SCHEDULE MADE BY
Radu CERNEA for Otis Gibbs & Todd Fox

After meeting in Predeal railway station, we went to our guest-house in Predeal resort and, after a short break for a shower following a night by train from Bratislava to Predeal, we went to Rasnov Fortress

• Reached objectives:
The Rasnov Citadel, Bran Castle, seen from outside

The road that joins Bran to Rucar (in South) offers spectaculars views over two mountain massifs, as well as over the villages spread here on the hills.
We took our time to see the landscape, stoped as often as necessary. We took tones of pictures. Images of Rasnov, Bran, Piatra Craiului, Bucegi Mountains

Even the sunset was not the greatest possible, it was nice enought to deserve the detour.

1^st DAY, SUNDAY

Cultural Visit to Rasnov, first contact with the Carpathians.

• Predeal Resort - Rasnov Citadel - Bran Castle - Fundatica Area.
• Countryside highlights: Rasnov peasants fortress, Bran, View over Piatra Craiului and over Bucegi.

• The Gate of Rasnov Fortress is kept from centuries. It's dimensions reminds us from the verry beginnig of the military reasons for which the citadel was built
  The oak gate is streightened with iron bars. Two way of access were also built for military reasons.
  The access to the citadel, from the village is pretty difficult. We succeded in doing it by car, but on bad weather (snow) you have to walk on the hill on the top of which the citadel has been built. The access was intended to be difficult, to easier protect the fortress.

History of Rasnov

The life of the small town Rasnov is, of course, stronlgy connected with the history of the villagers' fortress. The construction of the peasants citadels has the aim to protect the village. Placed on a commercial road, Rasnov developed pretty quick, but the need of protection was also big. Some said the teuton knights built the citadel, other argue that the position was a defensive one, as opposed the the mission of teutons. The most impressive hill was choosen for the contruction of the defending point. This offers an impressive view all-over Barsa county from where the invaders could come.

• The Rasnov museum has been enriched soon, following some more archeological research.
  It presents tools used 500 years ago, as well as books and clothes of medieval people.
• Also, from inside the museum you can see the mou ntains: Piatra Craiului, Postavaru. The ramparts and the walls has been built with very small places instead of windows.

Short History

• Laying on the old emplacement of the Dacian settlement Cumidava, the fort was first attested in documents in 1335.
• However it seems like the construction of the fortification started back in twelve or thirteen century.
• A tartar invasion destroyed all Barsa county, but this citadel resisted. Also the old citadel that lied on top of Tampa hill, above Brasov.
  Beeing well fortified, the people living in this area survived inside the two citadels
Brick and stone has been used to build the citadel.

Rasnov contruction

• The walls have an irregulate shape, given by the calcareous rock the fortress has been erased on.
Two yards were determined by the two walls, an exterior one, and the inside one. The exterior yard has been used to shleter the animals, but also to protect against invasions from east. The tower at the end of this on was build above one of the gates. The entry under this tower, the small one, has been used mainly for the animals access.
• the inside yard shelterd the stonemade houses that, during the wars, were used by the villagers.

19:00 - 20:00 Return to the guest-house, where Todd tryed the romanian wisky, "palinca" (a very strong plummade drink) with our guest and his guide to Romania. :)

Walking in Rasnov - Bran area.

• A school has been built in a corner of the citadel.
• Also, in 1605, a chapel has also been built just on top of the hill, in the highest point.
• Because of this privileged position, the chapel also served as an observation point. Also, due to the existence of the chapel, the spiritual life was innentrerupted since centuries.

Facts about Rasnov

• The trademen that passed by Rasnov also were bringing with them lots of information about the social and political life in Walachia, as turcks, fromn south were the the main danger.
• Depending on this informations, they used to stock grains, arms and gunpowder.
Only once, Rasnov citadel gave up, in 1612, due to the fact that the water source, outside the citadel, was intercepted by the invaders. To prevent this in the future a very deep well has been digged. the well is 143 m deep and the legend sais it has been sigged mainly by two turck prisoners. It's digging took 17 years, but, at the end, the fortress was independent from this point of view also.

Sightseeing over Piatra Craiului Mts (the King's Stone), the North Ridge.

Considered by many as the most beautiful mountain in the country, Piatra Craiului (the King's Stone) is indeed a small but really fantastic mountain. The calcium geological structure favorised apparition of really interesting forms in the stone, and is nowere in Romania where ypu can meet so much beauty concentrated in a so small area.

• The walls have an irregulate shape, given by the calcareous rock the fortress has been erased on.
Two yards were determined by the two walls, an exterior one, and the inside one. The exterior yard has been used to shleter the animals, but also to protect against invasions from east. The tower at the end of this on was build above one of the gates. The entry under this tower, the small one, has been used mainly for the animals access.
• the inside yard shelterd the stonemade houses that, during the wars, were used by the villagers.

19:00 - 20:00 Return to the guest-house, where Todd tryed the romanian wisky, "palinca" (a very strong plummade drink) with our guest and his guide to Romania. :)

Shooting pictures from Rucar - Bran corridor

Analize of the day, free time, up to evening time.

• The Rucar - Bran Corridor is one of the most beautyfull in the country
• His specific houses architecture, as well as his landcapes give us the felling of emerging into a fairtale world.
• Viewing Piatra Craiului Mts and the North Side of Bucegi in the same time is really a must for the keen photographer.