Alba
Iulia city
Location: in Alba County.
Description: The initial fortress,
Balgrad, meaning “the White Fortress”, was built
by the ruler Gyula during the 9th-10th centuries. The construction
of the present fortress (Alba Carolina Fortress) began in
1714 and it was finished in 1733. The construction was realized
in Vauban style after the drafts of the Italian architect
Giovanni Morando Visconti at the orders of the Emperor Carol
VI of Habsbourg. The fortress’s walls were made of thick
bricks and stones taken out from the Roman ruins. The six
gates of the bulwark fortress have been a model for the 18th
century Transylvanian architecture.
Baia Mare city
Location: in Maramures County.
Description: The settlement was first mentioned in a document
in 1327. Beginning with the 15th century Baia Mare evolved
as an important trade and craft centre, counting approximately
30 crafts. Presently the city preserves some fragments of
the walls of the 15th century fortress and some bastions and
defense towers: the Belfry, the Butchers’ Tower, and
the Mint’s Tower. The Belfry is 50 m high and it was
built in 1445-1468. The old part of the city preserves numerous
baroque buildings.
Bistrita city
Location: in Bistrita-Nasaud County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1264. The town entered into possession
of the ruler Iancu de Hunedoara in 1453. The fortress of Bistrita
was built at his orders. The city preserves the remains of
the fortress dating from 1465-1575 which consists in fragments
of the defense walls. Also you can admire the Coopers’
Tower.
Brasov city
Location: in Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in 1234. Brasov became an important craft centre
in the 14th-18th centuries, counting approximately 20 crafts.
In Brasov city there can be found the remains of the Brasov
Fortress: fragments of the defense walls, some defense towers
and bastions: the Black Tower, the White Tower, the Butchers’
Tower, the Weavers’ Bastion, the Blacksmiths’
Bastion, the Furriers’ Bastion, and the Rope Makers’
Bastion. The fortress was built in the 14th -17th century.
Cluj-Napoca city
Location: in Cluj County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1173. Germans from Rhenania and
Saxonia were brought in Cluj during the 12th century. The
town is fortified during the 15th century. This is the time
when the walls, the bastions and the defense towers were added.
Nowadays you can admire the Tailors’ Bastion built in
1629 and after that restored during the 19th century. You
can also visit the Cetatuia (the Fortress), a fortified construction
built in Vauban style.
Deva city
Location: in Hunedoara County.
Description: The remains of Deva
Fortress can be found on the top of Cetatii Hill in Deva city.
The fortress was built in the middle of the 13th century.
During the 15th century the fortress was transformed by the
Prince Iancu de Hunedoara into a princely fortress. The fortress
was destroyed in 1849 due to the explosion of the ammunition
dump and after that fell into ruin.
Fagaras
Location: in Brasov County.
Description: The Fagaras Fortress
was initially built of wood in 1310 at the orders of Ladislau
Kán. In 1539 Stefan Mailath restored a part of the
construction. Along the time the fortress entered in the possession
of several princes: Baltazar Báthori, Mihai Viteazu,
Stefan Csáki, Gabriel Bethlen, Gheorghe Rákóczi
I, Mihail Apáfi. The fortress was built in Transylvanian
Renaissance style, it presents defense towers at the corners
and from the outside it is protected by defense walls and
a water fosse.
Medias
Location: in Sibiu County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1267. Saxons were brought in Medias
during the 14th century and the town grew to be an important
craft centre. Presently from the medieval fortress we can
see fragments of the defense wall and a few defense towers
and bastions: the Trumpets’ Tower, the Stone Cutters’
Tower, the Wheelwrights’ Tower, the Goldsmiths’
Tower, and the Coopers’ Bastion.
Piatra Neamt
Location: in Neamt County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1387-1392. It seems that in 1446
Piatra Neamt was a settlement with Princely Court and in 1453
it became Princely borough. A new Princely Court was built
at the orders of the ruler Stephen the Great in 1491. The
Ioan Botezatorul Church (Saint John the Baptizer) and the
Belfry (Stephen’s Tower) were built between 1497 and
1499.
Sebes
Location: in Alba County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1245. Sebes was an important craft
centre counting approximately 19 crafts during the 14th century.
From the medieval fortress of Sebes there can be seen fragments
of the defense walls and some defense towers: the Tailors’
Tower, the Shoemakers’ Tower, the Semicircular Tower.
The construction of the fortress’s defense walls began
in 1387, Sebes city being at that time the first Transylvanian
city which was fortified.
Sibiu
Location: in Sibiu County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1191. The Sibiu Citadel is the
biggest medieval sit from Romania. From the old citadel we
can presently see: the Soldish Bastion, the Haller Bastion,
the Thick Bastion, the Butchers’ Tower, the Carpenters’
Tower, the Potters’ Tower, the Harquebusiers’
Tower, the Tanners’ Tower, the Ammunition Tower, the
Barbers’ Tower, the Council Tower and the Stairs’
Tower. The Stairs’ Tower is the oldest medieval building
left out of Sibiu Citadel, dating from the 13th century. You
can also pass through the Stairs’ Passage or the Goldsmiths’
Passage or you can cross the Lies’ Bridge. You can admire
the old houses from the historical center of Sibiu, especially
the ones from the southern part of the Piata Mare (Big Square):
the Haller House, the Fileck House, the Georg Hecht House,
the ones from the Piata Mica (the Small Square) and from the
Huet Square.
Sighisoara
Location: on Tarnava Mare Valley,
56 km far from Targu Mures, Mures County.
Description: The Sighisoara Borough
was founded by the Saxons which came here in 1191. The locality
was first mentioned in a document in 1224. Sighisoara was
an important craft centre, counting approximately 20 crafts
during the 14th century. The borough was fortified during
the 14th-15th centuries when the town was surrounded by a
fortification belt and 14 defense towers were built, each
one of them bearing the name of a craft: the Council’s
Tower, the Blacksmiths’ Tower, the Tinners’ Tower,
the Skinners’ Tower, the Tanners’ Tower, the Tailors’
Tower, the Rope Makers’ Tower, the Shoemakers’
Tower, the Butchers’ Tower. Nowadays there are only
9 towers left, the most impressive one being the Council’s
Tower (the Clock Tower). The Clock Tower functioned as the
residence of the City’s Council until 1556.
The main attractions of the city
are: the Clock Tower, Vlad Dracul House (Vlad the Devil’s
House), the Artillery’s Bastion, the Dominican Church,
the Evangelical Church from the Hill, the Schoolchildren’s
Stairs, the Old Women’s Passage. Since 1889 the Municipal
Museum of Medieval History and Art has been functioning in
the Clock Tower, exhibiting archeological, historical and
ethnographical collections. The Medieval Art Festival takes
place once a year, in August, drawing many tourists. Since
1999 Sighisoara has been part of the world’s heritage,
being included on the list of the protected monuments made
up by the World Heritage Cities Organization.
Suceava
Location: in Suceava County.
Description: Suceava Citadel was
built during the rule of the Prince Petru I Musat (1375-1391),
having 10 m high and 2 m thick defense walls and a defense
tower in every corner. During the rule of Stephen the Great
the citadel was enlarged and strengthened. This is the time
when the second defense wall was built, being protected by
a ditch. The entrance into the citadel was realized by crossing
a bridge with piers. In this citadel Stephen the Great died
on the 2nd of July 1504. The Citadel has functioned many years
as the capital city of Moldavia. In 1675 the ruler Dumitrascu
Cantacuzino blew up the citadel at the orders of the Turks.
The Citadel was restored in several stages: in 1875-1904,
under the supervision of the architect K.A.Ronestorfer, in
1951 and in 1961-1970.
Targu Neamt
Location: on Neamt Valley, 44 km
far from Piatra Neamt, Neamt County.
Description: Neamt Citadel was
built during the rule of the Prince Petru I Musat (1375-1391),
being an important craft centre and a customs point. The citadel
was strengthened between 1475 and 1476, during the rule of
Stephen the Great: the citadel’s walls were raised and
thickened, some defense bastions were built, the fosse surrounding
the citadel was dug, the access into the citadel being made
through a bridge made of stone. Neamt Citadel was set on fire
by the ruler Mihai Racovita at the orders of the Turkish Sultan
in 1718. After 1718 it fell into ruin. The citadel was object
of big restoration works after 1960. Today Neamt Citadel is
considered to be a historical monument.
Viscri
Location: 7 km far from Rupea,
Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in 1400. Viscri village is renowned due to the Saxon
peasant fortress which protects within its walls a church
dating from the 12th century. The settlement was founded by
the Saxons at the end of the 12th century (1162). It seems
that when the Saxons arrived they found a chapel built in
1100-1120 by the Seklers who were defending the Hungarian
frontier. Along the time the chapel suffered many changes
according with the needs of the Saxon community. The fortress
entered into the possession of the community during the 14th
century.
Viscri village was included by UNESCO on the list of World
Cultural Heritage.
Câlnic
Location: in Alba County.
Description: Câlnic locality
was first mentioned in a document in 1269. Câlnic Fortress
was built around 1200 and it was initially a nobiliary residence
belonging to the Kelling family. The Fortress of Câlnic
functioned as the residence of the Saxon Counts until 1430.
The last descendant of the nobiliary family sold the fortress
to the community of Câlnic. The fortress suffered some
changes according with the needs of the peasant community
in the following period (the 15th-16th century), an exterior
defense belt being added to the initial fortifications. The
fortress is dominated by a central tower, known as Siegfried
Tower. The Fortress of Câlnic is considered to be an
architectural monument.
Hãrman
Location: 8 km far from Brasov,
in Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1240. The main tourist attraction
is the fortified church dating from the 13th century (1280-1290).
Surrounding the church, a strong peasant fortress was built
between 1500 and 1520. The fortress was protected by 6 bastions,
by 5 m thick and 12 m high defense walls and by defense ditches.
Râsnov
Location: 15 km far from Brasov,
Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1331. The peasant fortress was
built in several stages during the 14th-17th centuries and
it was protected by 9 defense towers and a 5 m high defense
wall.
Rupea
Location: 63 km far from Brasov,
Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in 1324. Cohalm Fortress was built in several stages
during the 13th-17th century. Rupea (Cohalm) was an important
borough during the 15th century, counting approximately 12
crafts.
Prejmer
Location: in Brasov County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1240. The peasant fortress was
built during the 15th-16th centuries. The fortress was protected
by defense towers, by 14 m high and 6 m thick defense walls
and by a fosse. Inside the fortress there is an Evangelical
Church. The church is considered to be one of the biggest
fortified churches from the south-eastern Europe.
Orastie
Location: 26 km far from Deva,
Hunedoara County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1224. Orastie Fortress was built
during the 14th-15th centuries, being at that time renowned
as an important borough. The fortress was afterwards enlarged
during the 16th-17th centuries.
Targu Mures
Location: in Mures County.
Description: The locality was mentioned
in a document dating from 1300. Targu Mures was an important
borough during the 15th century. This is the time when the
first fortifications were made: the Skinners’ Bastion,
the Tailors’ Bastion, the Shoemakers’ Bastion,
the Potters’ Bastion, and the Butchers’ Bastion.
The town was attacked by the troops led by the General Giorgio
Basta in 1601-1602 and it was seriously damaged. The town
was reconstructed between 1602 and 1653 and new fortifications
were added: a defense belt and bastions (the Coopers’
Bastion, the Tanners’ Bastion).
Targoviste
Location: 72 km far from Bucharest,
Dambovita County.
Description: The locality was first
mentioned in a document in 1396. The town functioned as the
capital city of Tara Romaneasca Province (in the southern
part of Romania) until 1659, when the ruler Gheorghe Ghica
moved to Bucharest. The town was fortified in 1645. This is
the time when the fosses, the bastions and the precinct earthwork
wall were realized. The main tourist attraction of the town
is the Princely Court Ensemble which includes the Big Princely
Church, the Small Princely Church and the ruins of the Princely
Palace (built during the 14th-17th centuries), all of them
being dominated by Chindiei Tower. Chindiei Tower is 27 m
high and it was built during the second half of the 15th century.
Its present appearance is dating from 1847-1851, when at the
orders of the ruler Gheorghe Bibescu the tower was restored.
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