Sinaia, Romania - Peles Castle inside. Luxurious peles castle in romania romania royal palace peles imperial hall

03.01.2022

Peles Castle was built in 1873 by order of King Carol I of Romania. He chose Sinaia for the construction of his summer residence - the place was wild, but very picturesque

The name of the castle was given by a beautiful mountain river flowing here. According to the wishes of King Carol and Queen Elisabeth (whose real name was Carmen Silva), the architects Wilhelm Doder from Vienna and Johann Schulz from Lviv used a mixture of styles. The main construction of the castle began in 1875 under their leadership.

The official opening of the castle took place on October 7, 1883. The castle is dominated by the features of the German neo-Renaissance: vertical and sharp towers, asymmetry of construction, an abundance of carved wood and full compliance with the surrounding landscape. There are also other styles: Italian Renaissance, German Baroque, Rococo, as well as Spanish and Turkish styles. The architects used numerous decorative elements made of wood to decorate both the exterior and interior of the castle. These elements give it a special beauty.

The stained glass windows also look amazing, forming a single ensemble with decorative elements of that era. The system of sliding ceiling stained glass windows on the upper floor, through which the castle was ventilated, is still in operation

Main value The palace is considered to have unique wood carvings that amaze with its splendor and elegance.

Each of the 160 rooms of Peles Castle is unique in its own way. The decoration of the Florentine room is made of ebony wood. The Turkish room is made of silk. The French room is designed in the style of Louis IV. Also very interesting are the Theater Room (in 1906, it was here that the first film projection in Romania took place), the Concert and Study Rooms, the Royal Apartments, the Library and the Living Room. Of particular beauty are: Entrance Hall, Armory Hall, Reception Hall (where paintings and wooden models depicting 16 castles of the Hohenzollern dynasty are exhibited) Dining Room Imperial Apartment Council Hall, Florentine Hall, Concert Hall.../p>

The furniture is represented by original pieces from the 16th to 20th centuries, which are characterized by various styles of European and Oriental decorative art, many of them handmade by order of the royal family in famous European workshops of the 19th century. The fireplace in the Great Room is the only decoration of the castle, because... It has had central heating since 1883. But that's not all - after all, Peles Castle became the first building in Europe and the second in the world to have an elevator installed.

Specifics Peles Castle are emphasized by the original ceiling paintings, which completely repeat in a mirror image the pattern of the carpet on the floor. The carpets, in turn, were hand-woven by the best craftsmen in Romania.

From Sinaia to the castle there is a road along the mountainside. Trees surround the road on all sides. On the other side of the road there is a mountain river.

The palace is surrounded by 7 terraces decorated with sculptures, fountains and plants. The palace tower has a height of 66m.

Terrace of Peles Castle

And some more photos of Peles Castle

Castle terraces.

The first changes to the original appearance of Peles Castle were made by the Czech architect Karel Liman, who supervised the construction until the death of the king. King Carol died at Peles Castle in 1914. King Ferdinand and Queen Mary died here

Peles Castle, located near resort town Sinai, is one of the most beautiful castles in Romania. Peles was built between 1873 and 1914 in the neo-Renaissance style and currently belongs to historical monuments.

For the first time in 1866, the king visited the area where Peles Castle was built. Carol I. The place remained forever in the king's heart, reminding him of his native Germany. A few years later, he bought these lands in order to build hunting grounds and a summer residence on them. The first architectural designs of Peles Castle were practically a copy of Western European palaces, but the monarch abandoned them, citing lack of originality and high cost. As a result, it was decided to build a small palace in the Alpine style. In modern terms, the cost of building a castle in Romania was estimated at approximately $120 million.

Such a magnificent view opened up to us on the way to Peles Castle. Fascinating, isn't it? We already thought that this view was the most beautiful in these lands, but we were in a hurry. The closer we got to the castle, the more interesting it became.

If the city of Sinaia is called the “pearl of the Carpathians”, then Peles can easily be called the pearl of the city itself. It is interesting that in the guidebooks published in the 1970s and 80s, there is not a word about Peles Castle at all. The thing is that the building was used as one of the residences of the Ceausescu clan, so the castle gates were closed to the public. Maybe for this reason there are queues of those who want to visit the royal chambers.

In 1990, after the revolution in Romania, Peles Castle was opened to tourists. You can visit the attraction throughout the year, except November. Visiting is possible only as part of an excursion group. I assure you, seeing this with your own eyes is simply necessary.

There is a paved road in front of Peles Castle, cars are not allowed there, you have to leave it in the parking lot. Entrance costs 25 Romanian lei. And you still need to wait some time - depending on the quantity excursion groups. But while waiting, you can take pictures in the courtyard with a fountain. Like this elegant painting and stucco on the walls of the courtyard, which gives Peles Castle a special beauty.

So, already having our first enthusiastic impressions of the castle, we go inside. At the entrance I always put on shoe covers. Tours, as far as I understand, are conducted not only in Romanian, but also in English and German languages. There are a lot of rooms in Peles Castle, but only some of them are accessible to the public. It is also not allowed to go inside the halls, you can only observe from the side.

The highest room of the castle is the main entrance hall., its height is 12 meters.

We were especially struck by two rooms: the refectory and the weapons room. The refectory is completely decorated with wood, there are elevators for serving dishes from the lower kitchen, expensive sets... In general, the dining room is furnished as if a reception is about to take place.

Peles Castle is incredibly luxurious: brilliant architecture, a large number of sculptures, frescoes on the walls, wood carvings, rich antique furniture. The list can be endless. The collection of weapons is especially valuable, which includes about 4,000 items from both Europe and the East.

At Peles Castle, which covers an area of more than three thousand sq. meters, there are over 160 rooms and 30 bathrooms. It's a shame that the 30-minute tour doesn't show the bedrooms and bathrooms.

I wouldn’t say that the courtyard of Peles Castle is large; half an hour is enough to walk here, look at the details, and enjoy great views to the adjacent forest and the Carpathians.

In 2006, Peles Castle was purchased by the state for 30 million euros. In addition, many famous films were filmed here. Therefore, I confidently recommend that you visit Peles Castle in Romania!

Autumn is the time to take a vacation for those who like an unusual holiday. It is at this time that architecture connoisseurs will be able to admire the beauty of European castles. And let them say that there is nothing more tiring than visiting museums, a mystical castle immersed in the colors of autumn will make you forget about all stereotypes. Let's visit Peles Castle in Romania.

Beautiful Romania, one of the most beautiful European countries replete with castles. And besides the castle of Count Dracula, tourists should turn their attention to Peles Castle, because of its rich architecture, beautiful park area and interior decoration.

The castle found its refuge in a very picturesque place, in the Carpathians. A river flows next to it, after which the castle was named. Peles, thanks to its vast territory, looks very impressive. Perched on a mountain and surrounded by greenery, it is difficult not to notice, especially if you head from the city of Sinaia or Bucharest.

Peles Castle on this moment is a historical monument, but this was not always the case.

King Carol I, perhaps competing with other kings for originality and at the same time not wanting to spend a fortune on the construction of his summer residence, wanted to get from the architects a proposal that would combine uniqueness and economy. Having abandoned many ideas, he finally approved the idea of a certain Schulz, an architect who decided that in order for the picky king to like the castle, it should be made not in one, but in different styles. As a result, the project turned out to be very solid. Here the Rococo style is mixed with Baroque and Renaissance, and the general style of the castle is described by historians as neo-Renaissance. Peles was built from 1873 to 1914.

Aesthetic, elegant, memorable. Due to the mixture of styles, in different time year it looks very organic.

Despite the fact that the castle began to be built at the end of the 19th century, very advanced technologies already existed then. And where to use them, if not for the residence of the king. Peles Castle, the first in Romania, was equipped with electricity, an elevator and even a cinema. Other castles at that time were deprived of such amenities. Construction of the castle ended in 1914.

But the royal family could not enjoy its beauty for long. Already in the middle of the 20th century, almost all the decoration and the premises as a whole were transferred to state ownership and declared a museum, its exhibits were partially located in Bucharest. The castle was open either for tourists or for the holidays of important people, then it was closed and again given to the royal family, who subsequently sold their house for several million euros. As a result, the castle became a museum and opened its doors to connoisseurs of beauty.

Exterior design

As already mentioned, in addition to the castle itself, the area around it deserves attention. This is a park ensemble with many fountains. The park is decorated with statues. In particular, tourists are greeted at the entrance by a marble statue of King Carol I, and a little further in there is a monument to his wife.

Also, today the park is equipped with many lanterns, which in the evening beautifully illuminate the terraces with statues and sculptures, and you can walk through the territory both along stone paths and along small stairs. The landscape of the territory deserves special attention. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful garden created in classic French style.

Interior design of the castle

In addition to the fact that the castle itself is externally made in different styles, the architects remained faithful to this rule when decorating the interior. The castle has more than 150 living rooms and more than two dozen restrooms. The halls are designed in a variety of styles. Some ideas were borrowed from Turkey, others from Florence and many other countries.

The decoration of the rooms in general looks very expensive. Here you can see a large number of oriental carpets and tapestries, porcelain and leather, while ivory and ebony occupy a special place in the interior. Which is very strange, in view of the fact that initially they wanted to save money on construction, and, consequently, on decoration. Tourists should pay attention to the library, which is still filled with rare books, the hall with weapons and the room of King Carol, in which the interior was not posthumously changed.

To easily perceive the interior of the castle, it can be represented as follows:

Tourist Guide

The museum is accessible only with a guided tour. The guides gather groups and from different parts of the castle you can hear them speak in different world languages. Not all viewing rooms are available, but those that are open can be visited from Wednesday to Sunday from nine a.m. to five p.m. The cost of visiting depends on the time of the excursion. The maximum cost excluding photos is seventy lei, that is, one thousand one hundred thirty-six rubles.

Peles Castle, located in Transylvania, is a beautiful monument of Neo-Renaissance architecture, where King Carol I of Romania once lived. Geographically, it is located near the city of Sinaia, surrounded by picturesque mountain ranges Carpathian, for which it received the name “Carpathian Pearl”.

History of construction

Carol I (1839-1914) visited this area in 1866 and was delighted with the beauty of the mountains and forests, which reminded him of his homeland - Germany. In 1872 he decided to buy land near Sinai. It was decided to build Peles Castle as a summer residence and use it for hunting in the local forests.

To order from the King of Romania, 3 castle designs were made, which turned out to be just copies of European palaces, and very expensive copies at that. Carol I wanted something more refined and original, but not so expensive. And the required project was presented to him by the architect I. Schulz: a very small but spacious mansion-palace, which incorporated several architectural features at once: Alpine style, German neo-Renaissance and Italian Baroque elegance. Its vertical and sharp turrets, asymmetrical plan, unusual architecture helped to fit perfectly into the surrounding landscape.

Architects Benes and K. Liman were also involved in the construction process (1873-1914), and craftsmen from Germany and Austria were involved in the manufacture of decorative elements.

Construction of the castle

Peles Castle (Romania) is famous for the fact that it was the first in the world to use electric lighting, which was supplied by a power station built right there. The castle had elevators, a telephone, a cinema, and cleaning was done using a vacuum cleaner. A heating station was also built: the castle was heated by supplying hot air through air ducts (all this still works today!).

During the construction of the castle, the development and development of the adjacent territory took place: the design of the park ensemble, the construction of the necessary utility rooms (guard house, stables). Several hundred workers from different countries took part in the construction.

Part of the complex was also allocated for another Pelisor castle, which was built in 1899-1903. as a summer residence for King Ferdinand's nephew

The castle got its name from the nearby mountain river Peles.

After the opening and inauguration celebrations (1883), the Romanian King Carol I for a long time lived here with his wife Elizabeth, they had a son, Carol II (1893).

Interior and lobby

Peles Castle looks royal inside: the building has 168 rooms, each of which has its own unique style and interior design. The castle has 30 bathrooms, furnished with... royal luxury and decorative finishing.

The decoration of the rooms uses Italian, English, French, Spanish-Moorish, Turkish styles, Baroque, Rococo and even some elements of the newest (in those years) Art Nouveau movement. Wooden carvings and dark wood paneling, as well as many bas-reliefs and sculptures, form one of the main artistic features of the castle.

One of the original features of the castle is the glass retractable ceiling with stained glass windows (handmade by Swiss craftsmen) in the main entrance hall, which was installed in 1911 above the courtyard. The ceiling is still in use and is used for ventilation purposes. Based on his model, a similar ceiling was made in the Romanian Parliament in Bucharest.

Another unique architectural and decorative element is the spiral staircase in Peles Castle (Romania, photo below), along which the king climbed from the library to his apartments on the third floor - it is made of carved wood to the full height.

The front lobby occupies 3 floors, its architecture is copied from the Chamber of Commerce in Lübeck, and the interior is made in the Italian Renaissance style. On the walls of the lobby are images of many castles in Germany and Switzerland, which were the residences of the kings of the Hohenzollern dynasty.

Original castle rooms

Peles Castle (Romania, see photo below) consists of many rooms, but only 35 are available to tourists, each of which is decorated in a specific style:

The Florentine hall is decorated with ebony wood, Venetian mirrors, the ceiling is decorated with luxurious Murano crystal chandeliers, and silk carpets brought from Bukhara lie on the floor.
In the Turkish Hall, where the incense burner is located, the walls are completely covered with natural silk, there is a hookah and vessels for incense, and there is an oriental carpet on the floor.

The Moorish Hall houses a collection of oriental weapons (XV-XVIII centuries).
The king's study and the castle library (about 800 books), which has a hidden secret passage to the royal bedroom.
Music salon, where chamber concerts were held to which guests of the royal couple were invited; in the salon there is furniture donated by an Indian prince (several generations of Indian craftsmen worked on it for 104 years).
The 60-seat Theater Room, furnished in the style of Louis XIV, housed a small royal theater with a stage and theatrical curtain, where the king and his guests watched plays and films more than 100 years ago (since 1906).

Museum exhibitions of the castle

Now Peles Castle (see photo inside) is visited by almost 0.5 million tourists annually, who want not only to see it from the outside, but also to visit its rich museum exhibitions.

The exhibition display is located on an area of 3200 sq. m and contains more than 4 thousand items of historical value: weapons, carpets and tapestries, antique furniture, paintings and sculptures, various artistic and decorative items.

Inside the castle there is a museum with several exhibitions:

a collection of Western weapons and knightly equipment (more than 4,000 items), including armor of knights of the 14th-19th centuries, samples of military weapons (crossbows, halberds, cannons), hunting rifles;
a collection of oriental weapons, including ritual ones (an interesting exhibit of Turkish origin, similar to a pistol);
an exhibition of glassware, Meissen and Sevres porcelain includes 1.5 thousand items;
a collection of gold and silver objects that were presented to monarchs in honor of holidays or anniversaries (5.5 thousand exhibits);
collection of clocks from the 18th-20th centuries (more than 50): wall, table, floor, miniature and fireplace clocks in different styles and types;
collections of tapestries and carpets, ceramics.

Park ensemble

The residence of the Romanian king is surrounded by a beautiful, luxurious park with terraces, designed in the Italian Renaissance style. There are many statues, ceramic vases, columns, fountains, which together make up a very elegant and picturesque landscape.

At the beginning of the park there is a sculpture of Charles I, his master, made by the Italian sculptor R. Romanelli. He also made many other sculptures from Carrara marble, which are located on 7 Italian terraces: a monument to Queen Elizabeth (busy with embroidery), various statues and stone figures of lions, fountains and many other decorative delights - all this became the decoration of the elegant small park ensemble surrounding Peles Castle (photo below).

Pelisor Castle

Next to the royal castle in the park there is a small Pelisor castle built especially for the heir, in which the future king Ferdinand I and his wife Queen Maria (architect K. Liman) lived.

The interior decoration of Pelisor, designed by the Viennese designer B. Ludwig, is more cozy and modest. All rooms are open to tourists: Maria’s bedroom, children’s room and others. Maria, Ferdinand's wife, participated in the design and decoration of the castle, introducing Byzantine and Celtic symbols into the interior style. Their children were born and raised here: Karol, Maria, Elizabeth, Prince Nicholas.

The most luxurious are the Golden Bedroom, the Chapel and the Golden Room, in which all the walls are covered with gilded carvings. All furniture was created according to the queen's sketches in the Sinai workshops. Queen Mary spent her last hours in this room. On the ceiling of the room is her symbol - a Celtic cross, the emblem of Scotland, where she came from.

Peles Castle, XX-XI century

After the abdication of King Michael in 1947, Peles Castle was confiscated by the communist government and was declared a museum in 1953. At this time, the Romanian cultural elite vacationed here. During the reign of N. Ceausescu (1975-1990), the castle was closed to visitors; it was used as a residence for the leadership of communist Romania. Although Ceausescu visited the castle very rarely. According to legend, museum staff spread a rumor about the appearance of a harmful fungus, and Ceausescu was very worried and concerned about his health.

Since 1989, Peles Castle has reopened to tourists. It was returned in 2006 former king Mihai, but then, after negotiations, the castle was made national treasure Romania, opening it to tourists as a historical monument and museum.

How to see the castle

You can get to the city of Sinaia, where Peles Castle is located, by train from Bucharest or from the town of Brasov by bus, you just need to go up, because it is located on the mountain.

The castle is open to tourists every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 16:00. In November every year it closes for maintenance. Tourists can explore it only as part of a group with a guide.

Situated at the foot of Mount Bucegi in the picturesque town of Sinaia, Peles Castle (Romania) is a masterpiece of German New Renaissance architecture, and is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful castles in Europe.

After Peles, it is considered the second most visited museum in the country. In 2006 alone, two hundred and fifty thousand visitors from the countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as the United States of America, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

The importance of the castle is also emphasized by the existing security measures - the presence large quantity security guards and video cameras.

Short story

Construction of Peles Castle began in 1873 by order of King Carol I, under the direct supervision of the Viennese architect Wilhelm Doderer, and continued until 1876 with his assistant Johann Schulz de Lemberg. During the war (1877-1879), builders refused to work. Therefore, the castle was opened only on October 7, 1883. He had to serve summer residence royal family. Until 1947, he performed this function.

(photo above) became the first European castle to have heating and electricity. His own power plant was located on the banks of Peles Brook.

The castle occupies three thousand two hundred square meters, and the height of each tower is sixty-six meters.

Castle interior

Peles Castle has one hundred and sixty fully furnished rooms. This includes bedrooms, an armory, libraries, offices, game rooms (for playing cards), thirty bathrooms, a hookah room, galleries, tea rooms, children's playrooms, conference rooms, breakfast rooms, dining rooms, kitchens. And that's just the main part.

Each of these rooms, as well as the halls and hallways, are decorated in an individual style. Therefore, when you walk around the castle, you don’t even know what style awaits you behind the next door. Decor ideas were taken from Turkish, Venetian, Florentine, French, Moorish and other styles.

The interior of the castle is amazing with spiral staircases, internal balconies, massively decorated mirrors, countless statues, doors that are hidden inside cabinets, a glass roof that opens in summer, and so on.

Today, only about ten rooms out of the total number can be visited by tourists.

What can tourists see on an excursion?

The first room you enter is the lobby. Its walls are decorated with carved walnut panels.

Royal Library. A collection of rare valuable books is collected and stored here, some even with leather covers with engraved gold letters. Also in the library, in one of the cabinets, there is a secret door through which, according to legend, the king could get into different rooms castle
Music room. All the furniture that furnished the room was a gift from the Maharaja of Kapurthala.
The recreation room, called the Florentine, impresses with its carved linden ceiling, two gilded chandeliers and Italian neo-Renaissance decorations. The doors for it were specially ordered and brought from Rome.
A meeting room that resembles one of the city hall rooms in
An office with an impressive size desk.
Dining room. It is decorated in a rustic British eighteenth century style.
Guest room in Turkish style. Within its walls is a collection of Turkish and Persian brass pots. Previously, it served as a place to relax and smoke a pipe.
A bedroom that is illuminated by a chandelier.
The auditorium seats sixty, which is decorated in the French style of the times of Louis XIV. Since 1906 it has become a home cinema. The ceiling paintings and decorative frescoes were painted by famous Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Franz Matsch.
Moorish living room. It received this name due to the fact that it is decorated in a mixed style - Spanish-Moorish and North African. The interior of the living room is somewhat reminiscent of the Alhambra Palace in Grande (Andalusia).

Some rooms and corridors are decorated with stunning stained glass windows, which were purchased and installed between 1883 and 1914. Most were brought from Switzerland and Germany.

Tourists can also stroll along seven terraces, which are decorated with stone sculptures, marble fountains and decorative flower pots.

Tourists are also invited to take a walk in the castle grounds. The style of landscape design has remained the same, and numerous fountains still operate today.

Armory

The armory, which is called the hall of European weapons, deserves special attention. All the weapons that are located here are decorated with gold, silver, corals and various precious stones. The hall was built from 1903 to 1906, and it is decorated in the neo-Renaissance style.

In total, the collection contains more than four thousand pieces of hunting equipment, military weapons and knightly equipment. All this was collected between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. Tourists can get acquainted with such weapons and uniforms as chain mail armor, helmets, scimitars, daggers, spears, muskets, pistols, shields, axes and so on.

Some items were received as gifts from India from the King-Emperor's many friends.

Working hours

You can visit Peles Castle (Romania), the photo of which is presented below, on the following days and times:

from June to September - from Tuesday to Sunday (from 10 am to 16 pm), day off - Monday;
from October to May - from Wednesday to Sunday (from 10 am to 16 pm), days off - Monday and Tuesday.

The museum is closed in November.