Deta (Detta, Detta, Дета) – Timiș County
On the edge of DN 59B, between Banloc and Deta in Timiș County, a defensive tower catches the eyes of passers-by. The Cula of Deta, or the Cula of Banloc — an unusual, intriguing monument now on the verge of collapse.
The Cula of Deta was built in the 19th century
It is said that during the Ottoman occupation (1552–1716), the pasha of Timișoara had his summer residence at Banloc. A tower may already have stood on the estate once owned by the Drašković family, but the truth of this is doubtful. What is certain is that the current tower, built in eclectic-romantic style around 1850, guarded the estate sold in 1783 to the Karátsonyi family. Like other watchtowers in the Western Plain, the Cula of Deta was built so that guards could spot the enemy’s approach from afar. It is worth noting that the term „cula,” specific to Banat, comes from the Turkish „kule,” meaning „tower.”
The 1991 earthquake devastated the Cula of Deta
Nicknamed „The Guard’s House” by locals, the Cula of Deta long watched over the entrance to the Karátsonyi estate, which later became the Royal Banloc Domain. Here stands a majestic castle — a story for another article. With the coming of the communists; however, the watchtower, located about 50 km from Timișoara, was abandoned. After the Revolution, nature sealed its fate. On July 12, 1991, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake — the strongest in Banat’s history — struck the Banloc area, the Cula of Deta was badly damaged. Huge cracks split the tower’s walls, the access stairs disappeared, and large sections of the crenellated terrace roof collapsed.
The Monuments’ Ambulance helped the Cula of Deta. When will the authorities?
In January 2020, the Monuments’ Ambulance carried out an emergency intervention at the Cula of Deta, building a wooden structure to protect the tower from water infiltration. „This temporary covering is meant to prolong the life of the tower until the authorities find the resources to restore and repurpose it,” the volunteers explained. Sadly, both the funds and the goodwill of the authorities are still missing to this day.
By Transylvania in Ruins‘s August 2025 visit, the structure built by the Monuments’ Ambulance was no longer on the roof, and the area around the tower was once again overgrown. The finalized feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Cula of Deta, commissioned by the local authorities of Banloc back in 2013, is still publicly available. Yet none of those plans have been put into practice.
The Cula of Ciacova was saved. When will it be Deta’s turn?
Less than 20 km from Deta, in the town of Ciacova (Csák, Tschakowa, Чаковo), a similar defensive tower now greets visitors in renewed „clothes.” The Cula of Ciacova, built toward the end of the 14th century by the noble Csák family — from which the town itself takes its name — is the only surviving fragment of the former royal fortress mentioned in the days of King Béla IV of Hungary.
Although it has absolutely no historical link to the Eyalet of Temeşvar, the medieval donjon has remained known in local speech as the „Turkish kula.” Following the restoration works carried out between 2020–2023, the tower — akin to the Cheresig Donjon — reopened its gates to visitors. If Ciacova managed to reenter the local and national tourist circuit, why couldn’t Deta and Banloc do the same…?
Dacă ar fi fost în străinătate, Cula de la Deta era de mult un obiectiv turistic din care localnicii își câștigau o pâine. La noi, din păcate, este doar o ruină vandalizată, aflată într-o stare avansată de degradare. În loc să atragă vizitatori cu sutele, autoritățile continuă să ignore complet acest monument inedit din regiunea Banatului.