Castele

Castelul Peleş

Peleş Castle was the first European Castle to have central heating, electricity, and vacuuming. This castle was intended to be the summer residence of King Carol I, Romania's longest-serving monarch. Construction began in 1875 and it was finally completed in 1914, one year before King Carol's death. It is 3500 sq meters and built in predominantly German-Renaissance style. King Carol's wife Elisabeta decorated most of the interior. During the Ceauşescu era many international leaders such as Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi, and PLO leader Yasser Arafat visited the castle.

Castelul Bran

Bran Castle was not the castle of Vlad Ţepeş (Dracula). It was built by the Saxons from Braşov in 1382 to defend Bran pass against the Turks. Vlad may have stayed at the castle for a few nights on his flight from the Turks in 1462. Queen Marie lived in the castle from 1920 and it served as a summer residence for Romanian royalty until the forced abdication of King Michael in 1947. In 1957 the castle became a museum.