria, you can take a taxi to Hunedoara. Make sure to negotiate beforehand, expect 30-35 lei, but not more than 50 lei. (updated July 2021)

By bus

Hunedoara Bus Station is close to the railway station. For more information phone at +40 254712320.

The bus from Deva leaves from the bus station (directly next to the railway station) every 20 minutes. The price is 12 Lei, paid directly to the driver.

By car

If you want to come from Arad to Hunedoara, you must take E 68, and after you pass by Deva, you make right on the DJ 687 Road.

If you come from Bucharest you must take A 1(E 81) to Pitesti, Ramnicu Valcea, Sibiu and then take E 68 to Sebes, Orastie, Simeria and then turn left on DJ 687 before you reach Deva.

If you come from Craiova you must take E 79 to Tg.Jiu, Petrosani, Hateg and then turn left on DJ 687 before reaching Calan.

Get around

The city centre is relatively small with everything within walking distance. One can take also a taxi:

• Taxi-Avanti, ☏ +40 254 744222. 
• Cris-Taxi, ☏ +40 254 747777. 
• Turbo-Taxi, ☏ +40 254 744444. 
• Mobyl-Taxi, ☏ +40 254 711999. 
• Taxi-Rural, ☏ +40 254 714444. 

Parking

• 1 Castle Parking (Parcare Castelul Corvinilor). upfront payment. (updated Jul 2024)

See

Hunyad Castle

• 1 Hunyad Castle (Corvin Castle), Str. Curtea Corvinestilor nr. 1-3, ☏ +40 254711423. M 12:00-17:00; Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. Hunyad Castle is believed to be the place where Vlad III of Wallachia (commonly known as Vlad the Impaler) was held prisoner for 7 years after he was deposed in 1462. The castle is a relic of the Hunyadi dynasty. In the 14th century, the castle was given to John Hunyadi Serb, or Sorb by Sigismund King of Hungary as severance. The castle was restored between 1446 and 1453 by his grandson John Hunyadi. It was built mainly in Gothic style, but has Renaissance architectural elements. It features tall and strong defense towers, an interior yard and a drawbridge. Built over the site of an older fortification and on a rock above the small river Zlasti, the castle is a large and imposing building with tall and diversely colored roofs, towers and myriad windows and balconies adorned with stone carvings. As one of the most important properties of John Hunyadi, the castle was transformed during his reign. It became a sumptuous home, not only a strategically enforced point. With the passing of the years, the masters of the castle had modified its look, adding towers, halls and guest rooms. The gallery and the keep - the last defense tower (called Ne boisa = Do not be afraid), which remained unchanged from Iancu de Hunedoara's time, and the Capistrano Tower (named after the Franciscan monk from the castle court) are some of the most significant parts of the construction. Other significant parts of the building are the Knights' Hall (a great reception hall), the Club Tower, the White bastion, which served as a food storage room, and the Diet Hall, on whose walls medallions are painted (among them there are the portraits of Matei Basarab, ruler from Wallachia, and Vasile Lupu, ruler of Moldavia). In the wing of the castle called the Mantle, a painting can be seen which portrays the legend of the raven from which the name of the descendants of John Hunyadi, Corvinus came. In the castle yard, near the chapel built also during Vlad The Third's ruling, is a well 30 meters deep. The legend says that this fountain was dug by twelve Turkish prisoners to whom liberty was promised if they reached water. After 15 years they completed the well, but their captors did not keep their promise. It is said that the inscription on a wall of the well means "you have water, but not soul". Specialists, however, have translated the inscription as "he who wrote this inscription is Hasan, who lives as slave of the giaours, in the fortress near the church". Adults Nov-Feb 25 lei, Mar Apr Sep Oct 30 lei, May-Aug 35 lei; students 7 lei; pensioners 17 lei; photo permit 5 lei; video permit 15 lei; foreign language guide 65 lei. (updated Jul 2021)

• 2 Hunedoara Zoo (Grădina Zoologică), Str. Carol Davila, ☏ +40 254 712 866. Here you can see Siberian tigers, Carpathian bears, wolves, ponies, deer, foxes. 
• 3 St. Nicholas Church (Biserica Sfântul Nicolae), Aleea Ciocârliei. It was founded in Hunedoara by king of Hungary Matthew Corvin and although it was built only in 1458, is older than any of the churches founded by Stephen the Great. Carved wooden iconostasis of the church is the oldest in Romania, and two of the icons that adorn the iconostasis, are among the oldest in the country, each dating from the 15th century.  

Do

• Bowling. Hunedoara has one of Europe's most modern bowling alleys. It hosted the 2002 Bowling World Cup. 
• Swim. 10:00-22:00. Two indoor swimming pools: one with a length of 25 m and a depth of 1.9 m for adults and another for children with a length of 15 m and depth of 1 m. 
• 1 Beerbike, str. Ghe Lazar nr. 2, ☏ +40 354 738015, volan@beerbike.ro. 18:00-21:30. Visit the city in a funny way. 

Buy

• Kaufland, Str. Avram Iancu, nr. 9a, ☏ +40 372 091901. 

Eat

• Restaurant Ciuperca, Str. Carol Davila. 
• Restaurant Colosseum, Str. Nicolae Bălcescu, nr.2, ☏ +40 254 718100. 
• 1 Restaurant Rustic, Str Libertatii Nr 4, ☏ +40 254 713424. 
• Restaurant Caro Cristur (Pensiunea Caro), DN 68B, Cristur, ☏ +40 254 236 010. Here they might set out some little hor d'oeuvres plates of ham and cheese and things. 

Drink

• Bar Diesel (Pub Retro), Str. Gheorghe Lazar, Nr. 2, ☏ +40 354 738 015. 16:00-02:00. 

Sleep

• Hotel Rusca 3*, B-dul Dacia nr. 10, ☏ +40 254 717575. It's like a big superstructure looking over the city, so you shouldn't have trouble missing it, plus it has little pasties and things for breakfast. 
• Krystal Boutique Mansion, Str.Pestisu Mare nr.48H, ☏ +40 752 161 184. Krystal Hotel is in Hunedoara entry from Deva and has 17 rooms spread on 3 floors all equipped with the most modern facilities. The rooms are each equipped with bathroom, air conditioning, minibar, cable TV (47 channels) - LCD, free internet access, office. The hotel also benefits from a parking with approx. 20 spaces, a bar/ restaurant, and a terrace and outdoor pool. 206 leu. 
• Hotel Maier 3*, Bd. Republicii 1A, ☏ +40 354 417130. Features a restaurant known as the Pizza Maier on the premises. 

Nearby

• 4 Cinciș Dam (15 km south of Hunedoara on the 687D road to Toplița). On the site of the village with the same name. In 1962 the people from the village were relocated on a hill and the water of the dam covered the village with the cemetery and two churches. The lake has an area of 867 ha.  

• 5 Furnace of Govăjdia (Furnalul de la Govăjdia) (17 km southwest of Hunedoara). It was the second industrial blast furnace in the world used for the extraction of iron. It was built in 1806. The first was built close to Hunedoara, in Toplița (1750). Both ovens can be visited today. It was the most modern melting furnace of iron ore in Europe of that time. Metal works from the iron melted here are standing today at the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was the first furnace in the world with a continuous production process. Until its appearance, the technological process of producing iron supposed to stop for some periods of time for loading and unloading furnaces.It was the first furnace in which the two operations could be performed simultaneously. The furnace worked until the end of the 19th century when there were iron plants in Hunedoara. The old furnace was declared a monument of industrial architecture.  
• 6 Poiana Ruscă Mountains. Vast and easily accessible by foot or by car, the mountains are inhabited by an ancient population of Romanians, called pǎdureni (woodlanders). They have retained their culture and a sense of identity, and hold a number of festivals annually. The Romans mined marble in the quarry nearby.  

Go next

• Călan, 11 km east
• Deva, 15 km north
• Simeria, 18 km northeast
• Hațeg, 20 km south
• Orăștie, 33 km northeast
• Retezat National Park, 40 km south
• Geoagiu, 40 km northeast
• Alba Iulia, 80 km northeast