In 1711–1712, Deva was settled by a group of Roman Catholic Bulgarian merchant refugees from the unsuccessful anti-Ottoman Chiprovtsi Uprising of 1688.

Their influence over local affairs caused Deva to be officially called a "Bulgarian town" for a short period, even though the maximum population of the colony was 71 families in 1721.

[11] The Bulgarians received royal privileges of the Austrian crown along with their permission to settle and their acquisition of land and property.

In 1923, the strictly Orthodox established their own congregation under Hayyim Yehuda Ehrenreich, a rabbinical scholar whose periodical Otzar ha-Hayyim became renowned in Jewish academic circles.

On 5 December 1940, during the National Legionary State, Jewish merchants were forced to give up their shops to members of the ruling Iron Guard.

In June 1941, when Romania entered World War II, 695 Jewish refugees from surrounding villages were brought to Deva.

[12] Deva is situated in the central part of Hunedoara County, on the left bank of the middle course of the Mureș River at 187 m above sea level.

[13] The city administers four villages: Archia (Árki), Bârcea Mică (Kisbarcsa), Cristur (Csernakeresztúr) and Sântuhalm (Szántóhalma).

[17] Deva is dominated by the Citadel Hill, a protected nature reserve because of its rare floral species and the presence of the horned adder.

[19] Deva's tourist attractions include the Arts Theatre, the Patria Cinema, the Old Centre and the Citadel Park, where there are the statues of Mihai Eminescu and Decebal and the Magna Curia Palace.

[20] Downtown the city, the House of culture and the musical fountain represent two elements that define the town centre of Deva.