Castles and Monasteries

From ancient citadels and mediaeval castles to stately palaces. From secluded monasteries and Byzantine churches to Gothic cathedrals. A kaleidoscope of architectural styles - Baroque, Renaissance, Neoclassical, Romanesque, Art Nouveau, Rococo and so on. You would be forgiven for believing we are describing the attractions of a tour of Europe, but we are referring to the great cultural wealth encapsulated in just one country - Romania. These precious fragments of a unique and rich history act as a constant reminder that this was where the Occident traditionally confronted the Orient, a blend of East and West in perfect harmony. The oldest palace in Bucharest is the Curtea Veche (the "Old Court"), certified on 20 September, 1459 by Vlad the Impeller. The Royal Palace, on Victoriei Road, in central Bucharest, is a five-storey building, built in neoclassic style between 1927 and 1937. In 1948 it became the National Arts Museum. Other important buildings include the Sutu Palace (built between 1833 and 1834), the Elisabeta Palace (1936), the Cantacuzino Palace (1900, now housing the George Enescu Music Museum) and the Mogosoaia Palace (1702, located 14 km north of the city).

Transylvania embraces a considerable diversity of architectural styles. Corvinesti Castle in Hunedoara is an impressive, almost surreal, fortress which represents one of the most valuable monuments of mediaeval arts, not only in Romania but in southeastern Europe as a whole. It was erected in the 13th century and extended between 1446 and 1453 by Iancu de Hunedoara, ruling prince of Transylvania and regent prince of Hungary. The Baroque Palace in Oradea is the largest such building in Romania. Built between 1762 and 1770, the building hosted Empress Maria Theresa and his son, Joseph II. In Cluj-Napoca, a visit should be made to the splendid Banffy Palace (1774-1785), which now houses the city art museum, whilst the famous Brukenthal Palace is an essential part of any visit to the historic city of Sibiu. Built between 1778 and 1788 by Baron Samuel Brukenthal, governor of Transylvania (1777-1787), the palace became an arts museum and a notable European cultural institution with works of famous artists such as Rubens and van Dyck. The Palace of Culture in Targu Mures was built between 1911 and 1913 in the European 'Secession' (art nouveau) style with an eye-catching roof of polychromatic tiles, and facade decorated with statues and bas-reliefs. Just 21 km from Brasov you will find Bran Castle, standing guard over the approach to the Rucar Pass. Built between 1377 and 1382, it is the archetypal, fairy tale castle, conjuring up the presence of Count Dracula himself. The stately Palace of Culture in Iasi was built in a flamboyant, neo-gothic style (1906-1925) to the plans of architect I.D. Berindei. It is a monumental edifice comprising 365 rooms and very elegant halls and inner galleries. It contains four important museums.

In the former royal resort of Sinaia, at the heart of the magnificent Prahova valley, stands Peles Castle. Construction began in 1875, on the orders of Prince Carol I (the future king) and was completed in 1883. It was designed by the architects Wilhelm Doderer and Karel Liman, combining the German Renaissance style and the Gothic style. Inside we also meet elements of German baroque, Italian Renaissance, English Renaissance and French Rococo. It houses art treasures, colored glass windows, tapestry and furniture in different styles, famous paintings of great artists, statues and sculptures, oriental carpets and many other interesting things. The Hall of Honor, the Armor Hall, the Mirror Hall, the library and the dining room are all very attractive for the visitor. The Pelisor Castle that was built between 1899 and 1903, the Hunting House Foisorul and a beautiful park do also belong to the Peles complex.

An oasis for the spirit

The picture of the palaces is rounded off with the monasteries in the north of Moldavia, and in Oltenia, the wooden churches of Maramures and the fortified "Saxon" churches in southern Transylvania. Although compelled to submit to Ottoman domination, the Romanian ruling princes still found the respite to erect true religious architectural gems. Thus, the voivode of Moldavia, Stephen the Great (1457-1504), who won countless battles against the Turks, prompting Pope Sixtus IV to call him the "Athlete of Christ", had over 30 such edifices built. These included Putna (1466-1468), the Prince's first fortified monastery, the Church of Patrauti (1487), the Church of Saint Ilie in Suceava (1488), Neamt Monastery (1497) and the painted church of Arbore. Petru Rares, Stephen the Great's descendant, continued this tradition by setting the foundation for the famous monasteries of Bucovina - Humor, Moldovita, Sucevita and Voronet, - their walls covered with frescoes inside and out, masterpieces of art, billboards from a bygone world permeated with a vitality derived from local folk art and mythology, perfectly in tune with their surrounding. These, together with Arbore, are part of UNESCO's patrimony. One more monastery worth visiting in the region is Dragomirna, built by the Metropolitan Bishop Anastasie Crimca (1602). The wooden churches of Maramures also occupy a special place within UNESCO's patrimony. Of special note are Surdesti, Plopis, Rogoz, Ieud, Poienile Izei, Barsana (the old church was built in 1780, whilst the new one is the highest construction of this kind in Europe at 62 m), Budesti and Desesti. In southern Transylvania, tourists may wander between the impressive fortifications of the Saxon churches, constructed in such a manner as to provide refuge for the villagers in case of attack and siege by the Tatars. Many of them are part of the world cultural heritage. Best known are the Church-fortress of Biertan (1520-1522), and Medias (14th-16th century; its 74-m high steeple features a clock which shows the phases of the moon. Prince Vlad the Impeller was imprisoned in one of the towers here in 1476).