Peles Castle is a Romanian palace in Sinai. Luxury peles castle in romania romania peles royal castle florentine hall

Peles Castle was built in 1873 by order of the King of Romania Carol I. 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 stream flowing here. According to the wishes of King Carol and Queen Elizabeth (whose real name is Carmen Silva), architects Wilhelm Doder from Vienna and Johann Schulz from Lvov 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 Germanic Neo-Renaissance: vertical and sharp towers, asymmetry of construction, an abundance of carved wood and full compliance with the surrounding landscape. Other styles also take place: Italian Renaissance, German Baroque, Rococo, as well as Spanish and Turkish styles. The architects used numerous decorative elements made of wood, both to decorate the exterior and interior of the castle. These elements give it a special beauty.

The stained-glass windows, which are a single ensemble with decorative elements of that era, also look amazing. The system of sliding ceiling stained-glass windows on the upper floor, through which ventilation of the castle was carried out, is still in effect.

The main value of the palace is the unique woodcarving, which amazes with its magnificence and elegance.

Each of the 160 rooms of Peles Castle is unique in its own way. The Florentine room is finished with 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 Theatrical (in 1906, the first film projection in Romania took place in it), the Concert and Study Rooms, the Royal Apartments, the Library and the Living Room. Of particular beauty are: the Entrance Hall, the Armory Hall, the Reception Hall (where paintings and wooden models depicting 16 castles of the Hohenzollern dynasty are exhibited) Dining Room Imperial Apartment Council Hall, Florence Hall, Concert Hall ... / p>

The furniture is represented by original pieces of the 16th-20th centuries, which are characterized by different styles of European and Oriental decorative arts, many of which were hand-made 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 since 1883, it has had central heating. But that's not all - after all, Peles Castle became the first building in Europe and the second in the world where an elevator was installed.

Specificity Peles castle emphasize the original ceiling paintings, completely repeating in the mirror image the pattern of the carpet on the floor. The carpets, in turn, were hand-woven by the best craftsmen in Romania.

There is a road from Sinai to the castle along the side of the mountain. Trees surround the road on all sides. On the other side of the road is a mountain river.

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

Peles castle terrace

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 king's death. King Karol died at Peles Castle in 1914. King Ferdinand and Queen Mary also died here.

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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 itself is well worth a short walk. It is very beautiful here: terraces, fountains, statues. At the entrance to the castle there is a statue of Karol 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 over four thousand items.

The construction of the castle began in 1873 and continued for several decades. The construction was carried out by Karol I and his wife Elizabeth, in whose letters you can find many references to the construction of Peles. The castle was opened only in 1883, but then the reconstruction continued. Since Peles was built in the middle of the 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 mostly made of expensive Murano glass. The windows are made of stained glass hand-painted by Swiss craftsmen.

The most interesting premises are considered the library of the king (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 that way), the dining room, the auditorium (there was a cinema), the conference room and the halls of Eastern and European weapons. The collection of weapons numbers over four thousand copies. The most valuable exhibit is an original item from Turkey: half pistol, half dagger.

It is also worth looking into the music, Moorish, Florentine, oriental, Turkish halls. From the names it is clear in what styles these rooms are made.

After World War II, the castle was nationalized and turned into a public museum. But by the end of the reign of Nicolae Ceausescu, Peles was closed to visitors and turned into a residence for the country's leadership. Moreover, Nicolae Ceausescu himself rarely visited the castle. According to legend, the museum workers are to blame for this, who spread the rumor that there is a lot of harmful fungus in the castle, and Ceausescu was rather 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 refused from Peles, but instead “asked” the country's leadership for 30 million EUR. The request was fulfilled, and finally Peles acquired the status of a state museum. Peles is visited annually by about 500 thousand people.

Peles is open to visitors every day except Monday. The castle does not receive visitors in November. Working 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 "aborigine" will prompt the way to the castle.

Address: Romania, Prahova Country, Sinaia town, Aleea Pelesului, 2.

Prices on the page are for November 2019.

Autumn is the time to take a vacation for lovers of non-trivial recreation. It was at this time that connoisseurs of architecture will be able to admire the beauty of European castles. And let them say that there is nothing more tiresome than going to museums, the mystical castle, immersed in the colors of autumn, will make you forget about all the stereotypes. We will visit the Peles Castle in Romania.

Beautiful Romania, one of the most beautiful European countries, abounds in castles. And besides the castle of Count Dracula, the tourist should turn his gaze to the Peles castle, because of its rich architecture, beautiful parkland 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 buried in greenery, it is hard not to notice it, especially if you keep your way from the city of Sinai or Bucharest.

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

King Karol I, probably competing with other kings in 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 Schultz, an architect who decided that in order for a 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 mixing of styles, it looks very organic at different times of the year.

Despite the fact that the construction of the castle began at the end of the 19th century, very advanced technologies existed already 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 were deprived of such amenities at that time. The construction of the castle was completed 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 premises as a whole were transferred to state ownership and declared a museum, its exhibits were partially located in Bucharest. The castle was open now for tourists, now for the rest of important people, 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.

External 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 at the entrance are greeted by a marble statue of King Karol I, and a little in the back there is a monument to his wife.

Also, at the moment, the park is equipped with many lanterns, which in the evening beautifully illuminate the terraces with statues and sculptures, and you can walk along 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 the 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 also adhered to this rule in the interior design of the 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 are borrowed from Turkey, others from Florence and many other countries.

The decoration of the rooms as a whole looks quite expensive. Here you can see a large number of oriental carpets and tapestries, porcelain and leather, and ivory and ebony take 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 Karol, in which the interior has not been changed posthumously.

For easy perception of the interior of the castle, it can be represented as follows:

Tourist guide

The museum can only be visited with a guided tour. Tour guides recruit groups and from different parts of the castle you can hear their speeches in different world languages. Not all view rooms are available, but those that are open are available from Wednesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. The cost of the visit depends on the time of the excursion. The maximum cost, excluding the photo, is seventy lei, that is, one thousand one hundred thirty-six rubles.

Peles Castle - located on the medieval route connecting Transylvania and Wallachia, in a picturesque place in the Carpathians, near the city of Sinaia in Romania. The castle was built in the neo-Renaissance style between 1873 and 1914 and was inaugurated in 1883. The name was given to him by a nearby mountain river. Nowadays, the castle is a historical monument with over 160 rooms. All are exquisitely decorated and luxuriously furnished. It houses a rich collection of works of art, which include items of silver and gold, porcelain, furniture, armor and weapons, carpets and tapestries, European painting and sculpture.

Karol I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen

King Karol I (1839-1914) first visited these places in 1866, they reminded him of his native Germany, and he was forever captivated by them. In 1872, these lands (approximately 5.3 square kilometers) were bought by the king, and became known as the Royal Domain of Sinai, intended to become the royal hunting grounds and the summer residence of the monarch.

The King of Romania Carol I (in general it sounds, yes - the king - Carol I) was from the Hans (in general, the Hans rebuilt Transylvania, for this reason it looks pretty decent to itself, unlike the steppe Bucharest), so that the castle immediately feels Germanic motives.

Near the palace there are terraces with a bunch of sculptures, they look great, in general the place is very ethetic, and the palace and statues and nature, everything is wildly beautiful and the soul was directly happy.

Monument to Karol I

Beloved wife

Favorite dog

Lions have signs of Graves' disease)).

The first three architectural designs of the castle actually copied other Western European palaces, and Karol I rejected them because they were too expensive and not original enough.

Architect Johann Schulz presented a more interesting project that pleased the king: a small palace, or rather a spacious Alpine-style mansion, combining Italian elegance with the aesthetics of the German Neo-Renaissance. The construction cost (between 1875 and 1914) was estimated at approximately 16 million Romanian gold lei (approximately 120 million US dollars today).

The castle was founded on August 22, 1873. At the same time, other buildings associated with the castle were built: a guard house, a hunting lodge, royal stables, etc. In addition, a power plant was built, and Peles became the first electrified castle in the world. Three or four hundred people were constantly working on the construction of the castle.

Elizaveta Neuvidskaya

Queen Elizabeth wrote in her diary during construction:

Italians were bricklayers, Romanians built terraces, gypsies were laborers. Albanians and Greeks worked in stone, Germans and Hungarians were carpenters. The Turks burned bricks. The engineers were Poles, and the Czechs were stone carvers. The French painted, the British measured - there were hundreds of people in national costumes, who spoke, sang, swore and chatted in fourteen languages ​​...

Construction was somewhat suspended during the Romanian War of Independence of 1877-78, but then it accelerated a lot. The ball for the inauguration of the castle took place on the 7th October 1883. In 1893, Karol II was born in the Peles castle, giving meaning to the name bestowed on the castle by King Karol I - “the cradle of the dynasty, the cradle of the nation”.

Karol II

In 1947, following the forced abdication of King Mihai, the communists confiscated all royal property, including the Peles manor and castle.

For some time, the castle was open to tourists, and in 1953 it was declared a museum. The estate also served as a recreation area for Romanian cultural figures. During the last years of communist rule, between 1975-1990, Nicolae Ceausescu closed this area for visits, only attendants and security were allowed here.

It is curious that Ceausescu did not like the castle and rarely visited it. They say that the museum workers, knowing that the Ceausescu couple suffered from health-related phobias, announced that the building was infected with the dangerous fungus Serpula lacrymans, which was indeed quite common in the 1980s, but only affected wood.

After the Romanian revolution of 1989, the Peles and Pelisor castles were reopened to tourists. In 2006, the Romanian government announced the return of the castle to former King Mihai I. Soon after the king acquired his property, negotiations between him and the government resumed, and Peles again became a national treasure, open to the public as a historical monument and museum. In return, the Romanian government donated € 30 million to the Romanian royal house. Since its opening, Peles Castle has received almost half a million visitors annually.

In 2008, the castle was used in the film "The Brothers Bloom" - the surroundings of the castle portrayed a large estate in New Jersey, home of the eccentric millionaire Penelope (starring Rachel Weisz).

Since its opening, Peles Castle has received almost half a million visitors annually. But, unfortunately, there are almost no Russians among them. For this reason, excursions in Russian, unfortunately, are not conducted here either. At the main entrance there is a statue of King Carol I, the work of the Italian sculptor Rafaello Romanelli, he also owns the statues of Carrara marble, located on seven lovely Italian terraces surrounding the castle and made in the neo-Renaissance style. In the park, there is also a monument to Queen Elizabeth, depicting the wife of Karol the first for embroidery - traditional Romanian art. The gardens and terraces are decorated with fountains, urns, stairs, lions, beautiful statues and other decorative details.

The collection of weapons and armor has over 4,000 items.

You should definitely pay attention to the hall of European weapons. It is decorated in the style of the German Renaissance. Here are collected unique and rare specimens of European weapons of the 15-19th century. Also in the Peles castle there is a hall of eastern weapons. There are various types of weapons, decorated with gold, silver, precious stones, corals. The most valuable of them is a Turkish weapon - half a pistol and half a dagger.

The first architect of the castle was the German Johann Schulz (1876-1883), his successor was the Czech architect Karel Liman.

By its structure and functions, Peles is a palace, but everyone lovingly calls it a castle. The main architectural style is neo-Renaissance, but the half-timbered facades of the courtyard with their luxuriously painted walls have a Saxon influence, and the interiors decorated with rich wood carvings and exquisite fabrics have a Baroque influence.

Peles Castle has 3200 m² of area, more than 160 rooms, 30 bathrooms, luxuriously furnished and exquisitely decorated.

A secret door from the library leads through a spiral staircase to the king's bedroom on the third floor. The library at Peles Castle contains about 800 volumes. The rest of the books, and there are about 10,000 of them, were in the permanent royal residence in Bucharest.

The dining room is designed and decorated using a wide variety of different types of wood, including exotic woods. Furniture in the German Baroque style. The original stained glass windows by Munich craftsmen depict scenes from the life of the German nobility. The ceiling and chairs are covered in Cordoba leather.

It houses one of the finest collections of art in Eastern and Central Europe, which includes sculpture, painting, furniture, weapons and armor, gold and silverware, ivory, porcelain, carpets and tapestries. The collection of weapons and armor has over 4,000 items.

The tallest room in Peles Castle is the front lobby. Its height is 12 meters, which is equal to the height of three floors of the castle. The front lobby is the highest room of the Peles Castle - 3 floors, 12 meters high. The front lobby reproduces the famous German Chamber of Commerce in Lübeck. The furniture here is in the style of the Italian Renaissance. Initially, the front lobby served as an inner courtyard, but at the request of the owners, in 1911 it was covered with a mobile roof, which is still sliding apart to ventilate the room.

The front lobby panels have two rows of alabaster bas-reliefs (marble plaster) depicting mythological, biblical and historical scenes. Rich murals on the walls depict 18 castles in Germany and Switzerland - the residences of the Hohenzolern dynasty. Oriental carpets were made in the best workshops in Bukhara, Mosul, Isparta and Smyrna. The collection of Sevres and Meissen porcelain, leather from Cordoba is striking, but the most impressive is the hand-painted stained glass from Switzerland.

Karol the First's study in Peles Castle is decorated with paintings and furniture in the German style. Between the stained-glass windows there is a music stand for official audiences, and next to it is the table at which the king worked. The room containing the library is finished with carved oak wood paneling. A secret door from the library leads through a spiral staircase to the king's bedroom on the third floor. The library at Peles Castle contains about 800 volumes. The rest of the books, and there are about 10,000 of them, were in the permanent royal residence in Bucharest.

At the main entrance stands a statue of King Carol I by the Italian sculptor Rafaello Romanelli, and he also owns the Carrara marble statues located on seven lovely Italian neo-Renaissance terraces surrounding the castle. There is also a monument to Queen Elizabeth in the park, depicting the wife of Karol I embroidering - a traditional Romanian art.

The gardens and terraces are decorated with fountains, urns, stairs, lions, beautiful statues and other decorative details.

The museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm from Wednesday to Sunday. The castle is closed to the public in November.

Of the 168 rooms of the castle, 35 are open for visits. Visits only with a guide in groups that are recruited by language. There are excursions in Russian for excursion groups

Since everything in the Peles castle gives off originality, the architects could not ignore even the ceilings. Instead of standard ceilings, the castle has stained-glass windows. And not just stained-glass windows, but sliding stained-glass windows. They do not spoil the overall ensemble, but only complement it. The natural ventilation of the castle is still carried out with the help of these stained glass windows.

The Florentine Hall is the main hall of the Peles Castle, where magnificent receptions were held. The design of this room is in the style of the Italian neo-Renaissance. The rich decor of the Florentine room is made of marble and carved gilded wood. Murano glass chandeliers. The floor is covered with magnificent oriental carpets made of natural silk

The Moorish Hall is the third reception hall of Peles Castle. Made in Arabic style with numerous inlays of ivory and mother-of-pearl. On the walls there are oriental weapons of the 15th - 18th centuries.

Location

The castle is located in the northwest of the city of Sinaia, 60 km from the city of Brasov and 135 km from Bucharest, the capital of Romania. Buses run from Brasov to Sinai at intervals of half an hour or an hour, from the Gara de Nord station in Bucharest there are regular trains to Brasov, stopping in Sinai, the travel time is about 2 hours.

The tourist complex of Sinaia also includes the Pelisor castle, located next to the Peles castle.

Peles Castle is located on the banks of a mountain stream, whose name it bears. This is the diamond in the necklace of the castles of Eastern Europe, this is the pride of the Romanian kings. Its external decoration looks like a castle from a sweet fairy tale. It is somewhat similar to a fairytale castle made of ice cream and cookies. But at the same time, it is different from all the artsy and pompous castles in Western Europe. Its style can be described as a light Swiss chalet. It is incredibly gorgeous, there is simply dazzling architecture, but in some ways, there is restraint, unlike all other castles. Most likely, this is due to the mixing of styles?

Architects Wilhelm Doder from Vienna and Johann Schultz from Lvov had a difficult task to solve, but they did it with a bang. They just took all the most famous architectural styles at that time and mixed them in one building, so that it all did not look chaotic. The construction of the castle has been carried out since 1875, under the strict guidance of these two geniuses.

The castle was built at the same time as a power plant on the river flowing nearby, so Peles is also the first electrified castle in Romania. It was not for nothing that Karol gave the castle the name Peles, which meant the cradle of the nation. When Karol the First was dying, he ordered his son to make a museum out of Peles. After the death of his father, Karol II, as an obedient son, fulfilled his dying will. The castle began to work as a museum, remaining a royal domain.

If you are looking for a castle that is rich externally and internally, then you better not find Peles! A huge number of sculptures, a gorgeous park around, incredible frescoes on the walls, wood carvings that adorn the facade of the house, interior decoration, walls, furniture are legendary. This is the richest castle in Europe. Not even a year will be enough to explore all of its treasures.

You can talk about this castle for hours. The architect fits perfectly into the landscape that surrounds him. A snow-white building with dark wood trim, a peaked turret, many patterns on the windows, on the roofs, on the balustrades. And everywhere there are frescoes. The picture is complemented by beautiful lanterns in the park, many sculptures.

Peles Castle, located near the resort town of Sinaia, is one of the most beautiful castles in Romania. Peles was built in the period from 1873 to 1914 in the neo-Renaissance style and is currently classified as a historical monument.

For the first time in 1866, a king visited the places where the Peles castle was built Karol I. The place will forever remain in the heart of the king, reminding him of his native Germany. Several years later, he bought these lands in order to build hunting grounds and a summer residence on them. The first architectural projects of Peles Castle were practically a copy of Western European palaces, but the monarch refused them, citing lack of originality and high cost. As a result, it was decided to build a small alpine-style palace. Translated into a modern course, 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 the Peles castle. Fascinating, isn't it? We already thought that this view is the most beautiful in these lands, but we hurried. The closer we got to the castle, the more interesting it became.

If the city of Sinai is called "the pearl of the Carpathians", then Peles can be safely called the pearl of the city itself. Interestingly, in the guidebooks published in the 1970s-80s, there is not a word about Peles Castle at all. And the thing is that the building was used as one of the residences of the Ceausescu clan, so the gates of the castle were closed to the public. Perhaps 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 for November. A visit is possible exclusively as part of an excursion group. I assure you, seeing this with your own eyes is a must.

There is a paved road in front of Peles Castle, cars are not allowed there, you have to leave in the parking lot. The entrance costs 25 Romanian lei. And you still need to wait a while - depending on the number of excursion groups. But while waiting, you can shoot in the courtyard with a fountain. Here is such elegant painting and stucco on the walls of the courtyard, which gives Peles Castle a special beauty.

So, already having the first enthusiastic impressions of the castle, we go inside. At the entrance I wear shoe covers without fail. Tours, as far as I understand, are conducted not only in Romanian, but also in English and German. There are a lot of rooms in the Peles castle, but only a few of them are available for visiting. It is also not allowed to go inside the halls, you can only observe from the side.

The highest room in the castle is the main lobby., its height is 12 meters.

We were particularly struck by two rooms: the refectory and the weapons hall. The refectory is completely finished 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 was about to be expected.

Peles Castle is incredibly luxurious: brilliant architecture, a large number of sculptures, frescoes on the walls, wood carvings, rich antique furniture. You can list endlessly. The collection of weapons is especially appreciated, which includes about 4000 items from both Europe and the East.

In the Peles castle, the area of ​​which is more than three thousand square meters. meters, there are more than 160 rooms and 30 bathrooms... It is a shame that the bedrooms and bathrooms are not shown during the 30 minute tour.

I would not say that the inner courtyard of the Peles Castle is large, half an hour is quite enough to walk here, examine the details, enjoy excellent views of the adjacent forest and the Carpathians.

In 2006, the Peles castle was bought by the state for 30 million euros. In addition, many famous films have been filmed here. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you visit the Peles Castle in Romania!