Things to see and do Transylvania & Carpathian Mountains

It is located in the former princely palace, built in the 16th century and retaining elements of Gothic style from the end of the 15th century. It served as a customs house for the salt mines, but also as a temporary residence for the Princes of Transylvania during their visits. The museum exhibits many archaeological remains found in the area: Neolithic ceramics, medieval tools, weapons and coins. Objects from the Roman period make up the bulk of the collection. The museum also has art and ethnography sections.

It is organized around piața Libertății. This small, long pedestrian square is bordered by the large Elisabeta Park. Nearby are a number of interesting buildings, such as the Hungarian National Theatre, in a corner of the square, or the arcaded house(Casa cu arcade, 1821), located strada Libertății. Just behind it lies the Sfântul Gheorghe Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1802. To the north of the city, in strada Cetății, you can visit the ^14th-century fortified Reformed church, surrounded by ramparts flanked by a massive bell tower.

Fifteen kilometers south-west of Odorheiu Secuiesc, the small village of Dârjiu(Székelyderzs in Hungarian) is home to a beautiful fortified church, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1999. It's one of the few examples of a Saxon-style fortified church in Sicily. The complex has benefited from an extensive renovation program. Once you've collected your keys from the reverend, you'll be taken on a tour of the surrounding walls and storage areas... The bastions were long used as a larder by the villagers, who came here to stock up on meat, sausages and smoked bacon. Hence its nickname "the fortress of bacon". Every Wednesday, the enclosure was opened to allow villagers to come and stock up. Inside the Gothic church, built in the early ^15th century and remodeled in late Gothic style at the end of the ^16th century, you'll admire beautiful ^15th-century frescoes and attractive wooden furniture painted with traditional motifs on a light blue background. You'll also see a brick bearing the Sicilian runic script, dated between 1274 and 1431. Today, the church is dedicated to Unitarian (Protestant) worship.

Guided tours are offered in July and August. Every Wednesday, it's also possible to take part in the "bacon ceremony", followed by a traditional meal held inside a bastion. Call a few days in advance to make your reservation.

It was erected in 1921-1922 to celebrate the coronation of King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, sovereigns of a united Greater Romania, on October 15, 1922. Nicknamed the "Coronation Cathedral", it stands at the western entrance to the citadel. In traditional Romanian style, it follows the Greek cross plan, with an open porch supported by strong columns. The interior murals, in neo-Byzantine style, are by Costin Petrescu. You'll also see portraits of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul) and his wife, Princess Stanca.

It is in this 16th century monastery that the craze for icons on glass was born. Practiced here since the 12th century, the activity developed strongly from 1699: that year, according to legend, tears flowed from the icon of the Virgin Mary for twenty-six days. It can be seen inside the Sfântul Ioan church Botezătorul (1879). The monastery also includes a wooden church dating from 1701 and a museum exhibiting many icons from different periods. On August 15, a crowd of pilgrims converges on this monastery and its famous icon.

From room to room, the history museum will take you through the ages, from the Paleolithic to the Communist period. In particular, you'll see precious artifacts from the Dacian-Roman city of Porolissum. A visit to the museum, before or after touring the ruins, will help you understand the history of this city. The art gallery (strada Gheorghe Doja, 6), featuring works bequeathed by local painter Ioan Sima (1898-1985), is closed to the public for an indefinite period.

At the very end of the long Rue Lungă (hence the name!), heading towards Bran and Râșnov, you'll see the evangelical church of St. Bartholomew(biserica evanghelică Sfântul Bartolomeu). Built in 1223 by Saxon settlers, this Romanesque church is the town's oldest. Its Gothic elements are later additions. Today, it is used by a small community of Saxon parishioners. In July, organ concerts are held here.

It occupies two prestigious neighboring buildings in the city center: the Babylon building, erected in 1851, and the Union Hall, built in 1900. It was here that the Grand National Assembly proclaimed the union of Transylvania with Romania on December¹, 1918. The various sections cover prehistory, the Middle Ages, battles against the Turks, the revolution of 1848, the unification of the Danubian principalities in 1859 and, of course, the joining of Transylvania.

They are about twenty kilometers southwest of Hațeg, in the direction of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, past the villages of Râu de Mori and Suseni. The ^15th-century church is interesting for its exterior architecture. A few minutes' walk further on, you can visit the ruins of the citadel, dating from the ^14th century, which dominate the Râușor valley and the Retezat mountains. They are said to have inspired Jules Verne to write his novel Le Château des Carpates.

Since 2016, it has been housed in the superb Villa Haberstumpf, a long yellow building erected in 1900 in eclectic German style as a summer residence for members of the Haberstumpf family. It is a museum of ethnography, local history, art and natural sciences, focusing on the Odorheiu Secuiesc area, populated mainly by Sicules. A visit to the museum provides a better understanding of the peculiarities of the "Hungarians of Romania" through ancient objects, costumes and descriptions of specific traditions.

Some thirty kilometers south of the city, the Orăștie mountains are home to a complex of Dacian fortresses, erected between the ^1st century BC and the ^1st century AD around the kingdom's capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia, to protect it from Roman invasions. This complex of six fortresses, listed by Unesco since 1999, bears witness to the power and wealth of this civilization, then at its height. Built on valleys, hills and terraces at altitudes of between 500 and 1,200 m, they also have the advantage of being set in superb natural landscapes, making them even more attractive to visit.

Sarmizegetusa Regia, the ancient political, military, religious and cultural capital of the Dacians, is the most remarkable (and most accessible) site. Not to be confused with the Dacian-Roman city of Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa, founded by the Roman emperor Trajan (see below). Located on the Grădiștea de Munte hill, at an altitude of 1,200 m, the site extends over 17 ha and several terraces. It comprises a fortress, a sacred area and a civilian quarter. The sacred zone, reached by a paved road, includes several rectangular and circular sanctuaries (where sacrifices were performed). These remains give an idea of the monumental appearance of the site before it was destroyed by the Romans. The civil quarter, which extended over more than a hundred artificial terraces, only a handful of which have been excavated, included houses and workshops (metalworking, pottery, glass, coinage, etc.). The Dacian capital was finally conquered in 106 by Trajan, marking the beginning of the Roman occupation of the territory. Sarmizegetusa Regia was sacked by the new masters of the territory, as were the other fortresses.

Other fortresses that were part of the Dacian capital's defensive system include Luncani-Piatra Roșie, in the village of Boșorod, and Blidaru, in Costești, whose ruins can be visited. These are a little way off the road linking Orăștie to Grădiștea. The Blidaru fortress was conquered in 102 by the Romans, rebuilt by King Decebalus, before falling again in 106. The other fortresses are: Costești-Cetățuie, Bănița and Căpâlna. The latter, a little further away, is located south of the town of Sebeș.

Around 18 km west of Câmpeni, in the village of Nemeși, this 25-meter-high waterfall dominates the valley. It's in spring that you'll find the most impressive spectacle, when the rivers that feed the waterfall are at their highest. Nearby is the Snail Hill (deal cu Melci), a stretch of mountain that is home to over 35 species of fossilized molluscs. In the nearby village of Incești, you can visit the birthplace of national hero Avram Iancu, who played a major role in the 1848 revolution.

This superb library was opened in 1802 by Count Sámuel Teleki (1739-1822), whose ambition was to collect and preserve all the knowledge published at the time and make it accessible to the public. Throughout his life, this bibliophile collected and purchased books in the twenty-five European cities he travelled to. It was one of the largest libraries on the continent, with its 40,000 books. Today it has more than 200,000 volumes, including a 14th-century Codex and some 70 incunabula, books from the earliest days of printing.

This place is well worth a visit. One of the churches of this Franciscan monastery was built by the famous voivode János Hunyadi in 1448. Demolished in 1802, it was rebuilt in neoclassical style with a Baroque influence. The church is famous for its statue of the Virgin Mary, carved from limewood to a height of 2.30 meters and reputed to perform miracles. On Whitsun Sunday, Mount Somlyó (1,035 meters) hosts the Pilgrimage of the Siculi, which attracts huge crowds.

On Trandafirilor Square, between Secession houses and 1970s buildings, the Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art is housed in a superb ^18th-century Baroque building, the Toldalagi Palace. It features interesting collections of objects reflecting the ethnic diversity of the region: folk costumes, textiles, wooden objects, ceramics, icons painted on wood and glass, etc. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the annual fairs held in and around the town in the first half of the ^20th century.

The Retezat mountains are famous for their alpine meadows, cirques and numerous glacial lakes (over forty), making them one of the country's most beautiful massifs and a favorite with hikers. They are also known as "the fortress", due to the number of peaks over 2,200 m (over sixty). The highest peak is Mount Peleaga (2,519 m), followed by Mount Păpușa. Created in 1935, Retezat National Park was the country's first national park. It includes the Retezat, Godeanu and Țarcu mountains. Around 2% of the plant species present are endemic. The park is also home to numerous animal species, including 1,000 species of butterfly, chamois, deer, otter, bear, lynx, etc

The main access points to the park are Gura Zlata, Cârnic and Câmpu lui Neag. The Gura Zlata cabana is accessible from Hațeg by a road, in poor condition in places. You can even drive as far as the artificial lake of Gura Apelor. The Gura Zlata cabana is the starting point for hikes to Lake Zănoaga (5h, red triangle), from where you can continue to Lake Bucura (3h more, red dot), bypassing the protected area, or to Gura Apelor (2h more, blue cross). Other hikes are possible from Gura Apelor, for example to Poiana Pelegii (5h, blue dot, easy), then to Cabana Buta (4h more, difficult). Numerous trails, of varying difficulty, start from Cabana Pietrele, south of Nucșoara (road to Cârnic 4 km away). A few trails also start from Râușor, a resort accessible by car.

The city center is fortunately not too badly damaged by the inevitable concrete buildings of the 1960s-1980s, concentrated in Centru civic, along Strada Gării. Piața Centrală is the city's finest architectural ensemble. At its center stands the Evangelical Church of St. Mary, whose 75-meter-high bell tower is emblematic of the city. Built in the ^13th century by the town's Saxon community, and rebuilt in Gothic style in the ^14th-15th centuries, it houses a fine collection of medieval guild flags. To the west of the church, you'll notice the Passage des Colonnades (Șugălete), a group of houses, stores and guild workshops linked by a long arcaded passageway. It dates back to the ^15th and ^16th centuries. In the vicinity of the square, you'll pass beautiful, colorful ^15th- and ^16th-century mansions such as Casa Mercur (strada Berger, 4), Casa Ion Zidarul (strada Rebreanu) and Casa Argintarului (the Argentier's house). The latter (strada Dornei, 5) stands out for its Renaissance style and sculpted portal. From the square, you can easily walk to other points of interest in the city.

Take Liviu Rebreanu pedestrian street, with its typical houses, and you'll reach piața Unirii. At the center of the square, the Orthodox church, built in 1280, has a very colorful interior. Its wall fresco fragments date back to the ^14th century. A little further on, on boulevard Grigore Bălan, you'll come across a late ^19th-century synagogue, a blend of neo-Gothic and Oriental styles. It's a reminder that the city was once home to a large Jewish community. A little further on, you'll find the Musée du județ (open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm in summer, 9am to 5pm in winter). Housed in a former barracks, it features ethnographic, historical, natural science and contemporary art collections.

Immediately south of piața Centrală, following strada Gheorghe Șincai, you come to the ^17th-century Catholic church, in Baroque style.

To the east of the square, following strada Albert Berger, you reach the pleasant municipal park and the remains of the ancient ^13th-century city walls. These walls, rebuilt over the following centuries, were repeatedly attacked by Turks and Tatars. Of the eighteen towers built by the various trade guilds, the all-white Cooper's Tower stands out. This is the best-preserved part of the ramparts, which were severely damaged by fire in the ^19th century.

Lined with pretty, colorful houses, the main street, strada Petőfi Sándor, has become partly pedestrianized and has really spruced up in recent years. It's now a real pleasure to stroll along it on a busy day, when the terraces are full. By contrast, piața Libertăţii is a sad example of the architecture put in place under Ceaușescu's systematization plan. On the other side of the central park, to the south, you'll find the Palace of Justice (1904), the Town Hall (1898) and the Mikó Castle-Museum.

It's a collection of small centers dedicated to the natural and cultural heritage of Hațeg country, spread across different parts of the territory. In Hațeg, there's an exhibition on dinosaurs and legendary creatures such as dragons and balaurs. Here you can admire the reconstruction of a balaur bondoc, a Transylvanian dinosaur species. At the General Berthelot Village Science and Arts Center, you'll see two more life-size reconstructions, and a fossil collection including three real dinosaur egg nests!

The road between Reghin and Toplița follows the river Mureș, which passes between the mountains Călimani and Gurghiu, offering beautiful scenery. The village of Răstolița, where you will see a beautiful wooden church dating back to 1800, is the most interesting gateway to the mountains Călimani on this side. The nature park covers 25,613 ha of a mountain area, the highest peak of which is the Pietrosu (2,102 m). Mountain flowers such as edelweiss and coniferous forest fauna (70% of the park area) are very well represented here.

Built in several stages on the site of a Romanesque church destroyed by the Tatars in 1241, this cathedral is representative of the major artistic trends of the Middle Ages: Romanesque (basilica, transept), Gothic (choir), Renaissance and Baroque. The funerary monuments house the remains of the city's great bishops and the sarcophagi of great princely families, including that of János Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), famous prince of Transylvania.

This superb, vast castle, built between 1438 and 1543, belonged to the Bánffy family, one of Transylvania's most important noble families. Originally built in the Renaissance style, it was later extensively modified to become a pearl of Baroque architecture. Nicknamed the "Versailles of Transylvania", it was considered the most beautiful in Transylvania at the time. It remained so until the end of the Second World War: requisitioned by the Germans in 1944, it was ravaged by a terrible fire as they retreated. The fire spared only the walls and a few Baroque statues. Communism didn't help matters: like many other Transylvanian castles, the building was deliberately abandoned and vandalized. It wasn't until 1999 that restoration work began, with the help of international funds and the support of Prince Charles of England, who visited the site and fell in love with it. Today, as the site is gradually restored, training programs in the conservation of historic buildings are organized for craftsmen. Artists are welcomed in residence, and a cultural café has been set up in the former kitchens. The park has become a popular place for picnics and relaxation. Bánffy Castle also hosts major cultural events, such as the popular Electric Castle music festival, which takes place every year in mid-July.