Princely Court

To get here we drive from Bucharest about one hour! Targoviste Fortress is one of the most important medieval monuments in Romania. With a history that goes back to the 15th century, this former princely court was used as a residence by some of the most famous princes of Southern Romania, including Constantin Brancoveanu and the legendary Vlad the Impaler who built the emblematic Chindia Tower. Targoviste was the capital of Southern Romania in the medieval centuries before Bucharest achieved this status. The princely court was mentioned starting with 1417-1418 in a document of Michael the 1st, the son of Prince Mircea the Old who built here a church in 1415. During this initial stage, the fortress was rather small, surrounded by a wooden defense wall. It’s Vlad Dracul who extended and modernized the court to the standards of a princely residence, fortified against enemy attacks

Chindiei Tower (Sunset Tower)

Start with a walk up to Chindia Tower, the symbol of the princely court of Targoviste. A view from the tower’s balcony will give you a panoramic perspective over the entire court, especially on the ruins of the two princely palaces, from the 16th century and the 17th century. From the balcony, you can also observe the contour of a church dated back to 1415. After walking around what remains of the palace, visit the two churches that still survive centuries after they were built. The small Holly Friday Church is located close to Asylum built by Lady Balasa. Not as impressive as the Great Princely Church, this is, however, the only monument built in the 15th century in Southern Romania still conserved in its original form.