Romania Royal Palace Peles Imperial Hall. Sinaia, Romania - Peles Castle inside. Tickets to Peles Castle
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 going to museums, mystical castle, drowning 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, on the territory of 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, even then there were quite Hi-tech. 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 park ensemble, which contains 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 decoration 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 even when interior design premises. 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.
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Peles is one of the most beautiful castles in Romania. The architecture of the building is eclectic, a lot of things are mixed here: Rococo, Baroque, and Renaissance. There are columns and fountains on the terraces, and several towers on the roof.
Peles got its name from the name of the river that flows in the park around the castle. The park ensemble stands on its own a short walk. It is very beautiful here: terraces, fountains, statues. At the entrance to the castle there is a statue of King Carol I. And in the park you can find a sculpture of Queen Elizabeth, who is busy with embroidery.
The collection of weapons in the castle numbers more than four thousand items.
Construction of the castle began in 1873 and continued for several decades. The construction was carried out by Carol I and his wife Elizabeth, in whose letters you can find many references to the construction of Peles. The castle opened only in 1883, but then reconstruction continued. Since Peles was built in the mid-19th century, all the advanced technologies of that time were used. Peles became the first castle in the world to have electricity and even an elevator. A little later, in 1916, a cinema was even built in the castle.
The building has 160 rooms and 30 bathrooms. Everywhere there is a rich interior: ebony, porcelain, leather from Cordoba, oriental carpets, tapestries, gold and silver dishes, paintings, sculptures, ivory. The chandeliers in the castle are mainly made of expensive Murano glass. The windows are made of stained glass, hand-painted by Swiss craftsmen.
The most interesting rooms are considered to be the king's library (more than 800 rare volumes) and his study (not fully decorated, since the king died in the midst of work, and it was decided to leave everything like that), a dining room, an auditorium (there was a cinema there), a meeting room and halls of Eastern and European weapons. The collection of weapons numbers more than four thousand items. The most valuable exhibit is an original item from Turkey: half pistol, half dagger.
It’s also worth checking out the music, Moorish, Florentine, oriental, and Turkish halls. The names make it clear in what style these rooms are made.
After World War II, the castle was nationalized and turned into a public museum. But by the end of Nicolae Ceausescu's reign, Peles was closed to visitors and turned into a residence for the country's leadership. Moreover, Nicolae Ceausescu himself also rarely visited the castle. According to legend, the museum workers are to blame for this, who started a rumor that there was a lot of harmful fungus in the castle, and Ceausescu was quite suspicious in terms of his health.
After 1989, Peles was reopened, and in 2006 the Romanian government returned the castle to the royal family. It is interesting that the dynasty abandoned Peles, but in return “asked” the country’s leadership for 30 million EUR. The request was fulfilled, and Peles finally gained status state museum. About 500 thousand people visit Peles every year.
Peles is open to visitors every day except Monday. The castle does not accept visitors in November. Opening hours: from 10:00 to 16:00.
Coordinates
Peles is located in the town of Sinaia, which can be reached from Bucharest by train or from Brasov by bus. And already in the city itself, any “native” will tell you the way to the castle.
Address: Romania, Prahova Country, Sinaia town, Aleea Pelesului, 2.
Prices on the page are as of November 2019.
And one of the most beautiful in Europe. The former residence of the Romanian monarchs was equipped with all the technical innovations of the last century: telephone communication, cinema, two elevators, central heating. It was also the first fully electrified one.
Myths and facts
IN late XIX century, Romania becomes a kingdom, uniting the three principalities of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldova. The German prince Carol I from the Hohenzollern dynasty was invited to rule the state. They say that he liked the surrounding landscapes of Sinai so much, reminiscent of his native land, that he decided to build a summer residence here.
The demanding ruler rejected several projects that, in his opinion, were not very original. As a result, the work of the architect I. Schultz was chosen and construction began.
The castle was built from 1873 to 1914 (including finishing work). In total, about $120 million was spent on the project. The palace was named Peles (translated as “belt”) - after the name of the river flowing nearby.
In 1883, a ball was held on the occasion of the prince’s inauguration, and in 1893 his son, Carol II, was born here.
Peles Castle served as a royal residence until 1947, when it, along with other royal property, was confiscated by the communists who came to power. In 1953, a museum was located in the complex, and in 1975-1989 it was a closed area intended for recreation and official meetings of the Romanian ruler Ceausescu.
Since 1990, the palace has been open to tourists, and in 2008 it was returned to the ownership of the royal family - former king Romania to Mihai I. After negotiations between him and the government, the latter bought Peles for a decent sum of 30 million euros. Nowadays there is a museum here, and the building itself is considered a historical monument.
What to see
In terms of structure and functions, Peles is more likely a palace, but it is traditionally called. It was built in the neo-Renaissance style with Baroque elements. The area of the structure is 3200 m2, and the height of its towers is 66 m.
The internal “filling” is a mix of all possible styles: German Renaissance, Rococo. They say that a tour of the palace is a mini-trip through the countries of Europe and Asia. 160 rooms (30 of them are bathrooms) have their own unique interior.
The highest room is the front lobby with a height of 16 m. The hall is a copy of the German Chamber of Commerce in Lübeck. It is decorated with wood and bas-reliefs made of marble plaster, depicting biblical, mythological and historical scenes. Interestingly, the glass ceiling of the hall is still moved apart using an electric motor for ventilation.
The hall of European weapons houses a collection of the 15th-19th centuries; the exhibition includes 4,000 items - this is one of the richest collections in Europe.
Medieval weapons are also on display in the hall of oriental weapons. The rich interiors include the king's office, a meeting room, music, Moorish and Florentine rooms. The handmade wooden carvings, original stained glass windows (the most rich collection stained glass windows in Romania), collections of valuable paintings, tapestries and statues.
The castle is surrounded by a landscaped park with terraces. Nearby are the Pelisor Palace and the Sinaia Monastery
Peles Castle in Romania ( Royal Palace Carol I) - historical monument in the neo-Renaissance style, built between 1873-1914. It is located near the city of Sinaia, on the way from Transylvania to Wallachia.
The spacious castle of King Carol I was designed by a group of architects - Schulz, Benes and Liman; German and Austrian masters worked on its decoration.
This architectural monument is also known as the first castle in the world with electricity. Simultaneously with its construction, the adjacent territory was being developed: utility rooms and a power station were being built, and a park ensemble was being designed.
Part of the complex is also the Art Nouveau castle of Pelisor, built in 1899-1903 as a summer residence for the family of the royal nephew Ferdinand I.
Museum at Peles Castle in Sinaia
The castle became accessible to tourists as a museum in 1953. Between 1975 and 1990, under Nicolae Ceausescu, the complex was temporarily closed to the public.
Currently, Peles Castle in Sinaia receives almost 500 thousand tourists every year. Its exhibition area covers an area of 3200 sq. m includes over 4,000 thousand items - mainly historical weapons and armor, not counting impressive artworks, carpets, tapestries, furniture, paintings and sculptures. Of the 168 palace rooms, 35 are accessible to visitors.
The park ensemble of the former royal palace includes Italian terraces with intricately decorated fountains and exquisite statues, and a monument to Carol I.
Peles Castle opening hours
- Monday: closed
- Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:15
During the winter holidays:
- December 24, December 25, December 31 and January 1 are days off
- December 23 to January 5, 2020: 9:15 - 16:15
The summer program usually starts in May and lasts until the end of September:
- Monday: closed
- Tuesday: 09:00 - 16:15 (visiting on the first floor only)
- Wednesday: 11:00 - 16:15
- Thursday-Sunday: 09:15 - 16:15
Tickets to Peles Castle
How to get to Peles Castle
To get to Peles from Bucharest or Brasov, you need to drive to Sinaia. The optimal transport from Brasov is buses running every 1.5-2 hours. Regular trains depart from Bucharest Gara de Nord railway station to Sinaia. From Sinaia station you can get to the place by taxi, bus or on foot, but it is worth considering that you will need to walk uphill.
Google panoramas of Peles Castle
Video of Peles Castle