THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE TO VISIT

Peles Castle The building of the Peles Castle started in 1873 during the reign of Prince Karol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, after the drawings of the Viennese architect Wilhelm Doderer. After 1876, the building site was entrusted to Johann Schultz from Lemberg but the building was finalized by the Czech architect Karel Liman in 1914. The official inauguration took place in October 1883 at the end of the first stage of construction. The main architectural style of the castle is German new-Renaissance, dominated by vertical sharp profiles, fragmented composition of the facades, abundance of carved wood and decorative elements. But you can also find rooms decorated in Italian Renaissance, German Baroque, French Rococo and Spanish-Moorish styles.

Bran Castle Situated 30 kilometers away from Brasov, the Bran Castle is mostly known for its beauty and the beautiful landscapes and for the legend of Count Dracula. Vlad the Impaler (known as Dracula), Wallachia's ruler, kept up the relations with Transylvania, especially with Barsa County and Brasov, but no source mentioned its stay in the castle. The first attestation of the Bran Castle is a document issued on the 19^th of November 1377 by Ludovic I D'Anjou. The castle had a guard made of archers. Between 1419 and 1494 the castle was owned by the king Sigismund. At the and of the 15^th century the fortress is under Szecklers’ Comitee authority, in charge with the defense of Transylvania’s SE border. The Bran passage was a very important point in the defense against Ottoman expansion.

Hunedoara Castle Built in the 14^th century over some old earth works on a rock, near Zlasti brook, the castle is a very commanding construction with high colored roofs, with towers, windows and balconies with stone fancy works. It was one of the biggest and most famous properties of Iancu of Hunedoara. It was used as royal residence not only as strategic fortress.

SIGHISOARA Founded by German craftsmen and merchants, known as the Saxons of Transylvania, the historic center of Sighisoara has preserved in an exemplary way the features of a small fortified, medieval town. Sighisoara played an important strategic and commercial role at the edges of central Europe for several centuries. Here you find, in the center of the town, the house of Vlad Dracul, the place where his son, Vlad the Impaler, was born in 1431. In 1999 the fortified center was inscribed as World Heritage Monument by UNESCO.

Moldova's Monasteries Usually built on the site of earlier monasteries, the outer fresco Moldavian churches date from the 15^th century, more precisely from the period after 1530. Most oh these churches were built during the reign of Prince Petru Rareş of Moldavia, the illegitimate sun of Stephen the Great (1457-1504). Some theories consider them a local development, others a result from a similar trend from Transylvania, Hungary, Austria or influenced by the Greek ar Serb churches. No matter the source of this new architectural type, this churches represent an unique case of Byzantine art. The drafting of the painted themes is also original, containing themes from Genesis, Creation, Adam’s Fall, the Banishment from Paradise, the Prayer of all saints or the Judgment Day. For all this historical, architectural and artistic features seven churches (Arbore, Humor, Moldovita, Patrauti, Probota, Saint George from Suceava and Voronet) were declared in 1993 as monuments of World Heritage of UNESCO.

Wooden churches from Maramures These wooden churches ar outstanding examples of religious architecture resulting from the interchange of orthodox religious traditions with gothic influences. They are narrow but high timbered constructions with a characteristic slim clock tower at the western end of the building, single or doubled roofed and covered by shingles. Eight of them, from different periods (from 1604 to 1796) areas and with different architectural solutions were chosen as monuments of World Heritage in 1999.

The Bicaz Gorges Cheile Bicazului, in Romanian, were formed at the end of Hasmaş Mountains by Bicaz river and its tributaries. They lay between the Red Lake and Bicaz Chei village. The gorges are 1 kilometre long and because of their narrow space they look like a canyon. Here you can also find over 300 species of plants including fir-trees and yew trees. The Bicaz Gorges also represent the main mountaineering objective in Romania.

The fortified churches The villages with fortified churches are characterized by a specific land use system, settlement pattern, and organization of the family farmstead units preserved since the late Middle Age, gathered around a fortified church. The original development of church reinforcements are linked to the troubled history of Transylvania, starting from the Tatar invasion, in 1241-1242. They were built by the German colonist brought here by the Hungarian crown beginning with the 12^th century. The Germans built villages with houses surrounded by gardens arranged in tight rows, with streets, commons and squares; the churches stood in the center of the village, in most cases built on hills which made them easy to reach and protect. Since 1993 Biertan fortress church, as well as the access paths around it is on the World Heritage list drawn up by UNESCO, and from 1999 another 6 churches added to the list.

Danube Delta The Danube, which flows into the Black Sea, forms the largest and best preserved delta of Europe. The Danube Delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 fresh water fish species. The Danube springs from Germany and gathers all the tributary streams from 10 countries and crosses for capital cities. After covering 2.860 kilometres and before flowing into the Black Sea, the Danube forms a delta. It’s surface, together with the complex of lagoons, Razim, Sinoe, measures 5.050 square kilometres (1,950 square miles), 4.530 square kilometres (1,750 square miles) belonging to Romania. Delta alone has a surface of 2540 square kilometres and this surface increases every year with 40 square meters because of the 67 million tones of alluvial deposits brought by the river. Beginning with 1991 it was inscribed on the World Heritage list drawn up by UNESCO.

BUCHAREST The first documentary attestation of the city is a property paper issued by Vlad the Impaler on the 20^th of September 1459. During the reign of Gheorghe Ghica, Bucharest became the capital of Wallachia in 1659. After this date Bucharest becomes the center of the political, cultural and social life. There were built palaces (Mogosoaiei – in 1702, Cotroceni – in 1893), churches (Cretzulescu 1720-1722, Stavropoleos 1724), hospitals (Coltea 1704), theatres (National Theatres 1852), Bucharest University (1869). At the beginning of the 20^th century, Bucharest was one of the most refined, sophisticated cities in Europe, referred to as "Little Paris" or the "Pearl of the Balkans". After escaping the Second World War destructions, neo-classical architecture, grand boulevards, and ottoman traces had to suffer again because of the communist regime. In order to create a new city center, including the Parliamentary Palace, 5 square kilometers of Bucharest’s historic center were destroyed (over 9000 19^th century houses, monuments of art, churches and monasteries were demolished and more than 40000 inhabitants displaced). Even though the city is still worth exploring for the omnipresence of its history.

BRASOV The first documentary attestation dates back from the year 1234 when the town was mentioned as Corona (from this age lasts the oldest church in the city, Saint Bartholomew, built in 1223). Later on, the town was known as Brasco, Brasso, Kronstadt or Brasovia. Due to its geographically, at the crossroads of Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania, beginning with 14^th century, the town becomes one of the most important economical and political centers. In Brasov was established the first romanian school where, around 1540, the first romanian books were printed by deacon Coresi. In 1689, April 21, a big fire destroyed most of the town and killed 3000 people. Most of the houses were damaged and the monument Saint Maria, built between 1384 and 1477 smoked by the fire, will become the Black Church. Here you can find and listen the concerts of the biggest organ in Romania.  

IASI Is the most important political, economical and cultural center of Moldavia and one of the oldest cities in Romania. The beginning of the urban life in Iasi are to be found in the 14^th century, the name of the city being mentioned for the first time in a document about commercial privileges granted by the moldavian ruler Alexandru cel Bun to the Polish merchants of Lvov in 1408. The great scholars of the 17^th century Grigore Ureche, Miron Costin and Ion Neculce, wrote here most of their works. At the beginning of the 19^th century was laid the foundation of the national school in Romanian language and in 1835 the first superior institute in the country was founded. On the January the 5^th 1859, A.I. Cuza was elected ruler of Moldavia, the first step of the unification process with Wallachia in a single country named Romania. In 1860 during the reign of Alexandru Ioan Cuza was founded the first Romanian university. Iasi continued to be until today the most important cultural center of the country even after Bucharest became the capital of Romania in 1862.

TARGOVISTE The first documentary attestation of the formal capital city is from 1396 left by the German crusader Johann Schiltberger. The first official document was written on paper by Mircea the Older (1386-1418) addressed to Tismana Monastery. Vlad the Impaler was enthroned here in 1456. In 1499 the voivode Radu the Great rebuilt Saint Nicolae on Hill church, today known as Dealu Moanstery. The church was painted in 1514 during the reign of Neagoe Basarab. Matei Basarab (1632-1654) reinforced the walls of the city, repaired the old churches and built new ones. Until 1659 Targoviste was the capital city of Wallachia and until 1714 was the crown residence. Tudor Vladimirescu, the leader of the revolution from 1821 was executed here in front of the Mitropoliei church. Gradually the town lost it’s importance as political and social center, today keeping only the charm of a formal medieval capital city.

CLUJ-NAPOCA Since the 2^nd century B.C. it was a very important site of the Dacian civilization. After the Romans conquered Dacia (in 106 AD) the town Napoca was granted the municipality rank and capital of Dacia province (124 AD). After resisting the migratory waves in the 13^th century, the voivod Gelu put the basis of the first state. In the year 1213 AD the town was mentioned as Castrenses of Clus. The new born state was not able to resist the Hungarians pressure. In 1316 the town obtained some privileges and in the next centuries (14-15) became one of the most important towns in Transylvania. In 1580, an academy was opened here, with three sections (theology, philosophy and law). between 1683 and 1699 the town was under Austrian occupation. After 1790, the residence of the imperial governor of Transylvania was moved here. Today you can still find in the city parts of the medieval fortifications, the house where Matei Corvin, king of Hungary (1458-1492) was born, old gothic churches and many other proves of its long history.

SIBIU The city was founded by the German (Saxon) colonist in the 12^th century. It was mentioned in documents as Cibinul or Hermannstadt, and in 1366 it was ranked as town. Sibiu was the first and most important city colonized by the Saxons and all along its history it kept this status of capital of the Saxon civilization in Transylvania.

Horezu Monastery Founded in 1690 by Prince Constantin Brancoveanul, the Monastery of Horezu in Wallachia si a masterpiece of Brancovan style known for its architectural purity and balance, the richness of its sculpt detail, its treatment of religious composition, its votive portraits and its painted decorative works. The school of mural and icon painting established at the Monastery of Horezu in the 18^th century was very well known throughout the Balkan region. Since 1993 the Monastery of Horezu was included by UNESCO on the World Heritage Monuments list.

Cozia Monastery Built between 1387-1388 over an older religious house. Cozia Monastery is the most beautiful foundation of the Wallachian ruler Mircea the Older (1386-1418). His portrait and grave can be found here. Near the voivode’s grave is the Michael the Brave mother’s grave who became a noun under the name of Teofana.

CONSTANTA The town was founded in the 5^th B.C., by the Greek colonies from Milet and was known as Tomis. During the Roman occupation, Tomis became a metropolis full with temples, statues and architectural monuments. Where Constantinopole became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, the fortress was rebuilt by the Emperor Constantin the Great who changed its name into Constantiana, after his sister. After losing the Roman dominance, the city totally declined and became a small village. The only proves of its existence are the maritime maps of the Italian merchants and the building, in the 13^th century of the Genovese Lighthouse. The Turkish domination (1393-1420) led to the total decline of the settlement until the middle of the 19^th century. The city rose again after 1873 when Dobrogea united with Romania, after the War of Independence. Today in the city you can find either vestiges of the ancient flourishing period of the town, or modern history traces (Mohamed II Mosque – evokes the Ottoman domination or buildings like the Casino built in the Rococo style, reminding of the fashionable lifestyle from the beginning of the century).

Saint Ana Lake Is the only volcanic lake in Romania. It is situated at 946 meters altitude from the sea level and has the shape of an easel. Its water, almost distilled, is not good for drinking because of the lack of mineral salts. Saint Ana Lake is now a natural reservation.

Red Lake It was formed in 1837 after an earth slide at 980 meters altitude. It is said that a rock fell from the mountain, block the river Bicaz, and formed the lake as it can be seen today. The most interesting thing about the lake is neither its origin, nor its color, but its look. Before the lake formed, here was a forest that now is sunk. All over the place you can still see tree stumps coming out of the water.

TARGU-JIU The town appears mentioned in historical document since 1406 during the reign of Mircea the Older. Its main attraction is quite recent and a complex of five structures made by Constantin Brancusi (1876-1956). Three of them were placed in the Public Garden: The Kiss Gate (Poarta Sarutului) – similar to a triumph arch with traditional elements; Chairs Alley – two lines of chairs that lead to the Kiss Gate; The Silence Table (Masa tacerii) – 12 hourglass shaped chairs around a table. The other 2 sculptures are placed in Tudor Vladimirescu Park: The Endless Column is a 30 meter high succession of rhomboidal elements, the most famous of his sculptures, and the Festive Table that has only 5 chairs.

The Dacian Fortresses The Dacian Fortresses, 6 Late Iron Age defensive works, were created in the first centuries BC and AD as protection against Roman conquest. Their extensive and well preserved remaining are located on a spectacular natural site and present a dramatic picture of a vigorous and innovative Iron Age civilization. These fortresses are: Sarmizegetusa – the most important of all, formal capital of the Dacian Union of tribes; Costesti-Cetatuie; Costesti-Blidaru; Luncani-Piatra Rosie, Banita and Capalna. Since 1999 they were inscribed as World Heritage Monuments by UNESCO.

Suceava Fortress The first mentioned of Suceava Fortress is in a document issued by Petru I in 1388. Other proves indicate that the fortress was built during his reign by some autochthonous craftsmen. They used especially rocks and some of the walls were reinforced with a wooden net (longitudinal and transversal). The walls were 10 meters high and 2 meters thick. The fortress was square shaped and was defended by 8 cannons and a ditch on the west side. The fortress successfully resisted the Ottoman siege in 1476. After this year, Stephen the Great organized some rebuilding works. This was Moldavia’s princely residence for a long time.

Neamt Fortress It was build during the reign of Petru I with central fort with 4 towers. After one century, during the reign of Stephen the Great, the fortress was enriched with a new external wall and half round bulwarks in order to resist artillery fires. In 1866 the fortress was declared historical monument. The present rehabilitation works try to rebuild entirely the fortress at it used to be.

TARGU MURES The town was mentioned for the first time in wholly-sea registers in 1332 as Novum Forum Siculorum (New Secklers' Town). In 1405, Sigismund of Luxemburg, king of Hungary granted the right of organizing fairs in the town. In 1482, during the reign of Matei Corvin, the town became royal town. The oldest building in town and the most valuable, the fortress, is in fact a castle fortress five star shaped with three entrances. A part of this was destroyed by the Turks and in second stage (finished in 1650) there were added a new 900 meters long wall and 87 bulwarks, all build by the craftsmen guilds. In the city you can find a very big diversity of churches: roman-catholic, lutheran, evangelic, unitarian, orthodox, greek-catholic and mosaic. The city had a new flourishing period at the beginning of the 20^th century when some of the most important buildings of the town appeared.

Snagov Monastery Built between 1516-1517 by Neagoe Basarab, voivode of Wallachia, is the place were Vlad the Impaler was buried. The monastery has also a cultural significance, because of the first printing press for the religious books that could have been found here in 1643.