Háromtorony castle (Cetatea Tricule, or the Tricule Fortress) is in Romania, four kilometres southeast of the village of Szinice (Svinita). This medieval structure is on the left side of the Danube River near Orsova, and it was once the southernmost Hungarian castle on the Lower Danube. The castle was built sometime between the 13. century and the 15. century, and it got partially submerged during the construction of the Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station in 1971. Location: https://tinyurl.com/4zhuj9x7
Now, the lower part of the Háromtorony (in English: “Three Towers”) fortress ruins on the banks of the Danube sometimes falls below the river level, depending on the water level. They are being washed away by the Danube, and the south-east tower is completely submerged. The towers are arranged in a triangular formation, with one tower positioned at the apex—perched on a rocky outcrop along the Danube—while the other two towers stand approximately 40 meters away, on a slope that rises steeply from the river level.
The defensive crenellated towers, built with mortared stone masonry, feature well-constructed walls. Bricks are visible in the masonry, which—based on their size—are likely reused Roman bricks, indicating possible repurposing of ancient materials. The apex tower dominates the riverside, suggesting its role in controlling Danube traffic. The two lower towers reinforce the defensive line on the slope.
There must have been a Roman predecessor structure (watchtower or fortlet). This present layout and construction technique reflect a deliberate defensive design, blending medieval military architecture with possible ancient Roman remnants. Presently, the towers rise 10 and 11 metres above the water. The Danube side of one of them has fallen into the river. It fell victim to reckless treasure hunters who weakened its resistance in their search for treasure.
It is highly probable that even in Roman and early medieval times (11th–13th centuries), there was a riverside watch post at the site of the Three Towers, controlling river traffic. The medieval castle consists of three rectangular towers. The lower tower of Háromtorony must have been about 21 metres high, depending on the current water level. The walls of the towers were about 1.4 metres thick and had three storeys.
Some authors attribute the completion of the Háromtorony to the second half of the 16th century and credit Ban Petrovics Péter with its construction. However, according to the most recent archaeological research (1970), the excavator Corvátescu Alexandru believes that the fortified tower was built sometime between the second half of the 13th century and the beginning of the 15th century. Based on the available data, he was unable to determine the exact construction period of the towers more precisely.
Dating their construction relies on assumptions and only a few textual references. One document from 1419, issued by King Zsigmond (Sigismund) of Luxembourg, informs us that the defense of Szenice Castle was entrusted by the Hungarian king to the Teutonic Knights.
Written sources from the 1430s mention the castle of Szinice in the context of defensive measures against the Ottomans in the territory of the Banate of Szörény (Severin). However, contrary to the opinion of some scholars, Corvátescu argues that it cannot be identified with the Háromtorony.
A charter praises the service of several local nobles—Mihai de Ciorna, son of Bala Stoian de Ciorna, Mujina, Sandru de Densu, and Nicolea de Bizerea—in defending the Banate of Szörény against the Ottomans. In this context, it also mentions the actions of Hunyadi János, who was elected Ban of Szörény in 1439 and organized the defense of the following fortresses: Szörény (Severin), Gureni, Orsova, Mehádia, and Peci.
As Corvátescu notes, regardless of whether the Háromtorony served as an outpost of Szinice or functioned as an independent fortress, it is a fact that by the early 15th century, it was integrated into the southern Banat defense system as a strategic point in the fight against the Ottomans.
Archaeologically and architecturally, these towers predate the 16th century, as they already existed in the first half of the 15th century and were likely built between the second half of the 13th century and the first half of the 15th century, possibly even in the 14th century. However, other scholars—such as Engel Pál—identify the Háromtorony with the castle of Szinice (Szenice), and this remains the more widely accepted view today. According to Engel, this Danube frontier fortress was probably built after 1419.
Thus, while Corvátescu’s research suggests an earlier construction period, Engel’s interpretation aligns the Háromtorony with Szinice Castle and places its construction in the early 15th century, likely in connection with Hungary’s anti-Ottoman defensive system under King Zsigmond and Hunyadi János.
Between 1429 and 1435, the fortress belonged to the Teutonic Knights, and in 1437, it became part of the honorary estates of Frank Tallóci, Ban of Szörény. Another document from 1443 lists Szenice Castle among the fortresses defended by Bánát’s kenézek (local Vlach/Romanian noble leaders).
After the fall of Nándorfehérvár (Belgrade, 1521), the castle eventually came under Ottoman control. In the 18th century, it became part of the Habsburg-organized Serbian Military Frontier (Militärgrenze). Later, until the Treaty of Trianon (1920), it belonged to Krassó-Szörény County. In the early modern period, during the 18th century, the Háromtorony served as a guard post for the Romanian border regiment along the Szenice (Szinice) – Berszászka – Drankó border section.
In 1970, a rescue excavation was carried out at the Three Towers Fortress. In Trench No. 1 and Excavation Area “A”, archaeologists uncovered a rather thick (15 cm) layer of mortar, identified as the construction layer of the tower. Beneath this mortar layer, they found Roman pottery as well as early medieval pottery from the 11th–13th centuries. These two ceramic types could not be stratigraphically separated, as they had largely been mixed due to erosion from the steep slope.
Among the pottery above the construction layer, typologically 13th–14th century ceramics predominated. Additionally, two hearths were identified—one of which was stratigraphically linked to the 13th–14th century pottery and was likely used by the builders of the tower.
Notable finds from the excavation include:
- Three Roman bricks stamped with “DRP DIERNA”, discovered in Tower No. 3.
- A Byzantine coin (of the nskyffierte type) issued during the reign of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (1143–1180).
- A spearhead, likely from the medieval period.
- A lead bar, possibly a raw ingot used for casting.
These artifacts reveal a rich, multi-layered history at the site:
- The “DRP DIERNA” bricks suggest ties to the Roman military supply system, possibly indicating earlier Roman infrastructure.
- The Byzantine coin and hearths point to medieval activity, potentially linked to the fortress’s construction or occupation in the 13th–14th centuries.
- Together, they underscore continuous use across Roman, Byzantine, and Hungarian periods, highlighting the site’s strategic importance over centuries.
After the Turks were driven out of Hungary, the castle became part of a customs station, which was put into service here after the peace treaty of 1792. Kiss Lajos wrote the next in the Geographical Bulletins in 1885:
“The first tower, with a covered wooden balcony, rises on a bluff overhanging the water, the other two on the higher part of the bank. Háromtorony / Trikule lies at latitude 44° 29′ N. Here is the southernmost point of the Danube in our country, which also marks the lowest end of Hungary proper (without Croatia).”
If we investigate further, it turns out that it was not the Danube that flooded, but the sediment that settled in the re-injected water. The two remaining towers are in the waves, and this medieval fortress, built to protect the Danube crossing, will probably also fall victim to erosion from the Romanian-Serbian energy production in the foreseeable future.
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Here are more pictures of Háromtorony Castle:
