Fagaras Fortress posted record on visitors in 2016, registering 100,000 so far. The fortress representatives expect to draw another 10,000 tourists by the end of the year.
The number of tourists recorded this year is much higher compared to the similar period last year. There were 75,540 tourists in 2015, while there were only 18,000 in 2008 and 23,000 in 2009.
The fortress has been rehabilitated, with several rooms being on display for the first time- the Red Tower, the Prison Tower and the Old Wine Cellar. The revamping works of these three rooms has costed about RON 1.3 M.
Located between the cities of Brasov and Sibiu, Fagaras Fortress is the most important monument of Fagaras, one of the largest in the country and even Europe.
Built in 1310 on the site of a former 12th century wooden fortress (burned by the Tartars in 1241), Fagaras was enlarged between the 15th and 17th centuries and was considered one of the strongest fortifications in Transylvania. The fortress was surrounded by a deep moat, which, in times of war or social unrest, could easily be filled with water from a nearby mountain brook. A bridge over the moat provided the only access point. The fortress boasts three floors and five towers.
In 1948, Fagaras Fortress was taken over by the communists and served as a political prison until it was turned into a museum.
Today, the fortress houses the Fagaras County Museum, displaying Roman artifacts, a collection of medieval weapons and traditional folk crafts. The museum also hosts a beautiful collection of icons painted on glass.
The castle guards will by wearing medieval costumes and can be seen each Saturday and Sunday at 11:00, offering an exquisite show of the fortress’ old medieval touch.
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