The RASNOV Citadel

About The RASNOV Citadel

The Rasnov Fortress, also known as the Rustic Rasnov Fortress, is a class A national monument. 

The first documentary mention of the citadel was made in 1335, when during an invasion of the Tatars in Transylvania, ?ara Bârsei (tr.n. the Land of Bârsa) was entirely devastated. The reference presented the citadel as a strong fortification that resisted under the enemy siege and saved the lives of all its refugees. In 1421 was attested the first Ottoman siege. The citadel resisted heroically and the Ottomans raised their siege and moved on to destroying the still unfortified city of Bra?ov. The Ottomans have besieged the citadel of Râ?nov again during their campaigns from 1436 and 1441, but they could not destroy it.

The Rasnov Fortress is placed on an abrupt cliff and it can be entered only from its eastern angle. The fortress was built in such manner that it would fit in the landscape and use it to create an efficient defensive system. Its architecture has no beauty, but the citadel impresses with its placement, highlighted by the deforested hill. The citadel used to have walls of an average height of 5 meters, 8 bastions and a strongly fortified entrance. 

The Rasnov Fortress has an exterior court and an interior court. In the exterior court, called ‘the court in front of the citadel’ or ‘the citadel’s garden’, used to be kept the cattle. Since the 14th century, in the exterior court was built a chapel. The main entrance of the interior court is followed by a circular fortified structure, with many shooting wholes, two grids with iron spikes and a watch road. Inside the citadel were placed the houses of the ones who lived in the citadel. Until present time have been found 83 such houses, which used to serve both as dwelling place for the inhabitants during peace and shelter and storage rooms during sieges. In the highest place inside the citadel, during the first half of the 17th century, the Protestant Reformed Saxons have built a new chapel. 

The fights during 1612 led the people inside the citadel to the conclusion that a water fountain was needed inside the citadel. The fountain was dug during 1623 and 1640 and it has a depth of 146 meters. The Rasnov Fortress was one of Romanian director, Sergiu Nicolaescu’s favourite shooting scene for his historic movies: ‘Dacii’ (The Dacians) in 1966 and ‘Nemuritorii’ (The Immortals) in 1974.In 1967 was filmed the movie ‘Columna’ (The Column), a Romanian-German-Italian production, directed by Mircea Dr?gan.

The Rasnov Fortress

Visiting hours Summer schedule:

from April to October, Monday-Sunday, between 9 am and 19 pm

Winter schedule:

from November to March, Monday-Sunday, between 9 am and 17 pm