Mountains, woods and castles
Corvin Castle (or Hunyard Castle) and the interior of it
Romania's collection of castles and fortresses perhaps best illustrates the rich medieval heritage of the country. While
castles built from the 14th to the 18th centuries are strong and austere fortresses built mainly for defense against
invaders, those erected beginning in the late 1800s are imposing and luxurious. The most popular include the 14th
century Corvin Castle, built on the site of a former Roman camp, the elegant 19th century Peles Castle with its 160
rooms filled with priceless European art and, of course, the Bran Castle, built in the mid-1300s and legendary home to
Bram Stoker's Count Dracula.
Universal literature found valuable sources of inspiration in some of
Romania's castles, with the most famous novels written about them
being "The Castle in the Carpathians" by Jules Verne and "Dracula"
by Bram Stoker.
As a result of almost nine centuries of Saxon presence,
Transylvania, located in central Romania, claims a unique cultural
and architectural heritage in Europe. This region is home to nearly
200 Saxon villages, churches and fortifications built between the
13th and 15th centuries. Seven of the fortified Saxon churches (in
Biertan, Calnic, Darjiu, Prejmer, Saschiz, Valea Viilor, and Viscri)
were designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. A visit to
these quaint villages, placed amidst lush farmland and green rolling
hills, will give you a taste of the long-gone medieval times.
The interior of The Bran Castle: view from the main corridor and
from the terrace (left), the large drawing room (middle), the secret
staircase (right)
The luxurious interior of the Peles Castle (down)
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