The princes of Transylvania and Lady Stanca, wife of Michael the Brave, lived here, and the Transylvanian Diet met within its walls 11 times.
About the place
The stone fortress was built in the early 14th century on the site of an older earth-and-timber stronghold. After 1526 Ștefan Mailat turned it into a fortified castle, and in the 17th century the princes of Transylvania gave it its present shape, with bastions and a water-filled moat. Michael the Brave gave it to his wife, Lady Stanca, in 1599. From 1699 it was an Austrian barracks, and between 1948 and 1960 the communist regime used it as a prison for political detainees.
The “Valer Literat” Museum of the Făgăraș Land grew from the collection teacher Valer Literat gathered from 1923. The route through the castle rooms covers the area's history from the Bronze Age to 1918, weapons, stove tiles, pottery, folk costume, textiles, icons on glass and art. Opening hours are Tuesday–Friday 8–17 and Saturday–Sunday 9–17, last entry 16:00; it is closed on Mondays. Restoration work on the castle and towers runs from 2026 to 2029, so some areas may be closed at times.
Good to know
- One ticket covers both the fortress and the museum; on the museum route you are given disposable shoe covers.
- In summer, at weekends at 12:00, the “Garda Cetății” guard ceremony takes place (in 2026 from July to September).
- After the visit, walk the path around the moat: there are swans on the water, and Lady Stanca's bust stands in front of the fortress.
Opening hours
| Monday | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 8–17 |
| Wednesday | 8–17 |
| Thursday | 8–17 |
| Friday | 8–17 |
| Saturday | 9–17 |
| Sunday | 9–17 |
Hours may change on public holidays. Check before you go.