Cricău
commune in Alba County, Romania
Cricău (Hungarian: Boroskrakkó; German: Krakau) is a commune located in the central part of Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. It has a population of 1,879 as of 2021 and is composed of three villages: Craiva (Királypataka), Cricău, and Tibru (Tibor).
The commune is situated on the Transylvanian Plateau, 11 km (6.8 mi) west of Teiuș, and 15 km (9.3 mi) north of the county seat, Alba Iulia. The river Cricău flows through the commune.
History
Ancient times
The Dacian fortress on top of Piatra Craivii is believed by many archaeologists to be the location of Apulon.
Apulon was an important Dacian political, economic and social center, the capital of the Apuli tribe.
It was first mentioned by the Ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy in his Geographia, under the name Apulon. It is also depicted in the Tabula Peutingeriana as an important city named Apula, at the cross road of two main routes: one coming from Blandiana, the other from Acidava. The two roads merge at Apula, with the next stop on the route being Brucla.
The Latin name of Apulum is derived from Apulon.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Cricău” as commune in Alba County, Romania. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the places & architecture register because the source frames it as commune in Alba County, Romania. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15997439. Authority coordinates are 46.183, 23.567. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2021.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cricău”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cricău primary sources, Cricău archive and Cricău research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cricău”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cricău” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.