Turda

The city was founded by Dacians under the name Patavissa  or Potaissa (most frequently confirmed). It was conquered by the Romans, between AD 101 and 106, during the rule of Trajan, together with parts of Decebal's Dacia.
The name Potaissa is first recorded on a Roman milliarium discovered in 1758 in the nearby Aiton commune

Middle Ages

After the Hungarian conquest, the Turda salt mines were first mentioned in 1075. They were closed in 1932 but have recently been reopened for tourism.
Saxons settled in the area in the 11th century. The town was destroyed during the Tartar invasion in 1241-1242. Andrew III of Hungary gave royal privileges to the settlement. These privileges were later confirmed by the Angevins of Hungary.
The Hungarian Diet was held here in 1467, by Matthias Corvinus. Later, in the 16th century, Turda was often the residence of the Transylvanian Diet, too. The 1558 Diet of Turda declared free practice of both the Catholic and Lutheran religions. In 1563 the Diet also accepted the Calvinist religion, and in 1568 it extended freedom to all religions, declaring that "It is not allowed to anybody to intimidate anybody with captivity or expelling for his religion" – a freedom unusual in medieval Europe. This Edict of Turda is the first attempt at legislating general religious freedom in Christian Europe (though its legal effectiveness was limited).
In 1609 Gabriel Báthori granted new privileges to Turda. These were confirmed later by Gabriel Bethlen. In the battle of Turda, Ahmed Pasha defeated George II Rákóczi in 1659.

 Modern times

In 1944, the Battle of Turda took place here, between German and Hungarian forces on one side and Soviet and Romanian forces on the other. It was the largest battle fought in Transylvania during World War II.

Turda Salt Mine(photographs)

Two photographs of the Turda's Salt Mine. They could be used as postcards as well.

Michael the Brave's grave

Michael the Brave was the Prince of Wallachia (1593–1601), of Transylvania (1599–1600), and of Moldavia (1600), the three Romanian principalities being joined under his reign for a short period of time.
During his reign, which coincided with the Long War, these three principalities forming the territory of present-day Romania and Republic of Moldova were ruled for the first time by a single Romanian leader, though the union lasted for less than six months. He is regarded as one of Romania's greatest national heroes.

His rule began in the autumn of 1593, and two years later the war with the Ottomans started, a conflict in which the Prince fought the Battle of Călugăreni, considered one of the most important battles of his reign. Although the Wallachians emerged victorious from the battle, Michael was forced to retreat with his troops and wait for aid from his allies (prince Sigismund Báthory of Transylvania, Emperor Rudolf II of Austria). The war continued until a peace finally emerged in January 1597, but this only lasted for a year and a half. Peace was again reached in late 1599, when Michael was unable to continue the war due to lack of support from his allies.

In 1599 Michael won the Battle of Şelimbăr and soon entered Alba Iulia, becoming the Prince of Transylvania. A few months later, Michael's troops invaded Moldavia and reached its capital, Suceava. The Moldavian leader Ieremia Movilă fled to Poland and Michael was declared Prince of Moldavia. Michael kept the control of all three provinces less than a year. The nobles of Transylvania rose against him along with, to a lesser extent, some boyars from Moldavia and Wallachia. Therefore, Michael allied with the Austrian General Giorgio Basta, defeated an uprising of the Hungarian nobility at Gurăslău in Transylvania. Immediately after this, Basta ordered the assassination of Michael, which took place on 9 August 1601.