„White Faces” or „White Girls”? Where did that name come from? The romanian word „feţe” means “faces” and the word “fete” means „girls”, the diference is a small comma below the letter „t”. The legend says that when the Roman troops moved to Sarmizegetusa, not long before reaching the capital, they were attacked by white-skinned warriors like snow, of a rare beauty.
In the vicinity of Sarmizegetusa, separated by a narrow valley, the White Valley, on the hill of Muncel, there is an ensemble with five terraces, the White Faces.
Here were identified through excavations, constructive structures consisting of supporting walls made in the usual Dacian manner. On these terraces, the dwelling vestiges are quite different. In one case, three levels of habitation were identified, of which the oldest one seems to be dated at the end of the second century B.C. On one of the terraces was discovered a circular sanctuary of the same type as Sarmizegetusa. Other residential complexes as well as household facilities, probably barns, have also been discovered.
Have the priestesses of Goddess of the Moon lived here?
Starting from your hotel in Transylvania, head to Sarmizegetusa Regia. At a distance of about 2 km from the hydroelectric power station near the citadel, a pointer on the left side directs us to the path through the forest leading to the White Faces. The steep hike takes about 30 minutes.
