Placed at the foothills of the Lotru Mountains where the Olt River enters the Turnu Roşu pass, the commune of Boiţa distinguishes through its delightful surroundings.
They say that at the beginning there used to be a Dacian settlement here named “Budava” near which the Romans built a castrum and influenced the lives of the Dacians nearby. In time, the settlement developed and turned into a village of free people and hardworking merchants.
Nevertheless, the locals did not have a peaceful life. Due to its strategic position between the mountains and at the entrance to Transylvania Boiţa has always been a region of battles and attacks. They say that the dreaded Vlad Ţepeş himself passed through Boiţa in 1457 in an expedition against the Saxons from Sibiu.
In the 19th century the trade developed and the Austrians used the Olt River to transport iron, cloths, linens and also military goods.
The geographic position of the settlement draws the attention of any visitor. The Romanians were the first to build an access road here; around 1700 the Austrians modernised this road on Oltului Valley. There still are visible traces of it 2 km south of Boiţa.
In the Turnu Roşu Pass, 3 km south of Boiţa, there is a cold water spring bringing fresh water from the mountains. Its name is the Emperor’s Fountain and it was built in 1852 in honour of the visit made by Emperor Franz Joseph to the region.
Not far from the commune, on a hill dominating the entire valley, lies the Turnu Roşu Fortress (Castle). It was built in the 14th century to defend the entry to Transylvania. The medieval fortified construction is made up of a central Romanesque tower coloured in red - to symbolise the blood of the enemies spilled here. Along the centuries, the fortress constantly changed its function: from a military point to a customs point, to an espionage centre against the Turkish armies and even to a judgment centre. It now hosts an asylum for the elderly.
Did you know...?
In 1926 the locals from Boiţa sold a beech forest to electrify the village?
The Broken Tower from the south of the commune was built as an observation point in the 15th centur. Nevertheless, the elderly say that this tower was build long before that by a giant who would sit at its gates and collect money from the passers-by.