Day 4, 23 October 2023:
The most famous castles of
Transylvania, Bran Castle and
Peleș Castle - Râșnov Fortress -
Valea Cetatii Cave -133km.
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| Bran Castle |
Bran Castle
Our first stop around Brașov is Bran Castle in Bran, 25 km southwest of Brașov, also known as “Dracula’s Castle”.
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| Bran Castle |
It was
built by
Saxons, in 1377, on
a hilltop with a
panoramic view
on each part of the valley and
it was part
of the general fortification,
with
many
well-preserved rooms and chambers, furniture collected
by Queen Marie, cottages, barns, water-driven machinery
and plenty
tales,
and
legends that help
our
imagination to set the scene.
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| Medieval clothes |
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| Medieval royal clothes |
The
castle got its fame from the novel ''Dracula'', written
by Bram Stoker and ''Dracula'', the movie due later directed by Francis Ford
Coppola, although Bran Castle is not mentioned in the
novel, and
the novel's description of the castle does not match Bran Castle.
 |
| Dracula legend is tourism-driven |
The
claimed connection between the castle and the Dracula legend is
tourism-driven and
the rumor that Vlad
the Impaler had imprisoned here is
only a rumor.
 |
| Royal chambers with furniture and King's belongings |
The
castle was granted to the royal family after
the union of Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania in
1920,
and
Queen Marie,
wife of King Ferdinand I, renovated it. There are 57 rooms at Bran Castle and still contain some of their
belongings.
 |
| Medieval weapons |
During the Second World War it was
turned into a hospital, during the communist period
came under the control of the state and
returned
to the royal family again
in 2005 to
Queen Maria's grandson, the Archduke of Austria, who exploits it
financially and
now the castle is one of the ten most expensive properties in the
world.
Outside
there are many gift shops with souvenirs, local handmade things of
wool and wood.
We had a break for coffee and dessert at the marvelous café 'Panner' with a perfect decoration for Halloween!
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| Coffee and dessert break at Panner |
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| Dessert at Panner |
Peleș Castle
The
second
stop of our tour is the
Peleș Castle, a
castle
used by the royal family in the 19th and 20th century.
 |
| Peles Castle |
The castle was built by the first King of Romania, Carol I of
Hohenzollern – Sigmaringen, between 1873 and 1914 and
it
was used as summer residence. The
architecture is between Italian elegance and German neo-Renaissance style
with
two exceptions, the neo-Ottoman and the neo-Rococo styles.
It
is surrounded by mountains and a pretty landscape with elegant
gardens built on terraces.
Inside
you will see golden
chandeliers, walnut tree carvings, marble fountains, Venetian
mirrors, old
and new canvases, old furniture, weapons, secret
chambers, a royal armory, one of the finest collections of art in
Eastern and Central Europe and exotic timbers and solid bronze doors.
We
left with the feeling that we are royals!
 |
| Peles Castle |
Râșnov Fortress
Râşnov
Fortress is located on a hilltop,
200
m.
above the town of Râşnov, in the Carpathian Mountains. It offered refuge for townspeople and
villagers from the area in times of war.
 |
| Râşnov Fortress |
First mentioned in an
official document in 1331, the fortress was built by Teutonic Knights
as protection against invading Tartars and was later enlarged by the
local Saxon population.
Strategically
located on the commercial route linking the provinces of Transylvania
and Walachia. It was more like a village as it
had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel and other buildings.
 |
| Râşnov Fortress |
The
defensive system included nine towers, two bastions and a drawbridge.
It was occupied only once, in the year 1612
when invaders managed to find the secret location of the water, so the need for a well inside the
fortress became a must.
According
a legend, two Turkish prisoners were put to the task of
digging a well through solid rock in the center of the fortress. They
were promised their freedom once the well was finished and took them
17 years to complete the work. The well provided extra security as the people didn't have to go outside the gates for water. It was in use until 1850 when the wheel broke.
Recently,
the old fortress has been restored and people
can visit the impressive remains. There is also a museum, hidden
behind the ancient walls, where you can find a skeleton buried
beneath a glass floor, as well as some other interesting artifacts.
Valea Cetatii Cave
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| The paved road in the forest for the Valea Cetatii Cave |
Close
to the city of Râşnov, near to the road which connecting Braşov to Bran Castle, you shall find the Valea Cetatii Cave.
There are sings
on the road so you cannot miss the parking lot, it is free of
charge and there is plenty of room.
From the parking lot it's a bout 500-600 m to hike - up hill through the forest on a
paved road, it is a mild climb but for those who don't like
climbing there is a "shuttle" service and with 5 Ron
you will be transported by car to the cave
entrance.
At the entrance you will pay the visiting ticket, 20 Ron
/ 4 euro and they accept only cash. After paying the ticket you
have to wait for entering since you don't go alone, but only with a
guide, who will give you explanations inside.
The cave
is fairly new, in geological terms, only about 2 million years old, and it was not discovered until the mid 1950's when a flood opened
up the entrance.
Inside the cave the temperature is between 8-12 degrees
C°
all the year long, so you need something to wear.
The
Braşov philharmonics are playing in the cave so if you are lucky, you will be able to attend a cave
concert.
They didn't allow us to take photos but definitely worth the visit, so go and check it out by yourself.
Continue reading to see what you can visit at the citadel of Braşov.
Day 5 - What to see and do at Brașov - Ηοllywood goes to Transylvania
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