Dinogeția is a Roman and Byzantine fortress, located 4 kilometers upstream from the village of Garvăn, on a former small island, called “Bisericuta” by the locals.
As a result of the archaeological research carried out in the area, a large part of the citadel could be revealed and its evolution was outlined. According to historical sources, it seems that the Roman fortification, which was the headquarters of some military units, was built in the area of a Daco – Getic settlement, from which it took its name: Dinogeția.
The citadel was rebuilt during the Domination period, thus consisting of a trapezoidal enclosure, with 14 towers, as well as a main gate and two secondary gates, covering an area of 1.2 hectares.
Destroyed and abandoned at the end of the 6th century, as a result of Avar – Slavic attacks, the fortress resumed its defensive function for another two centuries, in the time of Ioannes Tzimiskes (after 971). During that period, the premises were repaired and some constructions and dwellings were erected, the most important of which was the small church in the middle of the city, which functioned in the 11th – 12th centuries.
The settlement benefited from a dominant natural position, with visibility to the left bank, from Barboşi-Galaţi to Aliobrix and, being surrounded by water (the gorges and ponds that the Danube forms to the right of the bend in front of the city of Galaţi), it also had the advantage of a natural defense.
The ruins of the fortress have been reported since the first half of the 19th century, and the first systematic archaeological excavations began in 1939, at the initiative of the National Museum of Antiquities, and continue today.
From the citadel existing in the 6th century, the enclosure wall is preserved, 3 meters thick, guarded by 14 towers, and in the enclosure there are the ruins of a basilica, some roads, as well as agricultural and household tools, which indicate the military role of cities.
The road to the Dinogeţia fortress is accessible for any type of car and is made at the exit from Garvăn township, Jijila commune.
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