Peles Castle in Romania is one of the most beautiful and complex Castles in Europe and one of the most visited places in the country! Beautifully preserved throughout time and with remarkable architecture, Peles Castle is definitely a Must-See attraction when travelling in Romania.
A bit of History & Architecture
Peles Castle was built by the First King of Romania, Carol I, between the years 1875 - 1914. The King choose the beautiful valley of Peles river to construct a summer residence for him and his family. The Castle was located at the edge of Sinaia, outside the village area. This allowed a tranquil and quiet environment around the Castle grounds.
In 1883 Peles castle was officially opened and became the "seat" of the new dynasty. Its location on Prahova Valley was not a coincidence nor a decision made because of the beautiful scenery. Not far from Sinaia is the city of Predeal, which at that time was Romania's border with Austro Hungary, so building the castle here had a strategic role above all. But after the First World War, Romania united with Transylvania and so the castle came to be located right in the heart of the country.
Peles Castle - front view
Peles Castle in Romania - Role & Attributes
The Castle became even more important with time, becoming the summer residence of the Romanian royal family. They used to spend here quite a long time, usually from May to November every year. Important political meetings happened here during this time, such as Crown Councils and meetings between the King and Government.
The castle remained the residence of the royal family until 1948 when it was confiscated by the communist regime. In 1953 Peles castle became a museum, although it was actually opened for visits since the time of King Carol I. During the last years of the communist regime, between 1975-1989, Nicolae Ceausescu ordered the domain to be closed to the public. The only people accepted in this area were maintenance, military and security personnel. This was a positive thing in the end because it kept the castle away from any modifications or damage.
Interesting Fact: King Carol was actually of German nationality, born and raised in Sigmaringen Southern Germany. This explains the architecture for the castle and the Fachwerk style on the exterior faces. It took roughly 39 years to build and decorate the castle and 3 different foreign architects to shape it the way King Carol wanted. The castle is both romantic and imposing from the outside and extremely divers on the inside. The over 150 rooms of the castle feature various architecture styles from German renaissance to Italian renaissance and even oriental styles like Moorish and Turkish. King's Carol weapons and armor collection is one of the most impressive things to see inside the castle decorating some of the chamber's walls.
How to Get Here?
Peles Castle is located in Sinaia in the romanian district Prahova, on the valley of the river Prahova. It is located in the Southern Carpathians at the foot of beautiful mountains reaching over 2000 m height.
The castle is fairly easy to reach coming from the capital city Bucharest. It is only 130 km away which means about 2 hours - 2 hours and a half driving time from Bucharest. It is also possible to reach it by train, using the historic railways linking Bucharest to Sinaia. This railway was constructed in 1876 and it is the second oldest railway in the country!
However, probably the easiest way to get to Peles Castle is by booking a One Day Tour from Bucharest. This not only will safe you all the trouble of finding the ways and driving on the tangled mountain roads, but will guarantee a much better travel experience thanks to our professional Tour Guides leading the way 🙂
When to Visit & How much it Costs
Peles Castle in Romania is amazing and sure to impress you any time of the year! However, everyone is on a quest to get that perfect picture with clear blue sky and vivid colors. In that case, of course Summer is the best Time to come visit the Castle 🙂 Nevertheless if you are looking to avoid the crowds, try coming in Fall or even Winter. It's going to be a bit chilly but you are sure to get an authentic experience during your visit.
The entrance fees for the Castle are:
- 30 RON/ pers for the Main Floor Tour. This will be about 7 EURO and lasts about 45 minutes
- 60 RON/ pers for Maine Floor + First Floor Tour. This means about 13 EURO and lasts 1 hour 15 minutes
You can find even more information about Peles Castle on the Castle's Official Website! Also the Romanian Ministry of Tourism wrote a Page dedicated to Peles Castle here.
Insider Tips
Peles Castle is for sure the Number One Attraction in Sinaia. But there is much more to see in this charming mountain town! See here our recommendations:
1. Pelisor Castle
This is Peles castles's younger "cousin" and basically a smaller replica. Pelisor Castle was constructed between the years 1899 - 1902 only a few steps away from Peles. King Carol ordered its construction and offered the Castle as a wedding gift for King Ferdinad, his Heir to the Throne. It is decorated in a similar way to Peles Castle, also using the German Renaissance style. It hosts a valuable Arts Collection as well as authentic furniture in Viennese Style.
The entrance fee for this Castle is 20 RON/ person (about 5 EURO) at it's worth a visit any time of the year!
2. Sinaia Monastery
This is a Christian-Orthodox monastery of monks. The First Church of the Monastery is the oldest construction in town.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries there were only two small wood churches in the area. Between 1690-1695, the ruler Mihail Cantacuzino builds the old part of the monastery, with the small church. It is one of the first built in the Brâncoveanu style. He called it "Sinaia Monastery" in memory of his pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai.
Between 1842-1846 the new part of the monastery was built, with the large church. This was the first electrified church in Romania. In the winter chapel of the old fortress there was the first school in the area.
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