On the day we finished the four days of hiking in the Transylvanian Alps, as we made our way back to our base, Braşov, we took a slight detour to visit two of Romania’s castles in Transylvania in the Sinaia area:  the Peleş Castle and its sidekick, the Pelişor Castle. 

While these two castles are not as old or as “famous” as Bran Castle (of Dracula notoriety), they are beautiful and quite evocative of a time long gone now.  Romania never ceases to amaze me with its diverse and rich history and architecture!

Brief history of Peleş Castle

Peleş Castle began being built around 1873-5.  It was ordered built by King Charles I (Carol I) of Romania, who was born in modern day Germany and was picked to be the ruler of the Romanian state after the prior leader of the Romanian territories was deposed. 

Charles was not Romanian but his selection as the new king of Romania partly was guided by the need to have a foreign prince of an established royal family.  Crazy chess game, methinks… 

King Charles later proclaimed Romania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire of which Romania had been a vassal state under a different ruler so he is likely seen as a great hero. The castle became an official summer royal residence around 1883.  The castle remained so until after World War II when it was confiscated by the communist government (as communists are wont to do). 

In 2007 the castle was returned to the ex-royal family, though its contents were not returned.  The ex-royal family rents it back to the government to serve as a museum though I have also read that the family sold it back to the government (this could be more recent news).

Regardless, a good thing for those of us who love to explore history and architecture in our travels.  (By the way these are the same ex-royals who still parade themselves at weddings and funerals of other European royal families still using royal titles – I think some folks need to get a grip…  But I digress…) 

A lot of the objects currently in the castle originated in Austria or Germany, which may be much as the original contents based on what Charles likely was used to.  Its main tower reminded me a little bit of the tower of Palace of Culture, in Iaşi.

And now to Pelişor Castle‘s Story…

Pelişor Castle, which sits a short walk away from Peleş, was also ordered built by Charles I but for his heir (and nephew), Ferdinand, to live in.  It was built around the turn of the 20th century from 1899-1903.  Since then, it shares the same history (or fate, if you prefer) as Peleş.

Indoors and outdoors at Peleş Castle

I was about to say (er, write) that my favorite part of this castle was the courtyard and the front yard.  Then I remembered the chandeliers I saw and some of the incredible rooms (especially the “oriental” room – how cool!).  The castle is worth the detour and worth paying the photo fee to take pictures.

Indoors and Outdoors at Pelişor Castle

While Peleş felt more “grown-up”, Pelişor felt more like a regular home.  Not only because it was smaller, more manageable than Peleş but also because it had rooms for little kids on exhibit – it truly felt like a family’s home.  You could be forgiven for thinking that at any moment, kids were about to run in.

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So while Bran Castle is much better known (or, perhaps, the only known) castle in Romania to folks far from that country, it is a shame if a visitor to Romania makes it to Bran to see its castle and does not take the short detour to see these two gems of castles nestled in the lands around Sinaia.  It is well worth the effort!

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