Cetatea Ciceu este situată în actualul judeţ Bistriţa-Năsăud, la 20 km. nord-est de municipiul Dej, în punctul de întâlnire al teritoriului localităţilor Ciceu-Corabia, Ciceu-Giurgeşti şi Dumbrăveni. În Evul Mediu, până în pragul epocii moderne, a făcut parte din fostul comitat al Solnocului Interior.

Fortificaţia a fost ridicată pe promontoriul unei formaţiuni vulcanice desemnată cu toponimele de Ciceul Mic sau Dealul Cetăţii, cu înălţimea de 683 m. Văzute dinspre sud, colinele Ciceului apar sub forma a două terase cu aceeaşi formă, dar de altitudini şi lăţimi diferite. Platforma de la terasa a doua care se deschide în faţa cetăţii are o suprafaţă de circa 500 de hectare.

Apariţia fortificaţiei medievale de pe Dealul Cetăţii (Ciceul Mic) se datorează condiţiilor geografice care permit un ideal punct de observaţie, refugiu şi apărare.

Când s-a pus problema reconstituirii vechii forme a cetăţii Ciceului, s-a dovedit că sursele sunt aproape inexistente în această privinţă. Fără îndoială faptul poate fi pus pe seama demantelării cetăţii la 1544 şi a folosirii vechiului amplasament ca şi carieră pentru extragerea pietrelor de moară.

Singura mărturie iconografică care ni se păstrează despre Ciceu este din a doua jumătate a secolului al XIX-lea, mai precis de la 1866.

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