Rebuilding History: Râșnov & Rupea

Approaching Rupea Citadel by car on the main
road between Sighișoara and Bucharest

To say I've gotten behind on emails and blog posts would be an understatement. Here is a post that I intended to write in the summer but never found the time. Better late than never, I suppose!


One of the nice things about traveling in Romania is that you often get to see medieval fortifications off the side of the road or out the window of a train. Many of these are now abandoned ruins -- remnants of a time ages past, when these hillside citadel fortresses provided refuge to the people of the town from invading raids. This summer I visited the fortresses in Rupea and Râșnov -- once ruins that have have recently been restored.

Rupea

Rupea is only an hour’s drive south of Sighișoara, and I’ve driven by the fortress many times on my way to and from Bucharest. In fact, I remember being amused in the past that a radio tower was situated on the hill at the top of the fortification.

Rupea citadel - before restoration

For several years, the Rupea fortification has been undergoing restoration.  As you can see from the photo below, the walls and buildings have been rebuilt (including roofs). In July, I had the opportunity to visit this citadel, shortly after its reopening to the public.

Restored Rupea citadel

The Rupea citadel was built over a pre-existing ancient Dacian fortification. Its construction dates to the 10th-14th centuries. For centuries, it provided refuge to the people of the neighboring towns and villages in times of attack until it was abandoned in 1790.

View of the town of Rupea as seen from the top of the citadel

Râșnov

In May, I had the opportunity to take a group of visiting students to Râșnov, a fortification about 2 hours south of Sighișoara. I had not been to Râșnov since I was a student in Romania, back in 2001! In the past 12 years, Râșnov also has undergone many renovations (and has become more tourist-oriented). 

The Râșnov fortress, as seen from the bottom of the hill

The Râșnov fortress was constructed by the Teutonic Knights and later enlarged by the German Saxons who lived in the area. It could provide refuge for extended periods of time, and thus included a few dozen houses and a school in addition to its defensive towers. The fortress was last used in 1848 before being abandoned.

Walking up to the Râșnov fortress

In addition to its new Hollywood-type sign, recent renovations to Râșnov have rebuilt many of the buildings and turned them into shops for tourists.

Many of the restored buildings now house shops for tourists

Both Rupea and Râșnov were places of refuge for the people who lived in the neighboring villages. They were not, however, walled towns, meaning they were not constantly inhabited. When advances in technology and the area's political situation no longer necessitated their continuance, they were abandoned. That is one of the major differences between these 2 places when compared to Sighișoara. Sighișoara is a walled town, which has had a population inhabiting it constantly since the 12th century.

View from the top of the Râșnov fortress (click photo to view larger)