Romania

Bucharest

Gura Humorului

Targu Mures

Sibiu

Sighisoara

Sinaia

Romania

The capital of Romania since 1862, Bucharest was given the nickname of "Little Paris" due to the city's elegant architecture.  The city was once home to Vlad III of the Basarab family, a Wallachian prince also known as Vlad  Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) or Vlad Draculea.  Romania's Parliament building is the second largest building in the world, and is located in Bucharest.  It was originally built by Nicolae Ceausescu (communist party leader until shot be firing squad in 1989) as his royal palace.

Gura Humorului is located in North-Eastern Romania in an area known as Bukovina, part of what was formerly Moldavia.  The painted monasteries of Bukovina include: Sucevita, Moldovita, Voronet, and Humor.  The monasteries date back to the 13th Century, with the frescoes dating to the 15th and 16th Centuries.  The tradition of egg painting is prevalent in this area.

The name for the city translates to, "Market on the River Mures".  The city is located at the center of Transylvania, and at its center is a fortified church.  The church dates to the 14th Century.  The city is officially bilingual with Hungarian and Romanian spoken.

An old Saxon city in Transylvania, Sibiu was founded in 1191.  The roofs of many buildings contain small oval shaped windows that resemble eyes.  At one time the city had three sets of ringed walls for protection.  A main feature in the upper old city is the Piata Mare which translates to, "big square".  The monastery of Curtea de Arges is on the road from Sibiu to Bucharest.  The Episcopal church was built by Prince Neagoe Basarab.  The church houses the graves of King Carol I and Queen Elizabeth as well as King Ferdinand and Queen Marie.

Sighisoara is a 13th century fortified city that was constructed to protect the Saxon people from the Tatars.  The 64 m (192 ft) high clock tower is a significant element inside the walled city.  The city also houses the home of Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad III or Vlad Draculea.  The house where lived is the likely birthplace of Vlad III.  A plaque on the outside translates to:  "In this house lived between the years 1431 - 1435 ruler of Vallachia, Vlad Dracul, son of Mircea the Old".  Vlad III was born in 1431.  The "Student's Steps," a covered set of 175 steps, lead to the upper hilltop where a school and church are located.  The nearby Saxon villages of Saschiz and Biertan are home to fortified churches.

Sinaia is home to the Sinaia Monastery and situated in the Prahova Valley near the Bucegi Mountains.  Just outside Sinaia is the summer residence built by King Carol I in 1873, Peles Castle.  Close by are the towns of Brasov (home to the Black Church built in the late 14th Century) and Bran (location of Bran Castle built in 1382 to defend the Bran mountain pass against the Turks).

Select a tab above to view a slideshow of photographs from the area.

 

BUCHAREST is the capital city of Romania. Pictures under this tab include religious and general architectural structures.  Pictures of the Palace of the Parliament are included; formerly Nicolae Ceausescus's seat of political power.  There are also pictures from the Village Museum an outdoor ethnographic museum.

 

GURA HUMORULUI  is in the northern part of Romania nestled in the Carpathian mountains.  Pictures include the areas of Gura Humorului, Humor, Moldovita, Salva, Suchevita, Vama, and Voronet.  The painted monasteries are included.

 

TARGU MURES  the "market on the Mures river" contains pictures of the area.

 

SIBIU  was once the capital of the principality of Transylvania.  Pictures are from the old upper city.

 

SIGHISOARA  was the home of Vlad Dracul and the birthplace of Vlad the impaler (Draculea, son of Dracul).  Pictures are from the area Sighisoara, Biertan, and Sachiz.

 

SINAIA  is where King Carol I built his summer home, Peles Castle.  Pictures are from Bran, Brasov, Curtea de Arges, and Sinaia.

All Images and Content Copyright John Baker 2014

Page Last Updated 1/2/2017