Unseen Romania » Places to go

Targoviste – A Capital’s Charm

Daniel Voicu — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:35:33 +0000

Targoviste is the largest and most important city in Dambovita County (Muntenia) and, for a long time (1396-1714), it was the capital city of Wallachia.

The first mention of Targoviste as the capital city of Wallachia was in 1396, when the Bavarian Johannes Schiltberger wrote in his travel diary that the rulers of the Romanian country had two main residences: Agrich (Arges) and Turcoich (Targoviste). Mircea the Elder’s heir, Mihai I made Targoviste the center of his administration and power.

The ruins of the Royal Court can be seen today and are a proof that the Romanian rulers did not lack the ambition to strengthen their prestige through monumental buildings.

The court consists of more bodies, dating from different periods. The cellars and a no longer functional small church were built by Mircea the Elder. Some repairs were executed during the reign of Vlad Dracul, Vlad Tepes’ father, but the most significant contributions to the development of the Targoviste Royal Court belonged to the short period of Petru Cercel (1583 – 1585).

He was a very interesting figure of his time, he was born and spent a great part of his life in exile, he travelled a lot and he was close friend to the king of France, who gave him a big pearl, which the Romanian ruler wore as an earring (which is the translation of his “Cercel” surname). He was very influenced by all the benefits of the Renaissance he experienced in the Western countries and he tried to introduce some innovations in Wallachia. The roof of his personal mansion had colored brick tiles and the court was surrounded by luxurious gardens and fountains.

Matei Basarab united the two parts of the Royal Court through a corridor, but the monument was no longer of interest for the Romanian rulers, as Targoviste lost its status as capital city. There was only one exception – the extraordinary cultural development during the time of Constantin Brancoveanu, who ordered a thoroughly restoration process.

Among its many historical buildings, the one that has become the symbol of Targoviste is the Chindia Tower. It was built in the XVth century by Vlad Tepes for military purposes, but it was also used as a treasury. Gheorghe Bibescu, ruler of Wallachia between 1843 and 1848, initiated its restoration, which began in 1847 and ended in 1851.

The name “Chindia” hasn’t been explained precisely yet; the generally accepted theory is that it comes from an old Romanian word which can be translated as “sunset”, the moment of the day when the soldiers from the tower gave the signal that the city’s gates should be closed.

After that signal, the city’s inhabitants were forbidden to walk on the street during night and to start open air fires that would make Targoviste visible from long distances.

Initially, the tower was built over the porch of Mircea the Elder’s church and it had two levels, of which, first was connected through a mobile bridge to a nearby house. Its present design dates from the time of Gheorghe Bibescu, when the tower gained 5 more meters in height and reached 27 m. The basis is a stone truncated pyramid, while the rest has the shape of a cylinder with a 9 m diameter and it is made of red bricks. The building has three levels and the access to the higher ones can be made using an interior spiral wooden staircase. The last level hosts an exhibition of documents and maps dating from Vlad Tepes’ time.

Drobeta Turnu Severin – A Bridge Across The Ages

Daniel Voicu — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:20:48 +0000

In South-Western Romania, in the Topolnita valley, on an elevated position guarding the majestic, yet dangerous waves of the Danube, there is the capital city of Mehedinti County, Drobeta Turnu Severin.

A settlement existed here even since Dacian times, but Drobeta grew in importance when Trajan decided to incorporate the lands situated north of the Danube into his Empire. The war from 101 – 102 A.D. was successful for the Romans, but everyone knew the peace was actually a truce and that it was only a matter of time until the conflict would start again.

In order to facilitate the transportation of troops and supplies across the Danube, Emperor Trajan employed the architect Apolodor of Damascus to build a bridge over this river. The ancient historians Dio Cassius or Procopius of Caesarea recorded descriptions of this great architectural achievement, constructed between 103 and 105 A.D.

The bridge consisted of 20 large stone pylons (some of them were built by temporarily deviating the Danube’s course) and a superstructure made of wood. It had a length of 1135 m, a height of 50 m and a width of 12 m; it connected Pontes (a military camp situated on the right shore) and Drobeta, occupied by the Romans after the war from 101 – 102 A.D. As the migrating populations had begun threatening the Roman borders, Trajan's successor, Hadrian, decided that the bridge’s wooden superstructure should be destroyed, to prevent incursions in the southern provinces of the Empire.

The stone pylons lasted until the beginning of the XIXth century, when some of them were destroyed because they hindered navigation. Today, the first and the last of the pylons can be seen on both sides of the river, the one from Drobeta Turnu Severin having been declared national monument.

In time, from a military outpost, Drobeta evolved into a typical Roman town, the third in Dacia as importance, after Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa and Apullum. In 121 A.D., during Hadrian’s rule, it was declared “municipium” and the document recorded the fact it had 14 000 inhabitants; in 193 A.D. Emperor Septimius Severus granted Drobeta the title of “colonia”, which made its citizens equal in rights to those in Rome. Basilicas, temples, public baths, guilds, a harbor and a forum existed here at the time of its maximum prosperity, in the IIIrd century, when it had 40 000 inhabitants.

The fall of the Empire inevitably affected Drobeta’s development and it took several centuries until its former role as a strategic point was revived, when the Byzantine emperor Justinian (527-565) built a guard tower here.

Searching For Tranquility Around Bucharest

Daniel Voicu — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:13:57 +0000

Getting to know Bucharest is not easy, as the capital city of Romania has a lot to offer, but, if, by any chance, you succeed in accomplishing this, not far from it, there are a couple of places worth visiting, too.

12 km far from Bucharest, close to the Pantelimon village, on an island in the middle of Cernica Lake, there is a monastery dating from 1608. A wooden church, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, was built during the time of Radu Voda Serban, by the high official Cernica Stirbei. There are proofs that an even older church existed there at the time when Cernica Monastery was founded. The stone building appeared after the great earthquake from 1802, during the reign of Ion Caragea, and, a couple of years later, a second church was built, dedicated to Saint George.

Saint Hierarch Calinic (1787 – 1868) was abbot of the Monastery Cernica during 1818 – 1850. He was a devout man who ceaselessly worked for helping the poor and providing orphans with shelters and schools. His cell has become a memorial house and there is a story related to the strange fact that frogs never make noise near it. It is said that they disturbed him while he was praying, so he blessed them and asked them to never come near his shelter and, through the power of his faith, the frogs obeyed his request.

Important cultural figures are buried in the Monastery Cernica’s graveyard: the writer Gala Galaction, the painter Ion Tuculescu, the great theologian Dumitru Staniloaie, the metropolitan Nifon (whose tomb is painted by Gheorghe Tattarescu).

Saint Hierarch Calinic was also involved in founding the Monastery Pasarea, situated 29 km far from Bucharest, near the Lake Pustnicu. A small wooden church was built at the beginning of the XIXth century by the Archimandrite Timotei, then, after it was severely damaged by an earthquake, a stone construction appeared, through the efforts of the Saint Hierarch Calinic. The Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Anghel (1904 – 1966), who created Eminescu’s statue, in front of the Romanian Athenaeum, spent his last years at Pasarea Monastery.

Calimanesti, Olanesti, Govora – Oltenia’s Health Springs

Daniel Voicu — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:52:53 +0000

Among Oltenia’s counties, Valcea was blessed with the gift of the mineral waters that have revived both body and soul from Antiquity to present day. There are at least three such resorts worth visiting for relaxation and health: Calimanesti-Caciulata, Olanesti and Govora.

Calimanesti

Calimanesti is a town situated on the right shore of the Olt river, in the Jiblea-Calimanesti valley, at a height of approximately 300 m and 18 km far from Ramnicu Valcea (capital city of Valcea county). Together with the neighboring resort Caciulata, Calimanesti represents a treatment resort opened to tourists and patients all year long.

The beginning of Calimanesti’s history dates from ancient times. The Dacians probably knew and used the healing properties of the waters here. It is also said that the Kogaionon, the Dacians’ sacred mountain, was located nearby; this is the reason why a military camp, named Arutela (from Alutus, the ancient name of the river Olt) was built in this region, after the Roman conquest of Dacia.

The name of “Calimanesti” comes from Caliman, who settled with his family and relatives on this side of the river, during the early Middle Ages. Calimanesti’s medieval history is closely connected to that of the monastery Cozia, founded by the famous ruler of Wallachia, Mircea the Elder (1355 – 1418). The document by which he ordered the construction of this religious establishment is the first testimony of Calimanesti’s existence.

The healing properties of the waters were discovered by the monks from Cozia, who found out from a peasant, during a confession, that he was cured by bathing in a small lake close to the monastery. They investigated it and built a small treatment house called “bolnita” there. In time, many Romanian rulers came here for treatments.

At the middle of the XIXth century, the famous doctor Carol Davila, the founder of the modern Romanian healthcare system, recommended the Calimanesti waters to Napoleon III. A couple of recipients were sent to Paris, to ease the pain of the liver infection the Emperor of France was suffering from.

Calimanesti evolved continuously as a treatment resort and as a town; in 1893, the mineral water from Calimanesti-Caciulata won the golden medal at the International Exhibition of Food and Mineral Waters in Bruxelles.

In the present, Calimanesti-Caciulata hosts the only sanatorium in the country which deals with silicosis affections, but it is also recommended for those suffering from gastritis, colitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, sinusitis, laryngitis and related illnesses.

Alba Iulia and Codex Aureus

Daniel Voicu — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:32:50 +0000

Among Romania’s cities, Alba-Iulia is not even close to being the largest or the most populated. But, because of its long history and symbolic value, it is considered the Capital of the Romanian Soul.

It is situated in the central part of Romania, at a height of approximately 300 m, in the Eastern part of the Apuseni Mountains, at the conjunction of Ampoiu and Mures rivers and it is the capital city of Alba County.

Some traces of prehistoric life were found and it is certain that a Dacian settlement existed here, bearing the name of Apoulon. The name was changed in Apulum, after the Roman conquest. The name Alba-Iulia first appeared in the early medieval period, around 1000 A.D. when the Hungarian ruler of these parts became a Christian and adopted the Latin name of Julius (Gyula). Alba (meaning “white” in Latin and, consequently, in Romanian) was a common name for the fortresses in Transylvania and, in order to differentiate this one, it was named Alba Iulia.

Until the late Middle Ages, Alba Iulia was the capital city of Transylvania. It was the symbolic capital when the three Romanian countries, Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania, were united (although for a short period) for the first time in history by Mihai Viteazul (he ruled from 1593 to 1601) in 1600.

On the 1st of December 1918, immediately after the end of the First World War, people from all corners of Transylvania, gathered at Alba Iulia and declared their communion with the Romanians from the Old Kingdom (Moldavia and Wallachia, already united since 1859) and expressed their desire to unite with their countrymen (this moment is celebrated every year, as it has become Romania’s National Day). King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria were crowned as sovereigns of all Romanians at Alba Iulia in 1922.

If you plan to visit Alba Iulia, you should take your time, because there are plenty to see.

Iasi – A City Imbued With History and Culture

Daniel Voicu — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:22:09 +0000

If one searches another place, except Bucharest, that contributed decisively to the Romanian history and culture, that can only be Iasi, capital city of the Iasi county and the most important city from the historical province of Moldavia.

Iasi is situated in Eastern part of Romania, in the Plain of Moldavia, on the river Bahlui and it consists of several hills (like in Rome), such as Cetatuia, Copou, Tatarasi and Galata. With a population of aproximately 400.000 inhabitants, it is the second largest city in Romania.

Iasi was first mentioned in 1408, in a document from the age of Alexander the Good (1400 – 1432), an illustrious ruler of Moldavia (a separate country that time). Its role since the medieval period to modern times has been overwhelming. It hosts the oldest university in Romania, the ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University and was the capital city of Romania between 1916 – 1918, during World War I, when Bucharest was occupied by German troops.

To get to know and enjoy Iasi throughly would take plenty of time, and, if you don’t have too much, you would have to be extremely selective. So, in order for you to leave Iasi with a compelling urge to come back again, there are a couple of places you should definitely see.

The Culture Palace is an impressive building situated in the city center. It was inaugurated in 1926, during the reign of king Ferdinand I (1865 – 1927, king of Romania from 1914 to his death). The place where it is built was not accidentally chosen, beacause it is the site where the residences of the Moldavian Voevods (rulers) used to be. Alexandru Morudzi (1806 – 1812) also built a palace here, but it was destroyed by a fire at the end of the XIXth century and, thus, the decision to raise an even more impressive building was taken.

The architect that supervised the construction of the Culture Palace was I. D. Berindei and he chose to employ a Neogothic style for the exterior, characterised by various decorations, which closely resemble a medieval bestiary – statues representing a two-headed eagle, a dragon, a griffin and a lion guard the entrances silently and mercilessly from above.

Despite its classic facade, the interior of the palace benefited from advanced materials and construction techniques. The building had electricity, central heating, ventilation systems; bearing in mind that the previous palace suffered because of the lack of fire prevention, the main architect used a fireproof material named orniton for the wooden parts of the attic and asbestos for the roof. The great Romanian scientist Henri Coanda invented a special kind of concrete, named bois-cement, which immitated the oak wood, that was used to decorate several rooms.

The Deva Fortress – Active Witness to Transylvania’s History

Daniel Voicu — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:39:37 +0000

The Hunedoara county is situated on the middle course of the river Mures, having as neighbours the Apuseni Mountains in the North, Orastie and Sureanu in the South-East, Retezat Godeanu and Parang in the South and Poiana Rusca in the South West and hosts many vestiges belonging to the Romanian history.

Its capital city is Deva and, from whatever direction you may reach it, you can’t help noticing the elevated fortress that dominates the entire area. This stronghold is the main touristic attraction, it is surrounded by legends and it has a long story that stretches from medieval ages to the modern times. It is said that it was built by the daughters of a giant, a couple of fairies with golden hair, who began to quarrel and, in their fury, destroyed it. Another legend claims that the fortress was built by the incredible efforts of some dwarves.

There are also recorded historical facts about the beginnings of the Deva Fortress. It was first mentioned in a document in 1269 (in which the King of Hungary’s son donated it to a baron called Chyl from the Calnic village) and this has lead to the conclusion that it was built as reaction to the devastating Mongol invasion from 1241. Not accidentally, the fortress guarded the pass between the Apuseni Mountains and the Poiana Rusca Mountains. Situated at a height of 371 m, on a steep volcanic rock, it was a stronghold very likely to resist even against the dreaded descendants of Genghis Khan.

The Deva fortress was important for everyone fighting for power in Transylvania during the Middle Ages. It was a shelter for noblemen or for ordinary people during dangerous times; it was the sight of bloody battles and fierce revolts; it served as prison for kings, for influential people or for humble serfs; it held treasures when needed and it was besieged several times, mostly by Ottoman armies.

Rupea Stronghold, The Core of Brasov County

Daniel Voicu — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:06:23 +0000

The Rupea stronghold is situated right in the central point of Romania, in the Brasov county, at an altitude of approximately 500 metres, next to the river Olt. Also, the national road DN13 linking Brasov and Cluj-Napoca passes by and to the East of the impressive monument you'll find the small town Rupea.

This fortress was built in an area filled with rocks, a hill known as Cohalm, that's also the former name of Rupea, next to Holumna. The city of Rupea has a population of 5700 inhabitants but a history richer than many towns with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. A former Dacian settlement, known as Rumidava, the current Rupea had its name changed as the Roman Empire took over Dacia and called the town Rupes (rock or stone in Latin).

The most important monument linked to the Rupea city is the Rupea stronghold, also known as Reps in German or Köhalom (pile of rocks) in Hungarian. In the 16th century, the "sasi" (Transylvanian Saxons) colonists found the fortress in ruins, after the barbaric invaders destroyed the last traces of Dacian and Roman civilisation in the area. The "sasi" built a new stronghold on top of the old one, one meant to house peasants. The structure is shaped like an ascending spiral and its fortification system has 3 sections: the upper fortress (built before the German colonists), the middle fortress (built in the 15th century) and the lower fortress (dating from the 18th century).

The upper fortress was built on top of the ruins of the initial fortification with a surface of 1.500 square metres, being surrounded by two circular defence walls. Later on, these walls also included paths for guardians and inside you could find storage rooms for cereals. The middle fortress was built immediately after the invasion of the Tatars from 1421, that destroyed the first fortress and then it was expanded in the middle of the 18th century with a pentagonal eastern tower and a chapel among its improvements.

Scarisoara Cave, Glacier Chill in Summer Time

Daniel Voicu — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:51:58 +0000

The Scarisoara Cave hosts the biggest underground glacier in Romania and this place bears the name of the Scarisoara settlement, 16 kilometres away from this monument of nature. We can't tell precisely when this beautiful place was discovered, but what's certain is that it was first mentioned in the works of A. Szirfti in 1847, while K. F. Peters and A. Schmidl detailed the cave scientifically in their works in 1861 and 1863.

The Scarisoara Cave is also called the Scarisoara Glacier and it's part of the carstic system of Ghetar – Ocoale – Dobresti, forming along with the Pojarul Politei Cave the superior fosil floor of the above-mentioned carstic system. The main appeal of the cave is the huge block of ice inside, with a volume of 75.000 cubic metres and an average thickness of 16 metres.

You'll find this glacier in the Great Hall of the cave, from where it spreads like "ice tongues" to other "rooms", like the Big Reservation, The Church and Small Reservation. In these three rooms, at a certain distance from the block of ice you'll spot icy stalagmites with variable sizes, from a few inches to over 10 metres (the “Church”).

Unlike the main block of ice, dating back from 3500 years ago, these stalagmites can melt yearly or even disappear for longer periods of time. The Scarisoara Glacier is situated at an altitude of 1165 metres and the total length of the cave is 720 metres, while the depth reaches 105 metres. You can access the cave via a 60 meter vertical shaft (aven), with a depth of 48 metres. This shaft incorporates metallic stairs, allowing tourists to access the cave.

People can only visit the Big Reservation and the Small Reservation in scientific purposes and with the special authorization from the Speologic Institute Emil Racovita in Cluj Napoca.

Muierilor Cave, Symbol of Fertility and Holiness

Daniel Voicu — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:26:30 +0000

The Muierilor Cave is one of the most impressive monuments of nature in our country, situated in the Gorj country, close to the Baia de Fier settlement and the Galbenul River. You'll find this cave at a 700 meters altitude and the most famous legend that regards this place is the one that claims sterile women will bear a child after visiting the underground galleries.

The Muierilor Cave is filled with limestone decorations and fantastic works of art shaped by nature over millennia, like "the Organ" or "Bazinele Mici", made out of stalactites and stalagmites, or the "Little Dome", some sort of strange castle. There's also an "Altar", with its superb stalagmite-columns, very close to one another. Its roof resembles the one of a great cathedral, one that stalagmites climb, as if they were using a stair.

Other important limestone adornments are the "Amvon", "Petrified Waterfall", "The Turk's Hall", "Small Chandeliers" and the "Great Dome". In the "Turk's Hall", you'll find a "Santa" and in front of it a Turkish dancer (Cadana), a female nude above which there's a huge bird of prey's head, with a menacing beak. You'll also want to stop and have a look at the "Stone Lace" and then visit "The Hall of Wonders". All in all, you'll have 1100 meters to go and many galleries and wonders to explore.

The name "Muierilor Cave" (Women's Cave) comes from the old dwellers of Baia de Fier and refers to the fact that in ancient times, during wars, women and children hid in the cave, while men left to fight the wars. The galleries of this natural monument were created by the Galbenul River and measure up to 3600 metres, displayed as 4 carstic levels. Two sectors are part of the inferior level: the north one (1500 meters) and the southern one (800 metres), both very important for scientists, since they're a reservation and can't be visited by tourists.

We have to mention that the visiting areas were electrified in 1963 and 1978, making the cave the most popular and visited monument of its kind in Romania and attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. An impressive part of the cave is the northern sector,that includes a network of labyrinths, with a length of 1650 metres. You'll access it via a tight gallery, situated in the western side of the upper floor, 30 metres from the northern side entrance.