Oct 13, 20202 min read

Rasnov citadel

Rasnov Citadel is an old fortress built on a mountaintop in Brasov county of Romania. It is partially in ruins and located in a picturesque setting. Because of the important location of Transylvania, it was a magnet for the invading armies. This fortress was used to guard against the armies coming from Bran pass and trying to stop them to reach the centre of Transylvania i.e. Brasov. The only chance of survival for the inhabitants of the area was to take refuge inside the citadel. Compelled to stay there for decades, the people of Rasnov and the nearby villages turned the fortification into a dwelling.

There are regular buses from Brasov/Bran, which drop you at Rasnov and from there, it's a straight walk of 500-600 metres to the base of the hill. From the center of the village, one can either walk up the steps (amidst the trees) or take a trolley lift.

The Carpathian mountains act as a natural safeguard against the invading armies. From the top, the view of Rasnov and the surrounding villages is a treat.

In 1421, the first siege of an Ottoman army took place on the citadel. The citadel was conquered only once, in 1612. The fall was caused when the enemy troops found the secret path from the fortress to a nearby water spring and blocked it, thereby causing shortage of water and the eventual defeat. Lack of water was a real problem for the citadel.

Because of the lack of a water source inside the citadel, a deep well was excavated in it. The legend says that during a siege, the inhabitants made two Turkish prisoners dig a well in the middle of the citadel in order to regain their freedom. The captives dug for 17 years, during which time they wrote verses from Quran on the walls of the well which can be seen even today. The fate of the prisoners isn’t known, with some saying that they were released, and others that they were killed. The well was used until 1850 when a broken wheel caused its abandonment.

The citadel was partially destroyed by a fire and also damaged by an earthquake. In 1850, due to the political situation, the fortification was abandoned and it became a ruin. There was only one guard left who had to announce the outbreak of fires by tolling a bell.

There are a few places in the fort which have been refurbished and everything else has been preserved as ruins.

Cannon dustbins are everywhere in the fort, a very nice touch.

It is also a great place to buy souvenirs and memorabilia from the little shops in the citadel, neatly arranged like hundreds of years ago, with picturesque salesmen dressed either in traditional Romanian wear or even in light armor that was worn in the 15-16th centuries.