Let’s travel to Râșnov Fortress, the oldest and best preserved fortified stronghold in Transylvania, Romania, located atop a limestone hill south of Râșnov city, a mere 15 kilometers from Brașov. Râșnov fortress is declared a historical monument. We were lucky to visit it in 2012 – not a typo. 🙂
We made our way through a separate enclosure surrounded by a stone wall of its own. Then we walked some more, always upwards, as the access to the fortress itself is not made directly.
Knock knock… (Have you read my short history on door knocking?)
Follow me and let’s use this lion brass door knocker to open a few medieval doors for this week’ Thursday Doors.
We arrived at Rasnov fortress just ahead of sunset. We strolled along narrow, cobbled streets between houses built with stone.
Walls (for defense) were a mandatory commodity for every fortification, and for each community. Water sources (cisterns, springs) were a must, always located inside the fortress (in case of a siege). A greater effort of ensuring a steady fresh water supply for Rasnov fortress was made between 1623 – 1643 when the rock was dug to a depth of 140 meters.
A beautifully preserved home with limestone walls. Slightly modernized 🙂
The fortress was built by the inhabitants of this area. It covers 3,500 square meters.
I wonder if the fortress’ healer lived behind this door:
The villagers waiting outside his door would have enjoyed this view:
The oldest structures that still exist date from the 14th century, like the wall below. Initially here was a simple wooden fortification built by the Teutonic Knights during the 13th century. Its walls are up to five meters high and 1.5 meters wide.
My favorite spot inside Rasnov fortress. It could be a ballroom, don’t you think? With a view deserving of a Queen:
Apart from tall, thick walls made of rock, the builders would have made use of the location’s efficiency, in this case the hill itself, for defense.
Hard to choose. Here’s a picture-perfect view of Rasnov city that I am saying good bye with:
As always, you can find my books on Amazon.
Thursday Doors is a blog feature everyone can take part in, hosted by Dan Antion over at No Facilities – where you can discover more doors from around the world.
Now that’s a place that I visited. 🙂 I haven’t noticed so many things though… It seems that I haven’t let my imagination wander like you so beautifully had. One observation, though. Surely you must have taken a picture at the foot of the hill. The Râșnov sign is a bit Hollywood, but the view is amazing. In my opinion, that’s what your article lacks.
I think it was the light, Jo. At sunset time slows down 🙂 so we take things in at a different pace.
I know the Rasnov sign, but I couldn’t find a picture that we took of it. Maybe we didn’t. Or there was no time, as we had a wonderful gentleman who drove us there from Brasov. We were lucky to visit that one time. With a little bit of luck, we’ll go to Rasnov again.
🙂 Thank you, Jo.
Eu sigur am o fotografie pe undeva. Noi am fost cu rata de la Bran, așa că nu ne-a grăbit nimeni. Si am plecat în excursie de dimineață. Tii, acum chiar sunt curioasă ce am fotografiat eu acolo. 🙂 Probabil numai aiureli. 😀
Fotografiile vechii spun mai mult decat arata 🙂
Copiii erau mici in 2012. Noi avem o gazda faina in Brasov, la Casa Cristina (am mai pomenit eu de ei pe blog). Tot acolo stam. Ne-a dus Dl Cornel cu masina intr-o excursie de o zi la Peles, Bran si Rasnov. La Rasnov nu am mai ajuns de atunci. De cate ori ne amintim, ii multumim in gand. A fost fain si usor pentru noi, parintii. 🙂
După pandemie, când mai veniți aici poate ți-o recomand eu pe d-na Mimi de la Bran. Are deal propriu și livadă cu vișini și meri. 🙂 Sper să mai fie în business. N-am mai fost de mult acolo…
Mersi frumos, Jo.
Ce fain suna, Dna Mimi de la Bran 🙂
Lui fiica-mea i-ar placea, mai ales daca se poate catara in copaci. Oare cand se coc visinele? (zise ea cu ochii pe calendar).
Sa dea Domnul sa putem calatorii din nou!
Parcă mergeam prin august la Mimi. Mâncam vișine direct din pom. Mmm… 🙂
Cred ca cel mai frumos lucru aici este panorama..este bestiala…si drumul catre cetate poate fi adaugat pe lista…poate in curand si un articol despre Pestera Rasnov si concertele de aici:P
Asa este, Gia. Panorama este de vis.
La Pestera nu am ajuns in anul acela si nu am vazut nici concertele 🙂 Din pacate. Asa ca poate ne imparti tu gandurile tale ? 😉
Whenever I see the word Fortress, I’m in a hurry to get to the page. I love stone structures and I love history and historic places.
The view from, perhaps the waiting room of the healer’s office is magnificent.
To reach such heights with stone walls in that time required so much work. Every stone had to be quarried and transported. Even if they were dug nearby, some of those stones are big. To build those massive walls must have taken a long time. I’m sure they created and use many tools to aid them in the endeavor. It would have been wonderful to see.
The view of the city is delightful. Thanks for sharing this Pat.
We take for granted so many things, from when our parents offered us (if we were lucky) to what past generations left us. Indeed, the amount of work that would have went into building such fortresses is beyond our imagination, I am sure.
I like to imagine that the sky, now, is just as clear as it would have been back then
It was blissfully quiet up there. Just us and the hawks.
Thank you for visiting, Dan. Appreciate it.
My pleasure.
Fascinating. Because this place intrigued me, I did a quick search to see more images. Definitely seems like a place I would enjoy visiting. Thanks for the introduction. 🙂
Oh, Frank, such a great pleasure and it makes me so happy to hear this 🙂
So much to see around Brasov, Romania 😉
Kind thanks for your visit.
I’ve only been to that part of the world once – several years ago cruising the Danube from Germany to Romania. Loved the Iron Gates! But I also know that is only a small taste of your homeland.
Kind thanks for speaking so warmly of Romania 🙂
We take for granted so many things, from when our parents offered us (if we were lucky) to what past generations left us. Indeed, the amount of work that would have went into building such fortresses is beyond our imagination, I am sure.
I like to imagine that the sky, now, is just as clear as it would have been back then 🙂
It was blissfully quiet up there. Just us and the hawks.
Thank you for visiting, Dan. Appreciate it.
Great tour and views. And excellent point on the cisterns. No cistern or dry cistern end of fortress.
And it would have been the everyday lifestyle for them…
Thank you for stopping by, John 🙂
Wonderful journey, one I never could have taken without you. Loved the article on door knocking.
Bless you 🙂 It makes me happy to hear it. Thank you, Jacqui
If you have any more tours of forts, keep them coming please. 🙂
Ha ha 🙂 I enjoyed retracing our steps too. Will check the old brain 😉 Thanks, Mark!
Interesting post
SO glad to hear it. Thank you 🙂
Amazing workmanship- all handmade! Thanks for sharing your visit, Pat <3
Great pleasure. Thank you, Jacquie 🙂
I always enjoy a good historical visit and what a view! I especially enjoy doors with great hardware and that door knocker is superb.
janet
I love such kind of doors too, Janet 🙂
So much detail in that door knocker, isn’t it?
Thank you for visiting.
Lovely selection. Great knocker too.
Thank you!
That door knocker inspires respect. Makes me wonder if the lion would drop it to grab my hand instead 😉
Many thanks for this beautiful and informative journey to Râșnov Fortress. I also enjoyed your images!
Vielen dank, Martina 🙂
And for following my blog. Happy to follow your journeys and literary travels too 🙂
Such history, beautiful captures.
Pat
Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much, Pat 🙂
I love door knockers
They are quite impressive, isn’t it 🙂
so beautiful! what a shame Transylvalnia has such a monster of a connotation…
Da-Al, may I suggest you read my article ‘Why You Must Have Transylvania on Your Holiday Destinations List‘ – I am sure it will change your mind. 🙂
indeed it is a lovely post!
Thank you for visiting, da-Al.
But what do you mean?