Făgăraș Fortress, Brasov

Făgăraș Fortress and Făgăraș County Museum “Valer Literat”

Where is it, when is it open, how much does it cost?

The Făgăraș Fortress is located in the town of Făgăraș, Brașov county, at the address Mihai Viteazul street no 1, postal code 505200. It is located in the vicinity of the DN1 national road, 70 km from Brasov and 80 km from Sibiu. In the town of Făgăraș, there is a signpost to the fortress, which can be seen on the right side of the road as you come from Brasov. You can’t miss it! In the months of October – March, the citadel and the museum can be visited from Tuesday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. In the rest of the year, they can be visited from Tuesday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 and 18:00. Last entry is at least 1 hour before closing time. The entrance ticket costs 30 lei. Allow 1-2 hours for a complete visit. The entrance ticket costs 30 lei. For a full visit allow 1-2 hours.

About Făgăraș and Făgăraș Fortress

  • 1291 – first attested in a document issued by King Andrei III of Hungary
  • 14th century – the settlement appears in documents as Villa Fogaras, then as oppidum, i.e. fair
  • 14th-17th centuries – the fortress is built in the Transylvanian Renaissance architectural style
  • 1455 – first documentary evidence of the stone fortress by mentioning the castellan
  • 1456 – Iancu de Hunedoara mentions our fortress Făgăraș
  • 16th century – the prince Stefan Mailat called himself dominus terrae Fogaras and Vaivoda Transilvaniae et siculorum Comes
  • 1574 – the moat around the fortress is mentioned
  • 1600 – Michael the Brave considered it a seat fortress
  • 16th-17th centuries – the fortress is the residence of the princes of Transylvania
  • 1863 – Făgăraș is declared a town
  • 20th century – the fortress is a Romanian military garrison, a camp for refugees and a prison for political prisoners

1. Făgăraș Fortress

The original stone fortress had an irregular square shape with 4 towers and an outpost, and was a defensive fortification. It was then transformed into a castle with exterior fortification after the works of Stefan Mailat. The houses of the voivode and the captain’s dining room appear. The moat around the fortress is built. The final shape of the fortress is due to Gabriel Bethlen. The access to the Făgăraș Fortress is on 2 wooden bridges that cross the defense moat filled with water and lead through 2 gates into the fortress courtyard. The citadel courtyard, called the citadel square, is paved with stone.

bridge over the moat

Făgăraș Citadel

Făgăraș Citadel in the evening

Prison Tower

Red Tower

2. The Prison Tower

The Prison Tower is part of the jailer’s house and is immediately to the right of the entrance. Here there are 3 different prisons, depending on the seriousness of the crime for which they were deprived of liberty.

Prison Tower

in the Prison Tower

Jailer's House

The Prison Tower

Prison

accessories of deprivation of liberty

3. Throne Room

The Throne Hall is on the 2nd floor, which is reached via the Diet Hall or the State Hall. This is where the assemblies of the Transylvanian Diet were held. When this became too small, the assemblies moved to the Grand Palace or Throne Room. Access is through a walnut door.

The Throne Room

furniture

The Grand Palace

chairs in the Throne Room

throne

4. Museum of Făgăraș County “Valer Literat”

The museum was established in 1923. The initial patrimony is due to the priest-professor Valer Literat. The museum was also called Făgăraș City Museum and Făgăraș Fortress Museum. The Făgăraș County Museum “Valer Literat” is today a rich museum spread over 2 floors of the rooms of the Făgăraș Fortress and includes the archaeology hall, the medieval hall, the guild hall, the modern hall and the hall of port and peasant interior. The rooms are also named after vintage destinations.

the museum in the citadel

Valer Literat

Museum of the Country of Făgăraș

5. Archaeology room

The visit starts in the House of His Majesty the Lord and the House of the Captains. Archaeological finds from the 4,000-year-old Bronze Age, Dacian, Roman and post-Roman times are on display. We will see in particular ceramic objects, but also a Roman parade mask from the 2nd-3rd centuries.

Inheritance

bronze age pottery

glass icons

6. Medieval Hall

We are actually in the Dining House. Here you can find the coat of arms of Anna Nadasdy, the wife of the prince Stefan Mailat and vestiges of the wooden and earthen fortification that originally existed on this site, ornaments, swords and the altar of the evangelical church of Cincșor.

arms

7. Guild Hall

Evidence of the existence of craft guilds was also present. They were administered by a council of craftsmen. The guilds provided production and trade.

box of cobblers' guild

8. Modern Hall

The hall is held in His Lordship’s Captain’s Bacon House and Hemp House. The hall marks the history of the 19th and 20th centuries until the Great Union of 1918.

staple gun

coat of arms of Prince Bethlen

9. Folk Costumes Hall and peasant interior

This exhibition of folk costumes from the Făgăraș area is organized in the Casa Parohilor.

exhibit

Folk costumes

Conclusion

The Făgăraș Fortress and the Făgăraș County Museum “Valer Literat” are worth a careful and planned visit, due to the variety of exhibits in the fortress museum, but also for a walk through the fortress courtyard and its walls.

All the best!

Steps: