Indulge in the Medieval Treasures of Romania

With a varied landscape that results in breath-taking natural beauty of everything from snow-capped peaks to green hills that boast of vineyards and forests and the sandy beaches of the Black sea, a Romania tour package undoubtedly has a lot to offer. However, that’s not all, as Romania’s spectacular natural abundance is complemented by charming medieval cities with surprising architecture and unique history as well.

Amongst all of Romania’s tourist attractions, it is its collection of castles and fortresses that truly encapsulates the richness of the country’s medieval heritage.

Exploring the Medieval History of Romania as a Tourist

The castles that were built in the country between the 14^th and 18^th centuries were planned mainly for defending against invasions and standing strong and austere. But from the late 1800s, the Romanians started erecting luxurious yet imposing structures that to date hold a lot of historical significance.

From the 14^th century Corvin Castle, built where a Roman camp once stood, to the elegant Peles Castle with its 160 rooms of priceless art and who can forget – the infamous Bran Castle that was built in the mid-13^th century and is home to Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula – Romania is a tourist’s delight!

Bran Castle

Located in the famous Transylvania in Central Romania and surrounded by an aura that breeds mystique and legends, the Bran Castle is one of the most well-known tourist places in Romania and owes its popularity to the myth created by Dracula – the book by Bram Stoker.

The castle, a popular site for sightseeing in Romania perches high atop a 200 feet high rock, with imposing turrets and towers. The castle has been built at a site where the Teutonic Knights once had their stronghold (back in 1212). The intimidating and dark stomping ground of Count Dracula consists of narrow winding staircases that you can climb to explore about 60 timbered rooms, many of which are still connected by underground passages and house many collections of armour, furniture, and even weapons dating back to the 14^th to 19^th centuries.

Corvin Castle

Another of the famous places in Romania, on the site of a former Roman camp, the Anjou family built a citadel that served as a fortress till the middle of the 14^th century and then as the residence of the Transylvanian Voivode, Iancu de Hunedoara, and till today stands as the most spectacular castle in Romania. This Gothic-style structure was transformed into the stunning castle it is today by Iancu and features an expansive hall of knights, chapel, council room, and about 50 rooms that showcase resplendent art from the medieval period. The courtyard has a 94-feet well that has been dug into stone. According to legend, the wheel was dug by Turkish prisoners who were offered their freedom when they finished and that it took them 15 years and 28 days to find water.

April 13^th, 1854, the wooden parts of the castle including the ceilings, doors, beams, etc. were damaged in a fire caused by lightning, after which the castle was abandoned for 10 years. The 'Nje Boisia' tower, literally translating to ‘do not be afraid’ in Serbian, is a unique feature of the castle, which was built for military purposes, and has several firearm openings and is connected to the castle by a 100 feet long corridor that is suspended, supported by massive pillars. Today, the castle is a museum but still occasionally hosts celebrations and private functions and is a great place to visit in Romania.

Fagaras Fortress

One of the top places to visit in Romania and built on the site where a former 12^th century wooden fortress once stood, which was burned down by the Tartars in 1241, the Faagras Fortress came into being in 1310 and expanded between the 15^th – 17^th centuries and became one of the strongest fortifications in Transylvania. The fortress is surrounded by a moat that could easily be filled with water at times of unrest in olden times. In 1948, the Fargaras Fortress was converted into a political prison till the early 1960s after which it was turned into a museum, which is one of the preferred places to visit in Romania. During Georg Rákóczi’s time (16-20-1649), the fortifications of the castle were doubled and the moat expanded, and in the 18^th century, it turned into a military garrison, having its luxurious interiors removed. Today, this Romanian tourist place houses the Fargaras County Museum that has a collection of medieval weapons, Roman artefacts, glass icons, and folk crafts.

Jidvei Bethlen-Haller Castle

Showcasing a combination of architectural styles, the Bethlen-Heller Castle was built in the 16^th century, originally in the French Renaissance style, and renovated in the 17^th and 18^th centuries to add Baroque elements. The castle also has a reformed 13^th-century church next to the castle. This is one of the places in Romania, visiting which allows you to get amazingly quaint views of the nearby areas as well. The Bethlen-Haller is a converted hotel as well with 14 guest rooms and 4 suites that showcase a variety of styles, while the beautiful garden offers panoramic views of the surroundings, making this castle an amazing tourist place in Romania.

Peles Castle

Another famous place in Romania, the Peles Castle nestles at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains in a picturesque little town. The castle is a popular masterpiece that showcases German new-Renaissance architecture and is considered to be one of the most beautifully stunning castles in Europe. No expense was spared when the castle was commissioned by King Carol I (1873) and was even the first castle in Europe that had not only electricity but its own power plant. It also had central heating, a central vacuum system, hot and cold running water, and much more.

The foyer has a glass roof that can be opened mechanically and also has a small elevator for the use of the royal family. Each room in the castle has a different theme as well, and here, you can indulge in luxurious sightseeing in Romania.

Poenari Fortress

One of the harder to reach tourist attractions in Romania, the ruins of the Poenari Fortress at present are reached after climbing 1,462 steps, though the plans to build a tram car to the fortress are in progress.

The ruins overlook the Arges River and used to be the home of Vlad the Impaler, a three-time voivode of Wallachia. With a rather bloody history, the castle is one of the most majestic and exciting tourist places in Romania. After the death of Vlad Dracula in 1476, the castle was in use for several years, after which it was finally abandoned in the first half of the 16^th century and ravaged by the weather and time in the following time. A major landslide in 1888 caused a portion of the castle to crash down into the Arges River and after undergoing repairs, the remaining towers and walls of the castle are still standing to the day.

Râşnov Fortress

Râşnov fortress is a popular tourist place in Romania, located on a rocky hilltop, 650 feet above the town of Râşnov in the Carpathian Mountains. The fortress was mentioned for the first time in an official document dating to 1331 and was built by the Teutonic Knights for protecting against invasions of Tartars. It was later expanded by the local population (Saxons). The fortress has a strategic location on the commercial route that links Transylvania and Wallachia and was designed to offer people a place of refuge for extended periods of time. What makes this structure different from other Saxon fortress and one of the top places to visit in Romania is the fact that it has 30 homes, a chapel, a school, and several other buildings that are more common in villages than a fortress.

With many castles, fortresses, fortified churches, and many other medieval places to visit in Romania, the country is a treasure trove for any tourist and definitely worth a visit at least once.