Central Romania: Brașov fortress reopens its gates to visitors

Cetăţuia Braşovului, the fortress on Straja Hill in the mountain city of Braşov, reopened its gates to visitors on September 8, after several years in which it was closed. Locals and tourists can visit the fortress free of charge this week, until September 17.

Special events marked the reopening this past weekend, attracting hundreds of visitors, the City Hall said.

“Medieval knights ‘recaptured’ the fortress, and then those present were able to step inside this historical monument which the City Hall regained after 7 years of trials,” reads the press release.

After September 17, the fortress will enter a rehabilitation process, with the first works targeting the roof and facades.

Cetăţuia Braşovului returned to the public ownership of the municipality of Brașov after a 7-year lawsuit opened by the Brașov City Hall for the monument’s transfer from the property of Aro Palace to the public property of the Romanian state. The City Hall won the lawsuit at the end of 2022, and in May this year, the government approved the decision by which the monument was transferred from the state domain to that of the municipality.

Several works were carried out in the first stage in order to reopen the fortress. Once the works aimed at making the monument safe for visits are completed, locals and tourists can also go inside the fortress.

“We have two parallel approaches, a short-term approach to stop the degradation, mainly of the outer wall, and a long-term approach to renovate and restore it in all its beauty, as a class A historical monument,” explained mayor Allen Coliban.

The authorities will open all the spaces only after the restoration project is completed, the City Hall said.

(Photo source: Facebook/Primaria Municipiului Brasov)