Welcome to Rasnov Citadel
Location:
Rasnov City, Brasov County
Address:
At the exit from Rasnov on the National Road 1E, towards Poiana Brasov. Rasnov Town Hall, Piata Unirii No.12
Date of construction:
1211 – 1225
Opening hours:
Summer (1th April-26th October): 09.00-18.00
Winter (1th November-31th March): 09.00-17.00
Prices:
Adults: 10 RON
Students: 5 RON
Telephone:
+40 368 401858
E-mail:
Website:
www.rasnov-turism.ro/tourisme/cetatea-rasnov
How to get here:
By car:
From North-East: follow the European road E574 (DN73) from Braşov or the National road DN1E where the citadel is situated coming from Poiana Braşov.
From North-West: follow the National road DN73A from E68-Şercaia.
From South-West: follow the European road E574 (DN73) from Craiova-Slatina-Piteşti.
From South-East: follow the National road DN73A from E60-Predeal.
There is a parking 15-20 minutes walk to the citadel because you can’t go by car next to the citadel.
By train:
You can get in Râşnov train station on the railway route Braşov-Zărneşti. If you want to come by train, the best way is to come in Braşov which is an important railway junction of Romania and from here by bus.
By means of transport:
The easiest and fastest way if you don’t have a car is to take the bus from Braşov. You can find more details here:
www.autogari.ro/Transport/Brasov-Rasnov
Rasnov Citadel (Fortress)
Location (how to get to), importance and tourism at Rasnov Citadel:
Rasnov Citadel or Fortress is another amazing tourist objective and well preserved from the medieval period of Romania. Today it’s visited by over 100.000 tourists annually who come here to enjoy this historic objective from the south part of Transylvania, not very far from the famous Bran Castle known also as Dracula Castle. Like many other places and historic monuments of Romania, Rasnov Citadel I visited in the autumn of 2007 and since then I remained impressed by its beauty and the picturesque place where is situated, wishing every year to see it again. I could see it again in the autumn of 2014, coming here in a group of 5 people visiting Romania.
Rasnov Citadel can be found quite easy and is not so far from Brasov, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities from Transylvania. Once arrived here in Rasnov coming from Bran, the citadel can be easily seen on the top of a hill from the city’s periphery. The easiest way to get to this peasant citadel is by car, but you can’t go close to it. You have to leave the car in a parking place situated next to the national road DN1E and from here you can choose to go on a road 15-20 minutes walking or maximum 5 minutes with a train which has as locomotive a tractor (is 4 RON a 2 ways ticket). Pressed by time we chose to go by train and in the top is the ticket office.
Rasnov Citadel Panorama
Interior and history of Rasnov Citadel:
From outside, the citadel doesn’t look to be something extraordinary and it impress only by its stone walls, 5 m tall and 1.5 m thick. But once arrived inside, the real citadel is waiting for you like a small settlement with old, narrow streets and with different souvenir and other objects traders, a small coffee shop and a place where you can have your picture as true knight of those times. The historic air that surrounds the citadel will make you feel like living in that period. It’s said that on the actual place of the citadel was built in the first century Cumidava Dacic citadel. On top of this it was built the actual medieval and pre-modern citadel, Rasnov built around 1211-1225 by the Sass people from Rasnov intending to protect the surrounding villages by Tatar invasions and for many years the citadel remained unconquered. The inhabitants of the surrounding villages had to refuge here, so the citadel in time became a small settlement with all the necessary things. In 1600, Mihai the Brave (Mihai Viteazul) refuge here with his wife Stanca after the defeat from Mirăslău.
The streets and houses from Rasnov Citadel, Brasov County
Fountain legend and what to see inside Rasnov Citadel:
The aspect of a citadel settlement was given also by the Sass people from Rasnov which in the beginning of XVI century were refuge here, building houses, a chapel, a school but also one of the most impressive fountains from Transylvania. Unfortunately, from XVIII century after the people from citadel moved in the actual locality Rasnov, the citadel started to degrade and a part of it today is ruins. The legend of the fountain says that due to lack of water, it was decided to dig the actual fountain in 1623. Two prisoners were forced to dig this fountain until 146 m for their freedom and this was functional until 1850.
The citadel has two courtyards and some defending towers beside the houses and interior buildings. The only accessible way is from east, because from west, south and north is bordered by steep slopes which are hard to climb. (Find more journeys on blog.worldlifetimejourneys.com) If the outer court makes the access in the citadel and is less interesting, the inner courtyard is smaller but more beautiful, paved and connected to rest of the citadel by small and narrow corridors. In the middle of the citadel is a small hill, an observation point, from where the people could see if the enemy is coming. Here, today are 1 or 2 bezels and tourists can see Rasnov City and even further.
Rasnov Citadel’s Inner Court
History and feudal art museum, movies and visit at Rasnov Citadel:
Inside the citadel is a history and feudal art museum, very important which has objects and weapons used in that period, stamps, documents and other ancient things. Unfortunately this museum was temporarily closed (2014. It might be reopened in 2015) due to restoration which begun a few years ago. This historic moment was the place chosen by Sergiu Nicolaescu stage director as a background for his movies Dacians – Dacii (1966) and Immortals – Nemuritorii (1974). We suggest to visit Rasnov Citadel because is one of the main tourist objectives and a national interest monument from Transylvania. To visit the citadel you need around 1 hour and a half if you don’t include any breaks in the citadel’s restaurant, shops or others. More details about the citadel you can find on the official website. We recommend that you come to visit this beautiful Rasnov Fortress and to enjoy its historical air and its beautiful surroundings. Visit Rasnov Fortress!
The impressive Râşnov Citadel with Râşnov City on the left
