Situated 40 miles south of Brasov and 80 miles north from Bucharest, Peles Castle is a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, considered by many ones of the most stunning castles in Europe.
Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and finished in 1883, the castle served as the summer residence of the royal family until 1947. Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows, and Cordoba leather-covered walls.
The interiors of the castle are very beautiful. Tourists have access to only 10 of the 170 rooms of the castle, but they have the opportunity to admire a large part of the valuable collections of sculptures, paintings, carpets and furniture, armor, tapestries and statues, gold and silver dishes, stained glass windows and fine porcelain objects.
In the Honorary Hallway, you can notice the Swiss and German landscapes, fashioned from inlaid wood. Beyond Iraqi carpets and alabaster Biblical scenes, you’ll enter an Arms Room brimming with armor for men and their horses (the latter weigh 100 kg apiece). Even more elaborate are the weapons in the Oriental Room, while the Portrait Room and Library offer a glimpse into the distinguished life of the royal couple. The latter has a secret passageway (which you will be shown if you opt for a longer tour involving the castle’s upper floor). Also, the Moorish Dining Room is very impressive, replete with brass lamps and walls inlaid with mother-of-pearl.
The castle is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9:15 a.m. until 5 p.m. On Tuesdays, visitors can only tour the ground floor of Peles. During the winter, the castle is open on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Thursday to Sunday from 9:15 a.m. until 5 p.m. Keep în mind that the Peles Castle is closed from November 3 until December 3.
Tour prices vary depending on the number of floors travelers wish to visit.
Pelisor Castle
During the extension work of Peles Castle, between 1899 – 1902, one of the architects of the time, Karel Liman, built Pelisor Castle, the „younger brother” of the famous royal residence.
From the beginning, it was intended to be a much smaller replica of the Peles Castle, with only 99 rooms and a clear destination: Pelisorul was to be the residence of the heirs, Ferdinand and Maria. Pelisor Castle was decorated by the Viennese artist Bernhardt Ludwig but bears the imprint of Queen Maria’s personality: the golden bedroom, for example, was decorated with furniture carved in golden linden wood (as well as her office), and the walls with thistle leaves, the emblem of Scotland, the queen's birthplace. Interesting and flattering is the fact that all this sculpted furniture was made in the Art and Craft workshops in Sinaia.
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10:09 am, aprilie 20, 2024
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