Salaj

Before Rome planted Porolissum in 106 AD, a Dacian tribal union controlled the Crasna-Barcau corridor—30 villages, 15 citadels, and 23 silver treasure hoards weighing 13 kilograms, all guarding the salt trade routes into Transylvania. The Romans saw strategic value: Porolissum became the capital of Dacia Porolissensis, the empire's northernmost Danubian frontier. By 2024, this archaeological complex earned UNESCO World Heritage status as part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire - Dacia. The Latin silva ('forest') gives Salaj its name—Land of Silvania—and forests still blanket the transit zone between Western and Eastern Carpathians. Today's economy runs on services (57% of employment), but Roman ruins and the Jibou Botanical Garden anchor a growing heritage tourism sector.