About 10km away from Hunedoara Castle in the same county is the city of Deva. The Deva Fortress (or Citadel) had the advantage of being built atop a rather imposing 1217 ft (371m) hill overlooking the Mures valley and the city below. Unfortunately the castle was destroyed in 1849 due to the explosion of its armory. But its presence allowed the city of Deva to grow throughout the centuries.

 

http://museum.worldwidesam.net/en/deva-fort/deva-fort.htm

http://www.radur.homechoice.co.uk/deva.html

 

Wow Danny, I'm pretty impressed with the amount of info you're posting...thanks!

Ohh, you moved this to its own section. Guess I'm going to have to keep posting a lot more info to fill it out.

 

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Suceava is an impressive ruin who's foundations are still well preserved. The works were started at the end of the 14th century, during Voivode Petru Musat reign’s (1374-1391). In the 15th century, the most famous Moldavian voivode, Steven the Great, strengthened it adding more specific buildings, but turning the central nucleus of the fortress into a Princely residence. In the 17th century, the Ottomans ordered its demolition.

 

Nice winter pics here:

http://www.ici.ro/romania/en/orase/sv_cetate.html

 

Bit of history about the city where the Fortess is located:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suceava

http://www.consiliu.suceava.ro/suceava/Istorie/ist_en.htm

 

 

Neamt fortress or citadel (Cetatea Neamţului) is another Moldavian ruin. Neamt Fortress, built at the end of the 14th century as well as Suceava Fortress, by the same Voivode Petru Musat, was first an important customs point. It was first mentioned in 1395. Being an important defence point for Moldavia, it was strengthened by Steven the Great (the 15th century). Because it was never conquered, the Ottomans ordered its demolition in the 18th century (as it happened with Suceava).

 

http://www.neamt.ro/cmj/Cetatea_Neamt/Cetate_Eng.html

http://www.ici.ro/romania/en/orase/tn_cetate.html

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/det...0fe9d30ab4e8a39

 

 

Thanks for the great posts, Danny. I've enjoyed everyone. The causeway of Neamt Castle is especially impressive. I haven't seen any other castles quite like it in that regard. Its really an amazing fortress.

Absolutely spectacular.

very impressive !

i definitely have to go to romania one day !

The Slimnic commune was attested in documents dating from 1282. Many romanian castles today are a mix of fortress and church, and this is a good example of such. Slimnic (Stolzemburg) fortress was built by the Germans in the 14th century around the church. The church of the fortress was built on a hill in the commune, where the ruins of the feudal fortress can still be seen.

 

 

Hope this link continues to work... nice photo album of the place:

http://raldox.spaces.live.com/PersonalSpac...p;_c=PhotoAlbum

Controversy over Dracula's castle

 

 

Fri Jun 15, 9:28 AM ET

AP NEWS

 

 

Romania's government on Thursday defended its decision to return "Dracula's Castle" to members of the former royal family, denying allegations that the decision was illegal.

 

The castle, famous for its links to a 15th-century medieval ruler who inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula," was confiscated in 1948 by the former communist regime.

 

"When it comes to property confiscated by the communists, I as a prime minister don't have any problems with returning it," said Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu.

 

Culture Minister Adrian Iorgulescu said the castle was legally returned last year to heirs of Princess Ileana, its last owner. He noted that it was approved by the Justice Ministry and a national agency for returning confiscated assets.

 

"We are convinced that the property restitution was done correctly," he said.

 

An opposition-dominated legislative panel had argued the restitution was unlawful because of procedural errors.

 

"How is it possible that the restitution of a national treasure be done by a museum administering the castle," said Dumitru Puchianu, a lawmaker with the Democratic Party, which was recently expelled from the Cabinet.

 

The 14th-century fortress is associated with Prince "Vlad the Impaler," whose cruelty inspired Stoker's vampire Count Dracula. Legend has it that Vlad, who earned his nickname because of the way he tortured his enemies, spent one night there.

 

The new owner, New York-based architect Dominic Habsburg, signed a deal pledging to keep the castle open to visitors for three years. He later offered to sell it to local authorities for $80 million. His lawyer also rejected the lawmakers' criticism.

 

"The (lawmakers panel's) decision is wrong. It's a political one and it proves that private property is not respected in Romania," Corin Trandafir said.

 

The fortress, perched high on a rock and surrounded by snowcapped mountains in southern Transylvania, is one of Romania's top tourist attractions, visited by 400,000 people each year.

 

In recent years, the castle — complete with occasional glimpses of bats flying around its ramparts in the twilight — has attracted movie makers as a backdrop for films about Dracula and other horror themes.