Today I’m beginning a series on three wonderful castles we toured on our recent trip to Romania. Two are on many lists of the 10 most beautiful castles in Europe – all three are stunning in my opinion. The first we visited, and the one I’ll be telling you about today, was the beautiful Peles Castle in the gorgeous Carpathian Mountains in Sinaia.
When we first arrived, my jaw dropped at the beauty of this castle (which actually appeared to be more of a palace to me). I remembered the first impression I had when visiting the famous Neuschwanstein Castle (aka Sleeping Beauty’s Castle) in Bavaria and the outside architecture felt very similar. Not surprising, Peles Castle had a strong German influence even with it being located in Romania. The lush greenery surrounding both Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and Peles Castle seemed similar too.
The castle was not only beautiful but very modern and a trend setter for the time. It was the first castle in the world to be lit with electricity generated by the castle’s own power plant – you can still see the water source that was the generator back then. It was also one of the first to have central heating and plumbing (there were 30 bathrooms) and in 1903, an electric elevator was added. So, this “little” 160 room mansion was quite cozy for the time. A guided tour won’t include all of the rooms but those you do see are plenty to take in, as each provides a different flavor of cultures and styles. I will highlight a few rooms a little later but first, a little background …
Peles Castle was built by King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth as a summer residence for the royal family in 1873 but wasn’t completed in until 1883. For building such a huge castle, 10 years doesn’t seem that long at all. In fact, I was a little impressed that it was built so quickly. Once it was finished, it was not only a home to the King and Queen but also became an important European cultural center at the time. The outside is German neo-Renaissance architecture and the interior rooms are Baroque influenced with extremely lavish detail. But you do see many other cultures represented in the various rooms. Throughout the palace, the rooms are filled with carved wood, ornate textiles, beautiful European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather walls. Talk about living in style!
The Castle has a collection of over 2,000 paintings but sometimes they get overlooked by the intricate detail on the ceilings, walls and furniture. However, the paintings are equally as impressive, so make sure to take a look at them when you visit.
The Grand hall is beautifully overwhelming with the wood detail on the walls and inlay wood designs. Columns of precious mixed material, including Italian marble, support the walls. Also notable are the gorgeous stained-glass windows and wood spiral staircase made of walnut. The wood furniture throughout this room (and in other rooms throughout the castle) are intricate and luxurious. Much of the original wood furniture remains in the castle, unlike other places where the Communists seized or destroyed it. The rumor at the time was that the wood in the palace was infested with bugs so the Communist government didn’t touch anything and left all the furniture right where it was. Whether it was true or not, no one will ever know, as I’ve seen accounts for both stories.
My favorite room was the Florentine Room. This room was done in an Italian Renaissance style including Murano crystal chandeliers and an Italian Carrara marble fireplace. Even the mirrors in this room have Murano embellishments.
The King had an extensive collection of over 4,000 weapons dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, so you can imagine that the castle’s Grand Armory room looked like a section of a weaponry museum. Interesting, yet creepy at the same time, was an executioner’s sword hanging on the wall.
The Library was interesting, but it became a lot more interesting when our tour guide pointed out the secret door behind the bookcase that led into the King’s apartment. Oh, what secrets lie just beyond our reach. If only those books could talk.
Lastly, the room with the largest collection of stained-glass windows in Romania: the Music Room. I’ll be honest, I always assumed the title of most stained-glass windows went to the cathedrals. It wasn’t until I stepped in this room that I knew I was wrong. Each window was intricately designed and beautifully crafted and together they made the room that much more incredible.
Of course we saw more rooms than I mentioned, but I have to leave some things a surprise for when you visit!
After touring the captivating inside, you must take some time to walk around the beautiful gardens. We visited at a time when a wedding party was taking photos outside. I can’t blame them – they probably had one of the best backdrops in all of Europe after all.
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