| Peles Castle from Sinaia (Romania), is nested at the | | | | windows, walls covered with Cordoba leather, |
| foot of the Bucegi Mountains, in the Prahova Valley | | | | Meissen and Sevres porcelains, ebony and ivory |
| and is one of the most beautiful castles in all Europe | | | | sculptures. |
| and in the world. | | | | Peles Castle most outstanding rooms are the Big |
| Short history of Peles Castle | | | | Armory Room, the small Armory Room, the |
| The magnificent Peles Castles, with its fairytale | | | | Florentine Room, the Reception Room (where |
| turrets and pointed towers rising above acres of | | | | paintings and wooden sculptures depicting 16 castles |
| green meadows sprinkled with haystacks, was built | | | | of the Hohenzollerns are exhibited), the Moresque |
| as a summer residence by Romania's longest serving | | | | Room, The French Room, the Turkish Room, the |
| monarch, King Carol I, who died and was buried here | | | | Council Room, the Concert Room as well as the |
| in 1914, just months after the castle's completion. | | | | Imperial Suite. |
| The building of the Peles Castle began in 1873 under | | | | Other exquisite attractions at Peles Castle are the |
| the direct order of the Viennese architect Wilhem | | | | statues, the ceramics, the gold and silver plates, the |
| Doderer and was continued in 1876 by his assistant, | | | | Meissen and Sevres porcelain, as well as the |
| Johann Schultz de Lemberg. During 1877-1879 | | | | extensive weapon collections are worth mentioning. It |
| because of the war they abandoned work. The | | | | is also important to know that Peles Castle shelters |
| castle was inaugurated on October 7, 1883. The | | | | one of the most important and most valuable painting |
| location for the Peles Castle was chosen by the | | | | collections in Europe, almost 2.000 pieces. |
| prince Carol I de Hohenzollern, who was to become a | | | | Rembrandt reproductions line the walls of the king's |
| king and it draws its name from the neighboring | | | | office at Peles Castle while rows of books in the |
| brooks which passes through the courtyard. | | | | library conceals a secret passage leading to the 2nd |
| Peles Castle was the first castle in Europe to have | | | | floor of the castle. There is a gallery of mirrors and |
| central heating and electricity. During Ceausescu's era, | | | | the dining room has a leather clad ceiling. Scenes from |
| its 160 rooms, each furnished to reflect a different | | | | age old Romanian fairytales adorn the stained glass |
| European country, were used as a private retreat for | | | | windows in the poetry room. |
| leading communists and statesmen from around the | | | | In the Florence hall, Michelangelo's reproductions hang |
| globe as US president Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, | | | | below a ceiling carved from glide linden wood. The |
| Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi and PLO leader Yasser | | | | Venetian room is equally impressive. |
| Arafat. | | | | Several other buildings, annexed to Peles Castle, |
| Peles Castle´s architecture and design | | | | were built simultaneously: The Guard's Chambers, The |
| Inaugurated in 1883, Peles Castle is not only a | | | | Economat Building, The Foisor Hunting House with 42 |
| pleasant place during the summer day; it has been | | | | rooms designed in Swiss style, The Royal Stables, |
| conceived to be also a national monument, meant to | | | | and the Electrical Power Plant. The Sipot Villa was |
| keep the trophies of the Plevna victory, which | | | | constructed later. This would serve as the work site |
| explains the castle´s majestic style. | | | | of architect Karel Liman. Liman would later supervise |
| Peles Castle was built in wood, stone, bricks and | | | | the building of Pelisor (1889-1903, the future |
| marble and comprises more than 160 rooms. The | | | | residence of King Ferdinand and Queen Mary of |
| representative style used is German Renaissance, but | | | | Romania). as well as of the King's Ferdinand Vila in the |
| one can easily discover elements belonging to the | | | | Royal Sheepfold Meadow |
| Italian Renaissance, Gothic, German Baroque and | | | | Almost adjacent to Peles Castle is Pelisor ("Little |
| French Rococo style. | | | | Peles"). King Ferdinand, who succeeded Carol I, |
| Peles Castle is surrounded by seven terraces | | | | intended to use Peles Castle as a summer residence. |
| decorated with statues (sculptured by the Italian, | | | | Supposedly he found Peles too big and |
| Romanelli), stone-made-wells, ornamental vases and | | | | overwhelming, so he commissioned the smaller, |
| Carara marble. The architects used an abundance of | | | | art-nouveau style, Pelisor Castle. Pelisor's 70 rooms |
| wooden decoration, both for the exterior and for the | | | | feature a unique collection of turn-of-the century |
| interior of the castle, which confers a very special | | | | Viennese furniture and Tiffany and Lalique glassware. |
| quality to the building. | | | | Peles Castle opening hours: |
| Peles Castle´s courtyard in Bramantes style with | | | | June through September |
| a fountain in the middle, in the most accurate | | | | Open: Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to |
| Renaissance style, pleasantly surprises the visitor. The | | | | 4:00 PM. |
| courtyard has a merry decoration, made out of | | | | Closed: Monday |
| plants and flowers; all round, the building's facades are | | | | October through May |
| animated by elegant drawings. The interior of the | | | | Open: Wednesday through Sunday, from 10:00 AM to |
| castle is a true wonder, due to the beauty and | | | | 4:00 PM. |
| richness of the sculpted wood and the stained glass | | | | Closed: Monday and Tuesday |
| windows. As you get in the vestibule, you are on the | | | | Please note that Peles Castle is closed during the |
| Honor Staircase, in front of the most important rulers | | | | whole month of November. |
| of old Romania: Holy Stephen the Great, and Michael | | | | Access to Sinaia: road and rail. |
| the Brave. | | | | Nearby attractions: the city of Brasov, Bran Castle or |
| Peles Castle's interiors are an opulent display of | | | | Dragula´s Castle, Rasnov Fortress, the ski |
| elegant design and historical artifact. Its 160 rooms | | | | resorts in Predeal and Poiana Brasov, Bucharest, |
| are adorned with the finest examples of European | | | | Sighisoara, Sibiu. |
| art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass | | | | |