The hidden secrets of the Romanian Bran Castle


Going from Pitesti to Brasov (Kronstadt), only 30 km away from the last mentioned city, you can see the huge Bran castle, who was guarding  once, a few centuries ago, the passing from Wallachia to Transilvania. Anyway, please keep in mind that bran means gate, as translated from the Slav language.

Certificated mention of the Castle Bran apear first at 1470, within the Court documents of the Romanian ruler Basarab Laiota. The fortress of Bran was at that time at another location, beyond the pass, towards Transilvania. It was first build in wood, and later replaced by the German saxons with a stone one, when they first settled here, under the King Lodovic of Hungary. By the end of the XVth century another king simply sells the castle to the city of Brasov. Because the custom was next to it, this is going to be a good business for the city of Brasov, lasting up to 1836, when the customs moves to Giurala, and the place decays, losing its wealthy times

Detail map of the Bran Rucar pass

At 1st December 1920, by celebration the first Romanian National Day, Brasov City Council donates the Bran Castle to the Romanian Queen Maria, as a reward and recognition of the Royal contribution to the achievement of the Big Union. Afterwards, the Czech architect of the Royal Court, Carol Liman transforms the castle into a splendid summer residence. The Principess Ileana inherites the Castle Bran from his mother Queen Mary in 1938, and will be his master up to 1948, when the new communist regime nationalized it.

The respected Queen Mary passed the way in Pelisor, in 1938, and her last wil was that his heart shall be conserved and kept in Balcic. When the Southern Dobrogea and Balcic gone to Bulgaria after WWII, the clever Princess Ileana took her mother's heart from Balcic and hidden it inside a stone of Bran Castle. The heart was kept in a wonderful silver box with 307 precious stones. In 1971 the priceless artifact has been moved to the Bucharest National History Museum. Nowadays it is back to Bran, resting finally after so many events.

In the park of Royal Bran Castle you can pretend for a few moments  being a Royal highness.

In the communist times the Bran Castle has been a few decades neglected, but nowadays, after restauration works, it shows again to the enthusiastic visitors its best face. Before visiting the Castle, have please a long walk ito the park, pretending to be the King and the Queen. Please behave yourself in the best possible way, a full country has big expectations for you. Observe in the park the Village Museum, with old houses from Wallachia, made of wood, and discover the fantastic popular technologies of wood and wool working. Inside the castle enjoy the Medieval Art Exhibition, and take a look through the special narrow openings for the archers! Don't miss the Museum of Medieval Custom, opened in 1987, illustrating the diversity of the wares circulating between Wallachia and Transilvania. Also, lots of other documents, maps, measuring instruments, transportation middles etc. For the souvenirs hunters, you can find enough to the main entrance, but most of them are bind to Dracula, who stayed only one night to the Bran Castle.

In summer you can walk and climb the mountains in the neighborhood  and discover breathtaking landscapes with amazing villages

Eating and lodging in the neighborhood  you can find a lot in Moeciu (many smaller or bigger family pensions), or further in Brasov. In summer you can climb the spectacular mountains around, discovering amazing villages of Sirnea, Moeciu, Fundata, Rucar. A lot of work to do for you, dear friends, let me know about your travel planning in the area!

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The romantic secrets of Varatec Monastery

The Romanian people have for sure a religious vocation, I think that the number of churches and monasteries is bigger than what you can find in other countries. Please correct me if I am wrong!

Making donations for a monastery, or much better, building a monastery, was for any wealthy Romanian the best way to gain social recognition, and most of them kept long time alive this tradition. Thus, many of the monasteries are rich, have lands, forests, art works etc. For a good cause, because the Orthodox church has a pregnant social mission, when not turning in a concern, due all its properties.

The Agapia monastery is a bigger, richer sister of Varatec

Only 40 km away from Piatra Meamt and 8 km from Targu Neamt, on the road leading between these towns, you can the wonderful monastery of Varatec, which is nice, sunny and only 200 years old. It was grounded by the daughter of a priest from Iasi. Entering the monastery you will be charmed by the richness of flowers and the tidiness. The nuns must be very aplicate, and they have also an efficient management.

Veronica Micle has been for years the inspiring lover of the Romanian national poet, Mihai Eminescu

The Church of the Monastery is a worship with two towers, whose roof is bell formed. From a strictly administrative point of vue, Varatec has the same management with the nearly Agapia, which is much bigger and better renowned due to the original painting made by Nicolae Grigorescu, the most important Romanian painter, whose masterpieces are very expansive nowadays (an excellent investment).

In Varatec the painting was made at 1840 and remade 40 years latter. The golden rood screen is simply breathtaking, beyond the religion matters. Simply a masterpiece, I hope you will agree! The Museum of the monastery mirrors the richness of the administration ( at 1850 the monastery possessed 4 churches, 17 bells, 700 nuns and an important yearly earning). Thus, the museum will proudly show you rare books and short editions, priceless icons, church suits etc ( only a part are donations, the monastery owned many workshops).

Spending vacations in isolation at Varatec was very frequent among the  local  aristocracy in the XIXth century

Discover further a smaller church, carrying the name of St John The Baptizer. Besides, a small white grave stone hides a very romantic tragedy, ending at 1889. Inside the grave rests Veronica Micle, the inspiring lover of Mihai Eminescu, the most important Romanian poet. After Eminescu died at 1889, Veronica Micle searched in Varatec shelter, silence, trying to forget all disappointments. He didn't succeed, and died in the same year, committing suicide with overdose of arsenic!

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Prominent Romanians

I don't think that may of you, or even at least one, think about Romania when using a fountain pen. But the history fact is this: the inventor and patent holder is a Romanian, namely Petrache Poenaru, not very well known even among Romanians.

The Roman Emperor Traian is the ancestor of the today Romania

I also started this blog thinking to Romanian wines, and then expanded to all Romania in its aspects. And I did this to show to all the people, that neither, nor the other Romanians, or my foreign tourists are addicted, not at all. On the contrary, but a glass of wine is a wonderful thing for everyone who really loves and enjoys life.

The former legendary Romanian tennis player Ilie Nastase, a rebel bad boy of the courts

Well, we here are proud to be Romanians, due to our long history and our contributions to the world's culture and civilizations. Very well known is in the U.S the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci; the tennis player Ilie Nastase was the first world wide awarded to be No 1 ATP. Ion Tiriac is another former tennis player, not so brillant like Nasty, but very notorious today as a business man (at the moment one of  the richest man in Romania). Gheorghe Hagi was a brillant legendary football player.

Nadia Comaneci at the top of her career

Digging deeper in the history, be aware that the first discovered skeleton of a Homo Sapiens was found in Romania. In the antic times, the Roman Emperor Trajanus, after conquering Dacia and beating Decebal (the both are celebrated like national heroes) raised in Rome its Column!

Traian Vuia is a pioneer of modern aviation, as other Romanians like Aurel Vlaicu and Henri Coanda

If I tell you about the Middle Age, I must mention some local kings who fought against the Pagans, thus protecting the wealthy Western World developing its culture. Let's name Stephen The Great and Michael the Brave; Iancu de Hunedoara had also Romanian blood.

The National poet is Mihai Eminescu, living in the XIXth century and being translated in many languages. Ask about the most important painter Nicolae Grigorescu at any serious art auction, and get one of his masterpieces, it is a very safe investment. Special mention for the Romanian sculpture Constantin Brancusi, who lived in the Paris vanguard of the early XXth century. Gheorghe Enescu is the most important Romanian Musician,  areal sacred monster, mastering among others Yehudi Menuhin.

George Enescu, master of Yehudi Menuhin

Nowadays, you must also know and notice that Inna is Romanian, but sings English. For the Opera freaks, think to Mariana Nicolesco, Ileana Cotrubas and Mihaela Ursuleasa.

It was a quick tour, and I find it  already overwhelming. I know much more names, but I only tried to mention the best known, to make you Romania familiar and bring it closer to you. At a glass of wine we are supposed to discuss much more than that, can't wait for it.

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