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see the map and the distances!
Just near Brasov we can admire Harman and Prejmer
fortified churches, some of the finest examples of this kind of
Gothic masterpieces. Both of them are in course of restoration,
only with the help of German funds. The Germans who left their villages,
but who didn’t forget where they were born, have established
a foundation which collects money to better preserve the Saxon heritage
in Transylvania. Just a few kilometers one from another, their imposant
stature and also the fact that they are both quite close to Brasov
made them very attractive to the tourists coming in this area.
The Gothic Evangelical Church in Prejmer was built in the 13th century
and in 15th century it was surrounded by a citadel. It was the strongest
peasant fortress in Transylvania., as it was very close to the border
with Moldova. It still houses 275 small rooms where the locals could
be protected during the sieges. Every family had its own room, and
they fed on the provisions accumulated in a special room - “Speisesaal”
(Meal Room) when being under siege. The impressive wall, measuring
ofer 14 m in height and being over 4 m thick was a good protection
against the Turks and Tatars who attacked very often these regions.
Harman church, even if not so massive as the one in
Prejmer, still has that “flavor” of an untouched place,
the old village itself looking the way it looked centuries ago.
This is the only peasant fortress in Transylvania. where the villagers’
rooms are not attached to the inner side of the walls surrounding
the church, but instead they are attached to the church itself.
The new Harman, well, it’s another story, as this is the place
where many rich people from Brasov have build their houses. I won’t
mention anything about the “modern” architecture in
the new part of the village, I’ll leave it for you to judge.
From Harman we move on to Sinaia, 50 km away, to visit the most
visited castle in Romania, Peles Castle.
Even if this castle is the pride of Romanian tourism,
being mentioned in every Romanian guide book, the crowds of tourists
waiting in queue to enter the castle do not fit my tastes for isolate
and remote tourist attractions just waiting to be discovered by
the enthusiastic wanderer. Maybe because it is too “advertised”
and “public” I don’t see it that attractive. I
must admit though that crowds have indeed good reasons to come to
Peles. The luxury seen in this castle is undoubtly of great interest
for a nation which has relatively few such examples of architecture
and decorations.
In 1873, King Carol of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (who came on the
Romanian throne in 1866) begins building up the Peles Castle in
Sinaia. The place chose by the king was a picturesque wilderness
which spread over 500 ha, bought by the king in 1872. Although the
works at the castle began in the autumn of 1873, the first construction
stage was completed only in October 1883, when the official inauguration
took place. Only in 1914 got Peles Castle to the actual size and
shape.
The main characteristics of the exterior architecture of Peles Castle
are specific to the new German Renaissance : sharp profiles, slim
verticals, irregular shapes, the abundance of carved wood and decorative
elements.
The castle’s gardens are adorned with statues, artesian wells,
all in the Italian Renaissance style, all contributing to a delightful
experience for the visitor.
King Carol I built this castle as a summer residence, and at that
time this building was one of the most advanced in Europe in terms
of comfort: it was the first castle in Europe to have central heating
and electricity. Visiting the grandiose rooms, each one decorated
and furnished according to different European or Oriental style,
takes over 50 minutes. Even so, this isn’t much time. The
Hall of Honor, the Weapons’ Room, the Florence Hall, the Venetian
Room, are all very, very impressive, and many visitors feel the
need to take a second guided tour to be able to “assimilate”
all the splendor and sumptuously.
After visiting Peles Castle it’s time to have lunch in a nice
restaurant in Predeal (21 km from Sinaia). After lunch we can visit
the hilltop fortress in Rasnov (16 km from
Predeal) which had, lets’s say, a “lucky” fate.
The fortress was built in the 13th century by the local villagers
(Saxons, of course!) to protect them against the Tartar and, later,
Turkish invasions. In 1335 the first Tartar attack over the fortress
took place. Later, the fortress fountain has been dug by, the legend
says, 2 Turkish prisoners who were told they would be released after
the fountain would be finished. The 154 m deep well assured the
locals with water during the long sieges.
The fortress was in use until 1850 when it was almost abandoned.
Until recently, at was all ruins, but a few years ago a foreigner
came and invested money in its reconstruction. The changes are at
least dramatic. Where 10 years ago ghostly ruins were covered in
weeds, today, a replica of a medieval town has been built. It is
still a lot of work to be done, but the things are going certainly
in a very good direction. A nice restaurant has been built up at
the fortress, and a small but fine museum displays objects closely
related to Rosenauer Burg (the Saxon for “Rasnov”) history.
Its position, high on a hill, provides an excellent panorama towards
the mountains and Burzenland (“Tara Barsei”). It will
be a very pleasant surprise for the travelers, even if it is becoming
more and more crowded, its fame growing by the time and by the increasing
rhythm of reconstruction
From here we’ll go to Plaiul Foii chalet, in fact a mini-hotel,
which lies at the base of Piatra Craiului mountains
Updated info regarding accomodation in rural Romanian pensions:
www.turistinfo.ro
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