ABSTRACT
The latest trends in cultural tourism in Europe focus on putting to good use the existing potential of certain regions, making them sustainable. In Arad County, Romania, most archaeological remains are settled in rural areas, but are not commonly known, not advertised and have no proper monument protection. Their preservation can develop cultural tourism, enhance local economy, increase awareness towards architectural heritage and ensure the preservation of local tradition and culture. The present study focuses on one less known, but well-preserved site in the village Galşa-Şiria. Our multidisciplinary team proposes a multiple stage process, intended to protect and highlight the ruin through environmental-friendly interventions and to create a complex visiting centre, integrated in the already known, but poorly promoted tourist itinerary: The Wine Path. The project emphasizes the architectural and archaeological remains within their context in Arad County, as resources for the development of sustainable rural tourism in the region.
