Poenari Castle
The Castle of Poenari, a charming medieval citadel, is situated on a mountain peak in the county of Argeș, 27 kilometers from Curtea de Argeș. This city is a historic monument from the 14th century, being an important tourist attraction for those who want to visit Transfăgărășan.
The mountain road, the landscape and the beauty of the fortress are worth the effort made to climb the 1480 steps in response to the ruins of the Poenari Castle. This was the inspiration of the writer Jules Verne in the composition of the novel “Castle in the Carpathians”.
The fortress represents the second residence of Vlad the Impaler, rebuilt to serve as a fortress against the Turks who were attacking him. Poenari Castle was the last refuge of the ruler before he left Transylvania.
Poenari Castle is located on a mountain peak
Location and Surroundings
The Poenari Castle is located on a mountain at the foot of which the Argeș River flows, just a few kilometers downstream from the Vidraru dam, at the entrance to the Argeș gorges. In the immediate vicinity are the Vidraru Hirdoelectric Power Plant and the camping area on the Argeș Valley.
Today, the ruins of the fortress are organized as a tourist objective, having added security elements such as ramps and steps. At night, the fortress is illuminated and can be seen from below like a burning peak of the rock on which it is built.
This historical monument is situated in an oasis of tranquility, where the only sounds that are heard are the song of birds and the sound of the wind among the trees that adorn the neighboring mountains.
In Vlad Țepeș’s time, the boyars were impaled - an image reconstructed with the help of mannequins
Sometimes, the lucky ones will be greeted by music with medieval influences, played on the flute by the guardian of the fortress, an old man raised in the mountains that host this fortification.
The view is charming, composed of the rich green forests that surround the city, the summer. In autumn, the leaves rust and give birth to a palette of shades that are the subject of hundreds of photographs from year to year.
After you finish the steep climb, you will be greeted by an image that seems to emerge from the horror films: noblemen impaled on the forts of the castle. Although recreated through lifeless mannequins, this image accurately reflects the reality of the period when Vlad the Impaler was residing at the Poenari Fortress.
History
Initially, the fortress was built in the time of Negru Voda in the 13th century, with only one tower. In the 14th century, Vlad Țepeș added to the construction of towers, walls and outbuildings in order to build a shelter.
1500 - Poenari Castle was first mentioned in a document issued by Hungarian King Ladislaus V the Posthumous.
1955 - There was a powerful earthquake that caused significant damage to the fortress. Almost the entire northern part of the wall collapsed with the rock on which it rested.
1696 - 1972 - In this interval the Poenari Castle was restored several times, the walls were raised and strengthened. Also, during the communist period, access steps were built allowing the entire fortress to be visited under safe conditions.
Digital reconstruction of the Poenari Castle
Construction and Architecture
Poenari Castle has an elongated shape and 5 towers, 4 of which are round and one is prismatic. Its walls have a thickness of about 3 meters; the constructions was raised directly from the rock, using oak beams for leveling and cohesion. Thus, due to the steep slope on the outside, their height is much bigger.
The “Cantacuzino Chronicle” describing the history of the times between 1290 and 1690 says that the Targoviste nobleman were planning to execute the ruler because of his habit to impale thieves, lazy men and traitors.
The prince learned of the boyars’ plan and ordered that they be brought to the fortress to enlarge and consolidate it: “(…) everyone was brought to Poenari and they worked in the fortress until their clothes broke off them.”. (Passage of the “Chronicle Cantacuzino”).
Ștefan Dumitrache confirms what was said in the historical work, adding that not only the boyars worked in the fortress, but also the merchants from Târgoviște. This represents a punishment that the prince imposed for its rivals in the Dănești party. Those who survived until the completion of the construction were released.
Stefan Dumitrache also reveals that on the mountain opposite the fortress, there is a road that the Turkish troops have paved with stone. The Ottomans used this route to mount their cannons and bomb the fortress, which was the only way to enter the fortifications. Since then, the road has been nicknamed the “Turkish road”.
The 1480 steps of the Poenari Castle
During the communist period, access to the fortress was facilitated by the construction of a concrete staircase that has no less than 1480 steps. On average, a tourist takes almost an hour to walk all the way from the base of the rock to the gate of the fortress.
Along this route, those who dare to make the ascent, will always be surprised by the fairy landscape that surrounds the city. This aspect is especially accentuated in autumn, when the surrounding forests turn into a pastel rhapsody.
The climb to the fortress takes about an hour, tourists having to climb 1480 steps.
Popular legends
Although not in the immediate vicinity of the fortress, the River Doamnei was named so because of Vlad the Impaler’s wife. Discovering that the Ottomans were on their way to the city and fearing for her fate, she climbed the battlements of Poenari Castle and threw herself into the river that ran along the fortress.
Her body was crushed by rocks, and the place where she fell was reddened by blood. The stones on the edge of the river (Argeș), those located in the immediate vicinity of the fortress, are red to this day.
Another legend about the Poenari Castle and Vlad The Impaler declares that Vlad The Empaler, followed by the Turks, escaped them by taking refuge in the fortress of Poenari. In order to get rid of those who followed him, he developed an elaborate plan: he prepared his horses by putting their horseshoes the other way around.
Thus, their traces seemed to be moving away from the fortress, the Turks believing that Vlad The Impaler left the fortress before their arrival. By this method, the ruler managed to trick the pursuers, sending them on a wrong path.
Information
In this section we provide some useful information for planning your visit to Poenari Castle.
Schedule
In the summer season (June - October), from Monday to Sunday, the visiting time of the Poenari Castle is from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Outside the season, the fortress schedule is unpredictable, being adjusted according to the number of tourists.
Price
The entry price to the Poenari Castle is 5 lei for adults and 2 lei for children, students, students or retirees - the proof is made by an official document (student / pension card). It is paid downstairs, at the beginning of the steps, before the climb.
We do not recommend going around the counter where the fees are paid because you will be checked at the end of the walks. In the absence of a ticket, entry into the fortress will not be permitted.
There is a photo/video fee of 60 lei for amateurs and 1000 lei per hour for professionals.
