Add a review about Fagaras Castle

Fagaras is a small but very beautiful old town (about 35 thousand people in total) in Romania, in the southeast of the historical area of ​​Transylvania. It is here that the legendary castle-fortress of the same name is located, which is more than 700 years old. The name Fagarash was given to the city by the name of the mountain range nearby, and that, in its turn, goes back to the Romanian word fag, which translates as "beech" - this kind of tree grows abundantly.

At its core Fagarash is a fortress, which it was very difficult to approach at all times of its existence. But at the same time it was also a princely residence for the rulers of Transylvania. The castle was built in 1301 by the Hungarian prince Wladyslaw Kahn to protect against the raids of the Turks and Tatars. However, in 1541 the sultan Mustafa Pasha still captured the fortress. The modern appearance of Fagaras took in the 17th century, when it was rebuilt and rebuilt in the style of the Transylvanian renaissance.

At its core Fagarash is a fortress, which it was very difficult to approach at all times of its existence.

The heyday of the castle, like the whole city, which began to be rebuilt around the fortress, fell on the reign of the princely dynasty of Betlen. It was Prince Gabriel Betlen who completely restored the castle, and the city around made an important economic center. His wife, Princess Kata Betlen, became famous for her scholarship and charity work - she organized a school and a library in the castle.

Among the rulers of Wallachia (Romania), which the castle served as a residence, was, of course, the famous Vlad Tepes, better known to us as Count Dracula. Several gloomy legends are associated with his name and castle. In addition to Dracula, the "black" fame of the castle was brought by the existence of a prison, which contained political prisoners.

Fagaras Castle

Today, the beautiful ancient castle of Fagaras is in a worthy condition, it is visited by many tourists every year. Within the walls of the fortress there is a large library with ancient manuscripts and books, as well as a historical museum, the exhibits of which tell about the history of the castle, the city and all of Romania. The restaurant located in the fortress of Fagaras attracts special attention - here you can taste delicious dishes of national Romanian cuisine cooked in accordance with old traditions.

And in the basement of the castle there are wine cellars and a tasting room, here you should skip a glass or two of a red pin-noir or a sweet white fetyasca.

Getting to the city of Fagaras is easy: just 1, 5 hours by bus from Brasov or 4 hours from Bucharest. The nearest airport is in Sibiu (about an hour by car to Fagaras). The city itself can be bypassed on foot, in the same way it is better to get to the castle.

The castle is open for tourists from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 18:00. Admission fee for adults is 4 ROL, for children - 2 ROL. For photos and video inside the castle, too, will have to pay, how much - check in place with the guide or the viewer.

Address: Romania, Fagaras, Str. Mihai Viteazul, No. 1.


All prices are for November 2014