Whether we are talking about one of the most iconic historical monuments of Transylvania, the place where the last king of the Dacians took his own life by cutting his throat, or the location where many lives have been saved and protected during various attacks, it's all about Rupea Citadel.

Rupea Citadel is one of the oldest archaeological vestiges on the territory of Romania, being populated by humans for the first time in 5.500-3.500 before Christ.
The fortress became home for more people in 1324 who were against Hungary's king (Carol Robert) deciding to take refuge inside of it.
By time, Rupea Citadel became one of the most important commercial and handcraft center from Romania with 12 different guilds, but also an asylum where locators from nearby were coming and living together.
The location of the fortress is not random, as it represents the place where the main roads from Moldavia, Transylvania and Romanian Country merge. Rupea was built up on the Cohalm Hill (Dealul Cohalmului) with the main purpose to have a proper look over the villages that are surrounding the fortress, locators being able to come by and stay hidden inside the citadel, being protected by everything.

The latest renovations and extensions of Rupea Citadel took place in the 14th and 18th centuries, nowadays representing just one of the many iconic ruins from Transylvania, very rich in knowledge and history. Between 1432 - 1437, the fortress has been attacked and robbed by the Turkish people. The disaster didn't stop there, as a fire has been started and that's how people decided to abandon the citadel for their own safety, leaving behind a wonderful but sad wreckage.

The fortress is being protected by high walls made out of basalt, housing four enclosures which are connected with the help of the polygonal towers.
The high walls not only that protected its locators but they have also seen a lot, the citadel becoming in 1716 a place where the survivors of plague were sheltering.
Unfortunately, neither this time the stay didn't last for too long, as in 1790 a powerful storm has ruined the roofs of the houses and that made the people leave the place forever.
Even though the humans left behind the citadel, this one wasn't away from difficult moments because during the communism many people tried to destroy the building and use the basalt for village renovations.
Luckily, this fact didn't go too far and it turned out that Rupea Citadel represents one of the most iconic places from Romania with high importance in culture, history and knowledge.
In 2013, Rupea Citadel has been properly repaired and today it occupies one of the foremost places of historical monuments from Brasov County and also Romania.

The Citadel is located on 50km from Brasov, and the hill where is it located it's entirely made out of basalt. The fortress has been a little bit modified during the repair period, being built 3 more defense towers and 2 inner courtyards.
As you might have already noticed, the citadel it doesn't have a proper shape or just a series of walls and that can be explained by its structure, because Rupea Citadel has 3 main enclosures with different gates and walls.

• The Top Fortress represents the oldest construction of the citadel which was built on the ruins of the Dacian Citadel "Ramidava". It dates from the prefeudal period of the 18th century and includes some of the most recent extensions of the citadel such as Slaninii Tower which is specific to the Saxon communities, but also the fountain with a depth of 60m which is not dried even today. To enter The Top Fortress the access is being made through a very narrow aisle under the gate of the tower which leads to some of the rooms where the refugees were sheltering.

• The Middle Fortress was firstly built in the 15th century and then extended in the 17th century to make possible the construction of the Cercetașilor Tower and the chapel of the citadel. The pentagonal tower which can be found here is considered unique in Europe and it represents the main entrance to this part of the fortress.

• The Bottom Fortress represents the newest part of the citadel, being built in the 18th century where it was located the house of the guards who were protecting the area. In 1850 another construction appeared and this one was the military warehouse where locators were keeping their weapons but also tools, some of them which can be found even nowadays.

Rupea Citadel covers a surface of 11ha and its shape is likened to a snail shell due to the circular path of the walls.
The fortress has a total height of 120m.
The citadel is located halfway two of the most traditional cities, Brasov and Sighisoara, on the European road E60 and the access to it can be made through numerous ways depending on the way you are coming from.

• from Bucharest on DN1 through the following cities Ploiesti -> Campina -> Sinaia -> Predeal -> Brasov and then DN13 through Feldioara -> Rupea;
• from Targu Mures on DN13 through Sighisoara -> Rupea;
• from Sibiu on DN1 until you reach Avrig and then on DJ105 to Rupea;
• from Miercurea Ciuc on DN13A to Vlahita and DJ132 until you reach Rupea.

The address of the Rupea Citadel is: Str. Cetății, Rupea 505500.

The schedule of visiting the fortress depends on the period of the year as follows:

1 November - 31 March: 9 AM - 5 PM;
1 April - 31 August: 9 AM - 8 PM;
1 September - 31 October: 9 AM - 5 PM.

Entrance fees:

10 RON / 2.1 EUR - for adults;
5 RON / 1.05 EUR - for kids/students;
8 RON / 1.7 EUR - for adults from an organized group;
4 RON / 0.85 EUR - for kids/students from an organized group.

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There are no taxes needed to be paid for taking pictures or videos inside the citadel.

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