Did you know that Romania is called the most mysterious country in Europe? And not only because here are the castles of vampires who made her famous all over the world. Today we will tell you about this amazing and so different country.

At the beginning, it must be said that Romania- a state located in the north of the Balkan Peninsula in the southeastern part of the European continent. From the southeast it is washed by the waters of the Black Sea. The central, northern and western parts of the country are occupied by mountains. In the south is the Lower Danube Plain. The main river artery of Romania is the Danube.

Perhaps, it is worth starting a vacation in Romania from the capital of the country - Bucharest. By the way, translated from Romanian, this word means “joy”. Although, if we recall the recent past of this country, associated with the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu, there was little joy for the local population: in 1980, an order was given to demolish almost half of all historical buildings, destroy monasteries, churches, thousands of houses ... Instead, an artificial hill was erected, with the House of the People on it. This whole building was of such a scale that it even got into the Guinness Book of Records as the second largest administrative building in the world, which is second only to the Pentagon. It even has eight underground floors, and there are so many halls that it is easy to get lost. Now the building houses the Palace of the Parliament, a ticket to visit this place costs about ten euros, and an excursion is also purchased for this amount. Several surviving old quarters start from the main city avenue "Calea Victorie", you can safely turn into any lane and look at beautiful centuries-old houses, go to antique shops and old restaurants. When you decide to have a bite to eat, go to the wonderful complex "Manucs Inn" - the building that serves as a hotel and restaurant was built in the nineteenth century; Meals in the restaurant are served only national cuisine, you will be offered: Romanian cutlets with hominy, they will offer to wash them down with a glass of local homemade wine or a glass of beer.

The history of Romania is long and full of different historical events: there were wars, and the heroic struggle for independence, and the famous "Ceausescu regime". But we will not talk about this, but about what makes Romania exactly that mysterious European country? It would seem that this is the very center of progressive Eastern Europe, and traveling around the country, you stumble upon godforsaken villages, into which the twenty-first did not even think to look. You even wonder how such a miracle could retain its authenticity today. A good example is the Romanian village of Biertan, located in Transylvania. It was built by Saxon settlers in the 12th century. This village has a fortified church, which was an integral attribute of all Saxon settlements. Why fortified? After all, it was built with the expectation that it would have to withstand the almost continuous Turkish raids that took place in those days. The defensive systems of such churches had bastions and towers that served as fortifications of the three defensive walls. Local residents, at signs of attack, fled to the church to wait out long periods of siege there. The feeling that time has stopped takes over here completely and irrevocably: sleepy streets, a few local residents modestly dressed in a rustic way.

Surprisingly, half of the Romanian population lives in villages, which is why, having traveled through such places, you can better understand the traditions of this country, carefully preserved in the rural outback. Of course, villages can be different, somewhere, as in Bjertan mentioned above, antiquity dominates, and somewhere it is organically combined with the comfort of modernity. For example, comfortable villas can coexist with peasant houses, where barns and stalls for livestock are built in the yard, and modern highways alternate with miserable country roads, a luxury car can drive along the highway, and a peasant on a horse team can plow the field. As we have already said, Romania is so different! All Romanian villages are very picturesque, they are mainly located in the valleys or on the shores of the Black Sea, high in mountainous areas and on the green slopes of the mountains, abundantly covered with vineyards. Every Romanian village has its own own history, centuries-old traditions, crafts inherent in this particular place, local holidays, their songs and national clothes. Local people are very hospitable and friendly, they are always glad to any traveler.

Proceed interesting vacation in mysterious Romania stands in Transylvania, namely in its very heart - the majestic Carpathians, with dark dense forests, where you involuntarily begin to recall national Romanian fairy tales and legends about the "strigoi" or vampires living here. All travelers definitely go to the city of Brasov - a beautiful, medieval city, which on a cloudy day or at the approach of dusk with its Gothic outlines makes impressionable and nervous persons play out their fantasy. On a sunny day, he seems sweet and friendly, reminiscent of the Austrian Salzburg. In Brasov, be sure to go to the ancient Church of St. Bartholomew, built in 1223, as well as the Black Church, which is really black, from soot after a grandiose fire that happened here. From Brasov, sitting on scheduled bus, departing every half hour, tourists travel to the gloomy Bran Castle, popularly known as "Dracula's Castle". This castle was built at the end of the 14th century to carry out protection functions, in other words, it was a fortress. Further, the castle was presented to Queen Mary of Romania. You ask, how is the city of Vlad Tepesh connected with him? (this is not a mistake - it’s Tepesh, not Tepes, as our compatriots say) If we give historical justice, Count Dracula spent two months in prison here, but that’s all ... Francis Ford Coppola, who filmed here is his famous film "Dracula". And if you have a desire to visit the real places of "Dracula's habitat", then you will have to go to Sighisoara. This is a small but absolutely charming town, with beautiful multi-colored houses and the city's clock tower. On one of the streets of the city stands the house in which Vlad Tepesh was born in 1431. And although his family did not live here for long, this was quite enough for the city to be included in the list of tourist routes associated with the mysterious and mystical man of Romania. But the city of Sighisoara is remarkable and interesting in itself: medieval buildings have been preserved here in their original form, and the atmosphere of the town is so wonderful and soothing that it is called the “pearl of Transylvania”.

It should be noted that holidays in Romanian Transylvania are also excellent ski resorts. Just twelve kilometers from Brasov is the most respectable ski resort in Romania - the resort of Poiana Brasov. It is located at an altitude of 1030 meters above sea level and is surrounded by a dense coniferous forest. Locals have been visiting this place for skiing since the nineteenth century. To date, there are a dozen slopes of varying difficulty, excellent and reliable lifts will take you to the top, there are also sports equipment rentals, a school for beginner skiers, and, of course, comfortable hotels.

It was not in vain that we said about the school for beginners, because it is the beginners who try to come here, since the Romanian mountain slopes are not as steep and extreme as in the Alps. The skiing season here starts in December and ends in March. A little further from Brasov is Predeal, the slopes of which are very fond of beginner snowboarders. At all Romanian ski resorts, they are fed tasty and satisfying dishes of national cuisine. In the restaurant, tired skiers will be offered fragrant offal, trout on needles, carp hodgepodge, delicious cabbage rolls, they will offer all this to be washed down with excellent wine, and for connoisseurs of stronger drinks, they will bring a Romanian drink called palinka, with a strength of 55 degrees.

Holidays in Romania can go to balneological resort that operate all year round. Here, mineral water with the purest Carpathian air, enriched with ozone, work wonders. The Slanic-Moldova resort, located in the valley of the river of the same name, is proud of its twenty mineral springs which has no analogue anywhere in the world. Here they specialize in the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, bronchitis and asthma. The next famous resort in Romania is Covasna, where they specialize in the treatment of heart disease, hypertension, and neuroses. In the Eastern Carpathians, there is the resort of Sovat, where treatment is carried out not only with the help of water, but also with the help of mud from Lake Negru. The famous salt mine is located in this place, it is curative, everything is equipped here, there are playgrounds for children, there is even a church for believers. The "underground" cave-clinic takes up to three thousand people a day.

You can spend your summer holidays on Black Sea beaches Romania. They are wide and sandy, with a smooth entrance to the sea, which is great for children. The sand here is always velvety, golden in color, very clean and fine. The bottom is smooth and without breaks. The widest beaches are in Mangalia and Techirghiol. The sea is very calm everywhere, there are no strong tides here. Prices for tours with holidays on the coast are low, due to the fact that the Romanian resorts are not yet a popular destination.

As you understand, holidays in Romania can be year-round, multifaceted and very eventful. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you visit this wonderful and mysterious part of Europe.

If you think that Romania is about vampires hiding in dark castles and waiting for tourists, then this is not at all the case. While the Transylvanian vampires are indeed menacing in legend, Romania is much more than just Dracula and his Brukenthal Palace. There are plenty of medieval castles and magnificent alpine scenery where you can ski in the winter and hike in the summer. Romania has quaint villages and vibrant churches that are painted in a unique style. Millions of birds nest in the Danube Delta, among which there are very rare species. I present to your attention an overview of the main attractions of Romania.

Churches of Maramures

When the foreign rulers of Maramuresh refused to build durable stone churches, they decided to build them from wood. For 200 summer period approximately 300 were built wooden churches, about 100 of which have survived to this day. These Gothic structures are predominantly Orthodox, but there are a few Greek Catholic shrines. Churches with tall thin bell towers reflect high craftsmanship and knowledge of carpentry. These are both simple and elegant sights of Romania. Hand-painted murals adorn the inside of the many wooden churches of Maramures.

Vaser Valley

In Romania, you will have a unique chance to go on an excursion through the forests of the Carpathians on a steam locomotive. The railway of the local forestry, stretching along the valley of the Vaser River, has been operating since 1932, when it was used to deliver wood from sawmills. Today, it is used to transport tourists who love the charm of the old narrow gauge trains along the pretty forest scenery. The train stops in Patina, where you will have two hours to walk through the forest and have a picnic in the natural surroundings.

Danube Delta

If you are a nature lover, then definitely visit the Danube Delta. It is the largest protected River Delta in Europe, most of which is in Romania. Be sure to bring your binoculars as this is a bird watcher's paradise. Here you can observe many rare species of birds that gather for the winter. The canals overgrown with reeds provide an ideal environment for 300 species of birds. There is also a wide variety of animals here, including wild cats, wolves and even wild boars. The Danube Delta is one of the most outstanding natural attractions in Romania.

Poiana Brasov

When you get tired of looking for vampires, look to Poiana Brasov and visit this popular ski resort in Romania. This place attracts skiers from all over Europe. The ski resort in the Carpathians has seven slopes with a total length of 25 km for athletes with varying degrees of training. Alpine skiing, figure skating and snowboarding competitions are constantly held here. After an active day on the slopes, treat yourself to a traditional spiced wine or a local spiced pepper drink.

Corvin Castle

The Corvinus Castle is a medieval gothic structure considered to be the greatest medieval castle in Romania. It is also known as Hunyad Castle in honor of the high-ranking ruler who built it. Corwin is a fairy-tale castle, to which a wooden bridge leads with a statue of John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of bridges. The symbol of the 15th century castle is a raven carrying gold ring. While visiting this Romanian landmark, look out for the bear pit and the dungeon where people were brutally tortured. This is one of the perfectly preserved European castles that is definitely worth a visit.

Monastery Sucevitsa

Sučevica Monastery has a unique architectural style. One way or another, Gothic and Byzantine elements are mixed here, plus the Moldavian style of painting churches. All this is reflected in a single impressive building, as one of the most recognizable sights of Romania. The front of the monastery is cylindrical and topped with a conical roof, while the back is rectangular with a small tower. Inside, you'll find painted frescoes from the early 1600s and tombs embroidered with silver thread. The monastery is located in northeastern Romania and is considered one of the most important painted churches in the country.

Salina Turda

Articles in this place:

Romania is one of the most mysterious countries in the world. Permeated with gloomy legends, filled with secrets, this country attracts those tourists who dream of opening the door to other worlds, and at least out of the corner of their eye to see unusual and mystical manifestations of otherworldly forces. Indeed, there are a lot of places that are notorious in Romania. But does it scare someone who wants to see everything attractions in romania and witness some miracle?

witch lake

wikipedia.org

Not far from the capital of Romania, in the depths of the Boldu-Creteasca forest, there is a small reservoir. At first glance, he is unremarkable. Quite small, only 1.5 meters deep, which, however, remains unchanged in the summer heat and during the seasonal rains.

smileplanet.ru

The most interesting thing is that the locals of Romania have never seen animals come here to drink. And in the lake itself, neither fish nor other aquatic inhabitants are found.
Animals are scared away by a poisonous substance in the lake or sources of gases at the bottom. But other mystical events take place near the reservoir.

wikipedia.org

Sometimes, at night, strange people appear on the shore, who burn various objects above the surface of the water and perform other equally strange actions. There is a belief that the lake is a source of magical powers, and all its unusual night visitors are sorcerers and witches who come here to perform rituals. It is said that even some tourists, being on the shore, feel an unusual energy emanating from the water depths.

Merry Cemetery of Romania

byebye-americanpie.blogspot.ru

This is probably the most unusual cemetery in the whole world. And it's not about legends about ghosts and lost souls. Sinister occult rituals are not performed here either. Why is this place so attractive to tourists?

quirkyberkeley.com

It's all about the design of the "last refuge" of the dead. There are no majestic crosses and mournful statues that eternally mourn the dead. Quite the opposite. Every tombstone shines bright colors, and instead of posthumous epitaphs, satirical verses were written on them. Sometimes even on the graves there are pictures illustrating events from the life of the "inhabitants".

dangerous-business.com

And even if souls wander here who cannot find peace, the cheerful atmosphere surrounding them should please them. After all, she is so liked by living people who come to look at the most original cemetery in the world.

Bran Castle

livewomanfashion.info

Even the person most far from any mystical manifestations knows that Romania is considered the birthplace of the progenitor of the legendary vampires - Count Vlad Tepes, better known to people as Dracula. This dark legend was born in the depths of Bran Castle, which is most often called Dracula's castle.
livewomanfashion.info

If you turn to historical facts, then it is believed that it was in the dungeons of the castle that the captive Vlad Tepes, captured by Matthias Corvin, was kept. Nowadays, tourists come here to look at the place where, albeit for a short time, the legendary Dracula still lived. Or maybe they hope someday to meet him in the dark castle dungeons?

Secrets of the forest Hoya Bachu

hdwallsbox.com

In the age of the development of science, it would be strange if a person trying to find unusual and mystical manifestations in life limited himself in his research to only ancient legends and stories that have come down to us from the depths of the Middle Ages.

wallpaperup.com

Since humanity was able to break away from the earth and turned its gaze into space, a theory has begun to form that there are other living beings in the Universe that can far surpass earthly civilization in development. And, of course, after a while, eyewitnesses appeared who said that they had seen unknown flying objects and even the aliens themselves. There were even places where such contacts occurred quite often. One of them is the mysterious forest of Hoya Bachu. Many tourists come here hoping to see guests from distant space.

pre-tend.com

But the strangeness of this place does not end there. Other strange phenomena also occur here: people disappear, lose their memory or fall ill with incomprehensible diseases. No one can explain all these events. But it is precisely because of such cases that the forest got its second name - the “Bermuda Triangle of Romania”. All these oddities, however, do not prevent crowds of travelers from flocking here in search of unexplored wonders.

Museum of Living Stones

i2.wp.com

Stones are not usually any notable objects for travelers. The exception is stone sculptures and structures.
But in Romania, even these mundane objects have strange and even mystical properties. They can grow, move, and even reproduce!

tripfreakz.com

And if the first property can be attributed to an unusual composition, which includes mineral salts that absorb moisture and expand under its influence, then reproduction is a property inherent only in living organisms. Is it possible that there is another, inorganic form of life on our planet? So far, scientists have remained silent. But on the other hand, every tourist can come to Romania and admire the tromantes (the so-called "living" stones), which are located in the museum of the village of Costesti.

Shrouded in mystery, Romania never ceases to attract tourists. And even if you suddenly fail to see something mystical with your own eyes, it will forever remain in your memory as one of the most magnificent countries in the world.

That's all we have. We are very glad that you have looked at our site and spent some time enriching yourself with new knowledge.

Join our

If an unusual incident happened to you, you saw a strange creature or an incomprehensible phenomenon, you had an unusual dream, you saw a UFO in the sky or became a victim of alien abduction, you can send us your story and it will be published on our website ===> .

Forest Hoya-Bachu, located near the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, rightfully bears the title of one of the most mysterious places Europe. It is called the "Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania".

This analogy suggests itself: people disappear without a trace here, encounters with UFOs are not uncommon ... Residents of the surrounding villages prefer not to go to Hoya-Bacha, so as not to incur the wrath of the powerful forces that, in their opinion, live in the forest.

The forest was changing before our eyes...

The main tourist attraction of Transylvania is Bran Castle, built in the 14th century. It was once owned by the legendary Vlad Tepes, better known to us as Count Dracula.

However, in recent years, more and more tourists tend to visit not only and not so much Dracula's castle, but the Hoya-Bachu forest surrounding it, in which paranormal phenomena have become almost commonplace.

But a little over 100 years ago it was a forest as a forest. Locals hunted there, picked mushrooms and berries. A well-trodden path ran through the forest, along which travelers were not afraid to travel even at night. Now this road is almost overgrown, and only extreme people will risk going to Hoya Bacha at night. Or obsessed paranormal investigators. Which, however, is enough.

At the beginning of the last century, the forest (then it was simply called Hoya) began to change literally before our eyes. The straight trunks of the trees gradually bent at monstrous angles. The ground was overgrown with thick moss. Animals gradually disappeared from the forest, followed by almost all the birds. Local residents whispered that they saw Vlad Tepes in Hoya, who at one time loved to hunt in these places. It was rumored that the devil himself chose the forest thicket.

The Lost Shepherd

The forest of Hoya began to justify its sinister reputation immediately after the end of the First World War. In one of local villages there lived a shepherd nicknamed Bachu (translated from Romanian - "leader", "leader"). The local residents were engaged in cattle breeding, and therefore Bacha, who raised and sold hundreds of sheep, was respected. One day in June, a shepherd drove a flock of 200 heads to a fair in the town of Cluj-Napoca. His path ran through the forest. Bachu went there early in the morning and ... disappeared without a trace.

When at the appointed time he did not appear at the fair, the merchants, who were waiting for the flock, for which they had already paid a deposit, became alarmed. Residents of the city and surrounding villages (several thousand people participated in the search) literally combed the forest, the area of ​​which is 35 hectares, literally by a meter. But no traces of either the shepherd or the sheep could be found.

There were no robbers in these places for a long time, but even if they appeared from somewhere and killed Bacha, hiding his body, taking away such a large flock so that it would not be noticed in the surrounding villages is an unrealistic task. The respected man and the sheep disappeared without a trace. And the forest has since become known as Hoya-Bachu.

Time loop

The forest, like a predator that tasted the taste of human blood, demanded more and more new victims. Within a few years, several more people disappeared in Hoya Bachu. Their bodies were also not found. But these tragedies can be attributed to an accident, an attack by wild animals, that is, at least somehow explained. Other stories smack of outright devilry.

Here, for example, are two cases that occurred after the Second World War. A young teacher, who did not believe in God or in hell, went to Hoya Bacha for mushrooms. Soon local residents found her sitting on the edge of the forest.

In 1989, the Screaming Forest, located in Kent near the village of Pluckley, got into the Guinness Book of Records. It has the highest number of ghosts in the UK, with at least 12 "apparitions" per year.

The unfortunate woman completely lost her memory - she did not even remember her name. And, of course, she could not answer the question of what happened to her in the forest. Another time, a five-year-old girl, chasing a beautiful butterfly, ran into the forest and disappeared. Searches were organized, but the baby could not be found. Only five years later, the missing girl - in the same clothes and absolutely unchanged in appearance - came out of the forest, holding a caught butterfly by the wings.

The little girl was never able to tell where she disappeared: for her, only a few minutes had passed from the moment she entered the thicket.

Educated people, like the teacher mentioned above, despise superstition. Therefore, although the majority of local residents avoided hiking in Hoya-Bachu, some still went there for berries and mushrooms. Not all, but some soon fell ill - people complained of skin rashes, migraines, dizziness, unreasonable vomiting. Doctors could not establish the cause of ailments in absolutely healthy people. After some time, the patients recovered, but Hoya-Bacha finally gained a bad reputation.

World fame

In the 1960s, the Romanian biologist Alexander Sift became interested in the Hoya-Bachu phenomenon. He became the first scientist who seriously took up the study of the paranormal zone. For a number of years, Alexander, despite the danger, crossed the forest far and wide, spent the night in the thicket, and held photo shoots there.

Surprisingly, Hoya-Bachu did not cause him any harm. Alexander Sift noted that in the depths of the forest there is a strange round clearing on which there is no vegetation. When comparing soil samples from this clearing and from a regular forest clearing, no difference in composition was found. This means that there are no biological reasons for the disappearance of vegetation within the round meadow.

Alexander Sift noted: UFOs (most often round) can be found anywhere in the forest. But in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe "bald" meadow, their activity is greatest. When the films were developed after nightly photo shoots, the researcher drew attention to another strange feature. Many photographs show round luminous objects that are not perceived by the naked eye.

By the way, such balls still often appear in photographs taken with digital cameras. Scientists cannot give a reasonable explanation for this, but the locals have it. In their opinion, balls are souls dead people. The fact is that the lands of Transylvania are abundantly watered with blood - this area constantly changed hands in the Middle Ages. All this, of course, was accompanied by violence. The unfortunate peasants were robbed and mercilessly killed by local princes, and Hungarians, and Romanians, and Turks.

... In 1968, the case of Sift was continued by the Romanian military engineer Emil Barni. Shortly after the observation began, he managed to photograph a UFO above the treetops. Experts have established that we are really talking about some kind of flying object, the nature of which they do not undertake to explain. It is believed that this is the clearest and most reliable picture of a UFO taken in Romania.

Portal to another world?

Nowadays, numerous ufologists from different countries world - Germany, France, Great Britain, Hungary. However, paranormal activity in these places has declined somewhat in recent years. Not all visitors manage to encounter mystical phenomena.

However, many of them observe luminous balls in the forest (most often - near the "bald" clearing in the depths of the forest). Sometimes researchers hear strange sounds or see flickering shadows and lights. In winter, strange footprints often appear in the snow that do not belong to any creature known on Earth.

Photographs still often show strange silhouettes and glowing orbs that are not visible to the naked eye.

Prestigious ufology publications, as well as the BBC channel, call Hoya Bachu one of the most interesting paranormal zones on the planet. Even Nicolas Cage came here, intrigued by the programs about the mysterious forest. The famous Hollywood actor filmed a documentary about Hoya Bachu for several days, which he now shows to his friends at private parties. Cage is sure that the trees in the forest have changed their shape under the influence of the powerful energy inherent in these places. After this statement by the actor, yoga lovers began to come to Hoya Bachu. They meditate in the forest and try to draw energy from a mystical source.

In recent years, the inhabitants of the surrounding villages have found their own explanation for all the devilry that is happening in Hoya-Bachu. They are sure that the “bald” clearing in the thicket is a portal to another world. Disappeared people simply failed there. And luminous balls, strange shadows and UFOs are the inhabitants of a parallel universe who accidentally got into our world.

But there is another version that explains the mysterious phenomena in Hoya-Bachu. Dracula's castle, which was somehow forgotten among all this hype around the mystical forest, may well influence the territory surrounding it with its negative energy and even be a kind of portal connecting our world with parallel worlds.

Andrey Leshukonsky

Romania is a beautiful country with its own amazing and magical world, with beautiful and picturesque places, with a range of must-see attractions that are very popular with tourists from all over the world. It attracts with its ancient culture and beautiful nature. Any tourist will find a lot of interesting things for himself: great views the Black Sea, the Carpathian Mountains, clean air, beautiful mountain springs, the famous Danube River of indescribable beauty, historical architectural structures. Sights of Romania can be found in every corner of the country. Each of them has its own history, and even a legend. Many of them are nature reserves.

On the way from Transylvania to Wallachia, on the orders of King Carol I, the Peles Palace was built, which is commonly called the castle. It is 135 km from Bucharest. Its construction began on August 22, 1873 under the direction of the German architect Johann Schulz. It was originally intended as a summer residence of the king and a hunting ground. The central entrance is decorated with a sculpture of King Carol I, who considered his palace "the cradle of the dynasty, the cradle of the nation."

It was here that two Romanian kings were born: Carol II (in 1893) and Mihai (in 1921). The sculpture of his wife Elizabeth, depicted behind the embroidery, is located in a secluded corner of the garden. The 3200 m² castle was designed in neo-Renaissance style. This building was the first castle in the world to have electricity. For this, a power plant was built on the territory. Stables, houses for protection and hunting are arranged. The tower, 66 meters high, was crowned with a clock.

The interiors are decorated in the Baroque style. In total, the castle is equipped with 160 rooms, 30 bathrooms, a theater for 60 spectators. An elevator and an air conditioning system were built here with the help of sliding ceiling stained-glass windows. Workers from different countries worked on the construction of the castle. According to Queen Elizabeth they spoke 14 languages. In 1947, King Mihai was forced to abdicate and the castle was confiscated. It received tourists, and then in 1958 a museum was created.

During the reign of N. Ceausescu, the castle was under protection, access to it was closed. The reopening of the museum was short-lived. In 2006, it was returned to its rightful owner, the Romanian King Mihai. The government paid him 30 million euros, and the castle again became available for visits. At present, the castle houses Historical Museum, whose collection includes paintings and sculptures from Eastern and Central Europe, silver, gold, ivory, Sevres and Meissen porcelain.

The assembled collection of medieval weapons and armor is striking. It has over 4000 exhibits. Carpets for decorating the interiors of the castle were woven in Bucharest, Mosul, Isparta and Smyrna. Leather products are delivered from Spain (Cordoba). Hand-painted stained-glass windows were brought from Switzerland. Park Ensemble consists of seven terraces built in the Italian style. They are decorated with a large number of figures made of Carrara marble by the Italian sculptor Raffaello Romanelli, fountains, stairs. Open for tourists from 9 am to 5 pm (Wednesday-Sunday). It doesn't work in November either. It can be visited as part of an excursion group, they gather on the basis of the language principle.

Bran Castle

Built at the end of the 14th century, it was intended for defense and was built by the inhabitants themselves. It is located on top of a cliff 30 km from the city of Brasov and covers an area of ​​8 hectares. Inside, it has a complex system of stairs that allows you to move between four levels. There is a well in the courtyard, which, according to legend, leads to underground rooms. For the construction of this defensive fortress, local residents were exempted from paying taxes to the treasury for several centuries. During its existence, the fortress has repeatedly changed owners. But it got the name of Dracula's castle, since the ruler Vlad Tepes spent the night here during hikes and his favorite hunt.

There is a legend that the Turkish conquerors tortured him in the cellars of the castle. In 1918, the townspeople presented the castle to the Romanian Queen Maria. Since then it has been used as royal residence. In 1920-26, a grandiose restoration was carried out, during which a park with fountains, alleys and its own lake was spread on the estate. In 1948, the royal family left the palace, it fell into disrepair. But already in 1956, the Museum of History and Feudal Art was opened on its basis.

In 2006, a law was issued in Romania on the return of property to the previous owners, and the castle was returned to the heirs of the queen. But before that, they took out all the historical furniture. Therefore, it fell to her grandson Dominik to re-create the interiors and buy the appropriate furnishings. Local shops are happy to sell souvenirs related to Count Dracula. In addition, the town of Bran is famous for its local cheeses, the recipes for which are passed down from generation to generation in great secrecy. Bran is a hit with filmmakers around the world. So in 1994, the film "Interview with the Vampire" was released, filmed on the territory of the fortress.

Corvin Castle

It is located near the city of Hunedoara and was presented for outstanding services by the Hungarian king Sigismund to the Romanian military and political leader Janos Hunyadi. He decided to rebuild it and make it a family estate. The restoration was carried out in two stages. During the years 1441-1446, seven towers were erected, in the years 1446-1453 - a chapel, halls and utility rooms in the south wing. The castle was inherited by the son of Janos - Matthias Korvin, who continued construction work in the chapel and in the northern wing.

The architectural style of the castle includes Gothic elements combined with Quattrocento (early Renaissance) fragments. According to legend, the Transylvanian Count Vlad Tepes was kept in the dungeons of the castle for seven years after the overthrow. Since 1508, the castle has repeatedly changed owners, until it was in the hands of Gabor Bethlen, who led the anti-Habsburg movement in the Kingdom of Hungary. He carried out a reconstruction in it in the light of the latest fortification requirements.

But in the 18th century, the Habsburgs still began to own it. Under them, in 1854, a fire broke out in the castle, destroying the interior wooden trim. During the years 1868-74, a reconstruction was carried out here, as a result of which the roof was covered with tiles. During the communist rule, the castle was also reconstructed and opened to visitors.

Poenari

It is located in Arefu (rum. Arefu), which is a few kilometers from Lake Vidraru. Presumably it was built by Radu Negro, nicknamed the Black Governor. This is the semi-legendary founder of the Vlach state. At that time there was only one tower and a small guard garrison. In the 15th century, it belonged to the famous ruler Vlad Tepes, who did a lot to strengthen it.

He built four more towers, expanded the castle buildings. Traditions say that it was in it that Dracula tortured his opponents. After his death, the territory began to fall into disrepair, which was aggravated by the earthquake of 1888. The last restoration work was carried out in 1972. At this time, the masonry of the walls was strengthened and bridges with railings were built for the convenience of tourists.

Archaeological excavations have made it possible to assert that the fortress in the bed of the Argesh River has existed since time immemorial. It allowed to control the territory between Transylvania and Wallachia. To get to the ruins, you will have to overcome 1480 steps of a steep staircase leading to the top of Mount Chetetsuya. There is a platform on it, from which, according to legend, the wife of Count Tepes, Elena, rushed into the gorge.

Romanian Athenaeum

In 1865, the Ateneum Society (Atheneum) was founded in Romania, and in 1888, the construction of the building began at the expense of the Wallachian boyar family of Vacarescu. In addition, for its construction, people's money was also used, collected under the motto "Donate one leu to the Ateneum!". This is a concert hall located in the capital city of Bucharest. The author of the project was the French architect Albert Galleron. It is built in neoclassical style with romantic elements.

On the first floor there is a meeting room, and on the second floor there is an auditorium for 600 seats (52 additional seats are located in boxes). The interior of the auditorium is decorated with a fresco by the artist Costin Petrescu depicting significant events in Romanian history. Painting work was carried out for 6 years, starting in 1933. On April 22, 1939, a concert was given in honor of the construction of a concert organ.

Organ music was performed by Franz Schütz, director of the Vienna Academy of Music and Performing Arts. In front of the Ateneum building there is a small park with a monument to the classic of Romanian poetry, Mihai Eminescu. Currently, the concert hall is considered a symbol of Romanian culture and is included in the List of European Cultural Heritage.

Rasnov Fortress

The fortress in the city of Rasnov was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1215. It served to shelter the local population from numerous conquerors and was so fortified that it was conquered only once in 1612 by the Transylvanian prince Gabriel Bathory. There is a well in the center. A terrible legend is connected with him. During the siege by the Ottomans, the inhabitants did not have enough drinking water. Then they forced the two captured Turks to dig another well 62 meters deep.

They were promised freedom, but at the end of the work, which lasted seventeen years, the captives were killed. During restoration work, two human skeletons were indeed found at the bottom of the well. Currently, the territory is freely visited by tourists. From the fortress there was a fortress wall with towers and the foundation of the church. The observation deck offers a panorama of the two-story city and beautiful surroundings. From here you can see Bran Castle.

Merry Cemetery

The original cemetery is located in the village of Sapanta in Maramures County. His tombstones are made in bright colors and have original inscriptions in poetic form. They reflect the life path of the buried villagers. This idea of ​​the cemetery belongs to Stan Jon Patras, a local wood carver. He was the first in 1935 to carve and install a cross with a cheerful inscription. Over the years of its existence, more than 800 such crosses have been installed on the churchyard, and it itself has turned into a museum that tourists like to place. There is an inscription on the grave of Stan himself. It reads: “In all my life I have not harmed anyone ...”.

mud volcanoes

The natural reserve Vulcanii Noroiosi was created in the 20s of the XX century near the city of Buzau, located about 100 km from Bucharest. They originated on the territory of an abandoned mine. In 1977, an earthquake occurred in Romania, and especial volcanic activity began to appear. As a result of the escaping gases, dirt and salt water are thrown to the surface. They freeze under the sun and form peaks resembling craters.

Currently, four such volcanoes are constantly active, and twelve - periodically. The originality of the couple is given by the green hills surrounding the reserve. Between the craters are frozen streams. Their cracks on the surface of clay soil reach 5 cm. You can freely enter the territory of the reserve, and spend several days in tent city or as part of a tour group.

The Bihor Mountains are located 134 kilometers from the city of Cluj-Napoca. They found a cave 1 kilometer long, which was formed approximately 3500 years ago as a result of glaciation. Scarisoara was first mentioned in 1863. Then the Austrian geographer Arnold Schmidl made her map. A glacier was discovered in a grotto located underground in the mountains, which is gradually disappearing as a result of melting. The stalagmites found in the halls resemble church candles.

Therefore, the cave is conditionally divided into halls called the Great Hall, the Church, the Cathedral. Currently, the cave is equipped with metal and wooden stairs, which allows you to freely visit it. Illuminated inside with carbide lamps. Some part of the cave is being studied by scientists. The temperature inside the grotto is approaching zero. Therefore, when visiting the sights, you need to take warm clothes with you.

Pelisor Castle

This is a small part of the Pelis complex, built in 1899-1903. It was intended as the summer residence of the heir to the Romanian throne, Ferdinand. The Art Nouveau castle was designed by the Czech architect Karel Liman. In the design of the castle, Ferdinand's wife, Princess Mary, who had a very delicate taste, was directly involved. She successfully combined Art Nouveau elements with Byzantine and Celtic symbols.

The castle has 99 rooms. They are decorated with furniture designed by the Viennese designer Bernard Ludwig. In addition, the interiors were developed by him together with Queen Mary. Therefore, they have a special sophistication. In order for the castle to have a lot of light, the large windows and the ceiling of the Main Hall, three stories high, are decorated with stained-glass windows. It is finished with oak panels and decorated with portraits of the owners of the castle and their children.

Maria herself developed sketches of furniture for the "Golden Bedroom". It was made in 1909 in the workshop of the city of Sinai. In the queen's office there is furniture with the image of lilies and the Celtic cross - the symbols of the princess from Scotland. The office of King Ferdinand, on the contrary, is designed in a strict German neo-Renaissance. The castle contains a unique collection of works by modern masters of modernity, including the designers Halle, the Daum brothers, Hoffman, Tiffany, Gurshner.

Monastery Sucevitsa

It is located in Bukovina, in the northeastern part of the country. The nearest town of Radauti is 18 kilometers away. In 1585, it was built by brothers from the Wallachian family Mohyla Jeremiah and Simon. The square-shaped monastery is surrounded by six-meter walls. Towers were built in the corners for fortification. Its architecture contains both Byzantine and Gothic elements. The building inside and outside is completely covered with unique paintings based on the Old and New Testaments.

They were made by Moldavian masters brothers Ion and Sofroniy with the help of a huge number of unknown masters. The unique interior painting serves the idea of ​​spiritual renewal of a person with the help of faith and pious deeds. In 2010, the monastery was included in the World Heritage List. Currently, one of the walls is used for the museum, which houses a large exhibition of historical items.

Mogoshoai Palace

In 1698-1702, the Wallachian ruler Konstantin Brancoveanu built a palace and park complex 16 km from Bucharest as the summer residence of his family. Constantine was the founder of a national architectural style that combined Venetian, Dalmatian and Ottoman elements. It contains numerous carved decorations and decorative paintings. In 1714, the Ottomans executed Brynkovyan, and a hotel was set up in his palace.

Having recaptured it during the Russian-Turkish war, in 1853 the Russians set up warehouses for weapons in it. The princes of Bibescu, who became the new owners of the palace complex, in the years 1860-1880 took up its restoration. They managed to recreate and decorate the palace, which they owned until the Second World War. In the 1920s, it belonged to the widow Marta Bibescu, who put a lot of effort into its restoration and opened a salon in it.

Many famous people of the first half of the 20th century, including Antoine Saint-Exupery, became its visitors. It was her name that began to bear palace and park ensemble. Representatives of the princely family of Bibescu found peace in the church of the park. Despite significant restructuring of the 20th century, the main elements of the national style are inherent in the palace. In 1957, the Brynkowiec Art Museum was opened here, which includes antique furniture and household items of the 17th-19th centuries, historical documents, icons and works of art.

throne fortress

The fortress of the XIV century served as the place of coronation of Moldavian rulers. Located in the city of Suceava, it is currently a ruin. Restoration of the remains of the once powerful fortress began in 1961 and is still ongoing. The almost square fortress of 40x36 meters had square towers. A moat was dug around it. Its depth reached 10 meters. The fortress was founded by Peter I Mushat, but it was of the greatest importance under Stephen III the Great (Stefan cel Mare).

He reinforced two-meter walls of solid stone, built an additional defense system of walls 10 meters high, which was carried out 20-25 meters forward. Inside, additional halls were built for members of his family. Its siege by the Ottoman troops was unsuccessful, until in 1563 the self-proclaimed ruler Stefan VII Tomsha took refuge in it. The mercenaries betrayed him and surrendered the citadel to the Turks. After that, she was burned, passed from hand to hand of proteges of the Turkish Sultan.

In 1675, by order of Dumitrash Kantakouzin, it was blown up. The remains were destroyed by an earthquake. The revival of the fortress began after archaeological research by the Austrian architect Karl Romstorfer at the beginning of the 20th century. But reconstruction began only in the 60s. Nowadays, the remains of the fortress can be visited for a fee.

Neamt fortress

During the reign of Peter I Mushat, the Neamt fortress was also built. It is located near the town of Targu Neamts. Legends say that the Teutonic Knights were the first to fortify this place. They appropriated large territories in Transylvania and colonized Semigradje. The name Targu Neamts is translated as "German Bargaining". Stefan the Great, in preparation for the fight against the Turks, was engaged in strengthening the ring of fortresses, including Neamtskaya.

By his order, its walls were increased by 20 meters in height and an outer courtyard was built, where artillery pieces were installed. A huge bridge was thrown across the moat, reminiscent of a Roman aqueduct and bridges of the 20th century at the same time. A well was dug in the courtyard to supply drinking water in case of a siege. But neither the Ottomans nor the Polish commander Jan Sobessky could take it.

The Turks got into the fortress only thanks to the conquest of Moldova, but they did not destroy it. Left as an observation post. Currently, there is a small museum exposition in the fortress. It presents household items of the defenders of the citadel. Reconstruction began in 2007-09. Thanks to her, a reliable road has appeared for tourists who place this place, the infrastructure has been improved, and the architecture has been updated.

Gorge Bicaz

In the Eastern Carpathians there are rocks of the Bikaz gorge. It stretched between Moldova and Transylvania, and served as the only natural road. Bicaz is the deepest and longest gorge in Romania, its banks are separated by the river of the same name. It is currently a protected area with almost sheer cliffs over a highway 8 kilometers long.

Photography is allowed in certain areas. Passing along the highway in awe of the surrounding beauty of nature is breathtaking. In 1961, a hydroelectric dam with a reservoir was built at the exit from the gorge. It is recognized as the largest Romanian lake. River trout is found in the waters of the Bikaz River, and red-winged wall-climbers, considered rare birds, live on the rocks.

Chahlau

One of the most famous mountain ranges is also located in the Eastern Carpathians. It is located near the town of Spring Lake Mountain in Neamt County. The highest points are Toaka (1904 m) and Okolashul Mare (1907 m). The massif is surrounded by the Bistritsa and Bikaz rivers, in the east - Lake Bikaz. AT national park there is a monastery "Transfiguration", and Mount Chakhlau is recognized as the second Christian mountain after Athos. Many pilgrims flock here to visit the monks who have taken refuge on the top.

A beautiful legend is connected with the formation of mountains. According to her, the ruler of the Dacians, Decebalus, had a beautiful daughter, Dokia. After the capture of Dacia by the Roman emperor Trajan, she went to the mountains of Chahlau, so as not to get to him. Here she herded goats and froze. According to one version, the Virgin Mary turned it into a stream, and the sheep into beautiful flowers around. According to another, the girl turned into rocks. According to another legend, the emperor Trajan ordered the mountain to be poured in order to block the way for the barbarians who attacked from the East.

Laku Roshu

Near the Bikaz gorge there is a lake, formed in 1837 at an altitude of 978 meters. One of the rocks was washed away by heavy rain showers. The fallen stones formed a dam in the shape of the letter "G" on the site of the former pastures. Coastline the lake is 2830 meters, and the depth reaches 10.5 meters. A beautiful fairy tale is associated with it. Nearby lived a girl, Esther, whose lover was drafted into the army.

She was very sad, and often cried alone near a mountain stream. Here a robber met her and stole her away. The girl begged the mountains to save her, and nature took pity. The mountains shook, the earthquake killed everyone, including the innocent shepherds. The collapsed rocks formed a lake with tree trunks sticking out of the water and hid the unfortunate Esther in their waters.

Canyon 7 stairs

The gorge got its name in the 20s of the XX century, when crossings for the local population were stretched here. They stretched for 230 meters with a height difference of 55-60 meters. It is held in groups without special equipment. From time to time on the route there are small waterfalls, additionally spraying tourists with water.

Scientists attribute the formation of the canyon to the Jurassic period. It is assumed that its bottom is the base of the ancient sea, along the shores of which dinosaurs lived. In addition to the marvelous nature, legends attribute miracles to the canyon. Young people, in order to test their future wives, invited girls for a walk along the bottom of the canyon. Thus, they figured out her endurance. Then the girls were invited to spend the night above him, climbing up the seven stairs.

If in the process of testing young couples did not quarrel, but helped each other, a long happy life awaited them. And in our time there are daredevils who repeat the instructions of ancient legend. The atmosphere of the gorge is filled with very ozonated air, which kills all conceivable infections, thereby contributing to a strong healing effect.

Retezat National Park

This is the first national park in Romania, founded in 1935. The main reason for the formation of the protected area was the desire to preserve the unique alpine vegetation. On an area of ​​381 km², located at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, traces of glacial lakes have been preserved. It is here that the deepest Romanian lake, Lake Zenoaga, is located. At an altitude of 2509 meters is the peak of Mount Peleaga.

1190 species found in the park flora, of which 90 are endemic. Alder, rhododendron, krupka, bluegrass, hawkweed grow here. The reserve is home to many wild animals. Among them are brown bear, forest cat, lynx, wolves. It lives in a large number of birds: horned lark, brown vulture, rare golden eagle, white-throated thrush and many others. Because of them, the national reserve has been declared a specially protected area.

Piatra Craiului National Park

Another interesting corner of Romania is located 200 kilometers north of Bucharest in the Southern Carpathians. The date of formation of the protected area is considered to be 1938, which became a national park in 1990. The total area of ​​the reserve is 14,781 hectares. Its karst landscape with limestone outcrops is distinguished by a variety of flora and fauna. Among 1170 species of vegetation there are pines and willows, alder, hornbeam, oaks.

48 species of representatives of the orchid family grow. Among the representatives of the living world of some birds, there are 11 species. These are thrush, cuckoo, oriole, kayuki, golden eagle and many others. But there are only 3 types of fish: barbel, stream lamprey and sculpin. Walking routes are organized for any physical condition. They allow you to admire the beauties of Romanian nature: mountain gorges, valleys and glacial lakes.

Rodna mountain range

Another Romanian mountain range near the Ukrainian border. It is formed by granites and crystalline rocks. Pyrite deposits have been discovered here. On the territory of the array is national park Rodna with an area of ​​46599 hectares. It was created in 2000 and is a unique territory of glacial cracks and caves, valleys, forests and mountain pastures. Some of the inhabitants of the park are protected by law. Common mammals include brown bear, wolves, lynxes, capercaillie and eagle.

Sarmizegetusa

In the southwest of Transylvania, the territory of Dacia was located. Its residence and main military and political center was Sarmizegetusa, located on the Gradishtea-Muncheluluy hill. She got this interesting name in honor of the conclusion of a truce between the tribes of the Sarmi and the Getae. The last Dacian ruler Decebalus included it in his defensive system. It was destroyed by Roman troops during the conquests. In 1999, the remains of Sarmizegetusa were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The fortress was located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level, had a quadrangular shape and occupied 30,000 m². In addition to its defensive significance, it was also a religious center, since it contained important sanctuaries for the Dacians. It is assumed that the cave on Mount Kogaionon, located here, served as a shelter for the god Zalmoxis. Several sacral sanctuaries were found on the top, the road to which is paved with tightly fitted parallelepiped stones. In the houses located on the terraces of the mountains, ceramic pipes were laid, through which water flowed. This made it possible to draw a conclusion about the high culture of life of the Dacian tribes.

Vidraru Dam

A dam was built on the Arges River in 1961-66, which flooded the village of Arges Arefu. The area of ​​the artificial lake is 870 hectares. This is the highest dam in Romania. It has a shape resembling a bow, up to 167 meters high and 305 meters long. At the time of commissioning in the 60s of the XX century, the dam was considered the ninth largest in the world and the fifth in Europe. Currently, the dam is undergoing extensive repair and restoration work to modernize and strengthen existing facilities. Built next to the dam viewpoint with the iron figure of Prometheus, which was previously allowed to climb the stone stairs.

Currently, security is working around the dam, since a large amount of explosives are located on the slopes of the mountains in case of a water breakthrough. In this case, in order to prevent an accident as soon as possible, it will be easier to create an artificial barrier. Boat rides and a bungee jumping attraction resembling a bungee are organized along the reservoir.

Bucegi Sphinx

In the mountains of Bucegi, located in the center of the country, at an altitude of 2216 meters, there is an interesting natural formation. It is very similar to the Egyptian Sphinx. As a result of wind weathering of sandstone and calcareous rocks, such a miracle was formed in the Southern Carpathians. It is assumed that in this area there was one of the centers of Atlantis, where the landing sites were located. alien civilization. A clairvoyant lives in the city of Iasi, who claims that under the Sphinx there is a labyrinth that hides treasures with the knowledge of an ancient civilization that will be revealed to mankind when it is ready for this. Bucegi Sphinx is included in the List of seven natural wonders of the country.

Kurtya-Veche

The Old Court (Rom. Curtea Veche - Old Court), or the Prince's Court (Rom. Curtea Domnească din Bucureşti) is a complex of buildings designed to serve the Wallachian rulers. It was built in the second half of the 14th century by the ruler Mircea Sarym. After his death it was not used. In the 15th century, Vlad Tepes decided to build the Dymbovitsa fortress on its ruins.

The stone fortress founded on September 20, 1459 is considered the foundation of Budapest. After him special attention the fortress began to be given after 1545 under Mircea Chobanul, who lays the temple of St. Anton (hramul Sf Anton) and the Annunciation (de Buna Vestire). Later, coronations of Romanian rulers were held in it. It is currently the oldest building in Bucharest.