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Poenari Fortress

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This attraction can be visited on the following tours:

day trip to Transfagarasan Highway from Bucharest
a 2-day trip hiking in Fagaras Mountains from Brasov

You can book online tours with Romanian Friend - check out how it works

At the end of the 1480 steps, a historical monument can be found, the ruins of which tell the stories of Vlad Tepes’s (Vlad the Impaler’s) infamous punishments.

Situated near Curtea de Arges, the height of the fortress allows you to dwell on the beauty of Fagaras Mountains, Arges river Valley and the Vidraru Dam.

Bran Castle is a major attraction people interested in Dracula visit. If you want to see other important historic sights check out our Romania castle tours.

The construction was directly built on the cliff, by Negru Voda during the first part of the 13th century, who was, according to the legend the founder and the first leader of Wallachia (the Black King).
The names and the residents changed a few times along the decades and eventually the castle was abandoned and left in ruins.

It was Vlad the Impaler (who brought it back to life, when he was leader of the country in the 15th century) who is believed to have used this fortress as a hiding place from the Turks, as jail for enemies, and treasures of the country were also kept hidden in there.

It is said that upon deciding to rehabilitate the Poenari fortress, Vlad Tepes knew that the people from nearby were not on his side; they were mostly boyars, who were plotting against him. When he learned this, he decided he was going to use them in order to reinforce the fortress. As the legend tells, he attacked the boyars on the first day of Easter as they were celebrating. He impaled the old ones and started to walk with them, on spikes. Frightened, the other boyars swore obedience to him. He then ordered all the people to start the reinforcement of the Fortress. Many of them ended up dying of exhaustion.

It is from stories like these that he got the nickname Vlad the Impaler. He would punish in the same manner others as well (thieves, traitors and slobs).

Poenari Citadel
Location: DN7C
Arges, Romania

Nearest airports: Sibiu, Craiova, Bucharest