Impregnable beauty of Alba Iulia

  1. The morning begins in ancient Alba Iulia, since the elusive bus travels here for 2½ hours, the trains even longer, and one still has to look around.
  2. Another 1988 remake in honour of the same Michael the Brave, who was proclaimed governor of Transylvania here in 1599.
  3. Natural economy.
  4. Obelisk in honour of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan, heroes of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1784.
  5. The second gate of the Alba Carolina Citadel (they are actually numbered).
  6. Mother Nature stands over the polluted city (half hidden by trees). Air-purifying eco-mural by Laurenţiu Alexandrescu aka Irlo.
  7. Nature takes its toll.
  8. Exhibition of paintings near the Cultural Centre of Augustin Bena (composer, conductor, priest and teacher).
  9. Lutheran Church and furniture factory.
  10. The bunny won’t ride just anything.
  11. Be like the bunny.
  12. A bridge over a ditch near the outer fortress wall.
  13. An intricate system of locks in the inner gallery of the outer wall.
  14. Between the walls there’s now quite a vast and landscaped space. Japanese garden, for example.
  15. The inner wall was crumbling a little to make the tree more comfortable.
  16. Music studio of a Romanian folk group in the inner wall. I told them about the Nights of Fourvière, they promised to dare.
  17. A proud giraffe near a discreet restaurant inside the citadel (almost the only one, since they’re mostly on the walls and in new blocks).
  18. Correctly turned Buddhists.
  19. Alert kitty.
  20. Orthodox Cathedral of St. Trinity, built in 1922 specifically for the coronation of Marie and Ferdinand.
  21. Outside view. Part of the outer wall (I’m standing on it), bridges over the ditch, inner wall and two cathedrals behind it.
  22. Gate locking mechanism. It looks impressive and sometimes even works.
  23. St. Michael’s Cathedral of the 13th century, the oldest Catholic church in the country. The bronze sentry on the right guards the gate.
  24. Catholic education lessons near the cathedral.
  25. Buy flowers, good Sirs! The lively and varied bronze figures of Ștefan Bințințan are the hallmark of Alba Iulia.
  26. The Bell of Bințințan commemorates the Great Union of 1918, when Hungarian Transylvania became part of the Romanian Kingdom.
  27. Another Bințințan’ sentry (they’re watching all the main gates), also with a bitten bayonet.
  28. The third (first in beauty) gate of the fortress. Famous for the night illumination, the guard shift and Horea’s cell, where he waited to be wheeled.
  29. Upon completion of the expensive work, Charles VI was told that all these walls were no obstacle to new cannons. “At least let it be beautiful!”
  30. Let it be beautiful.