Peles Castle is located on a medieval route which links Transylvania to Southern Romania, in the majestic Carpathian Mountains. It was built in the late 19th century in a neoclassical Germain new-renaissance style. In fact you could well be mistaken for thinking you’re in Germany or Austria when visiting this majestic Romanian castle.

Peles Castle, Palace or Museum?

Peles Castle is one of the most famous castles all of in Europe. It’s an authentic royal castle, and was used as a summer residence for the Kings and Queens of Romania in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was commissioned by King Carol the first in 1873. And it was designed by German architects, that’s why it looks so German.

You may be mistaken for thinking Peles Castle is more like a palace than a castle. However it is most definitely a castle. It has been named a castle since day one, albeit one of the most luxurious castles you will ever lay eyes on. In fact, it was declared a museum in 1953 and has been so ever since.

Location of Peles Castle

Peles Castle is located in a mind-blowingly beautiful spot in the mountains just near the town of Sinaia. It’s about 48km from the Transylvanian city of Brasov, and 124 km north of Bucharest. The castle is named after Peles Creek, which runs right under the castle! It’s about a two hour drive from Bucharest to Peles Castle. We made this trip on a tour called 2 Transylvania Castles in 1 Day, through our favourite booking platform GetYourGuide.com.

Peles Castle, Romania. Photo by theplanetd. pic.twitter.com/5glPVTdUV7

— ‏ ‏Tariq 🖤 (@tarekemad95) August 30, 2018

The Most Modern Castle of it’s Time

When it was built, Peles Castle was the most modern castle of its time. Here are some important facts to demonstrate just how modern this 1873 masterpiece really is.

• It was the first castle in Europe to be fully lit by electric lighting.
• To achieve this it had it’s own power station.
• It was the world’s first castle to be powered by locally generated electricity.
• Peles Castle houses it’s own 60 seat theatre.
• The very first Romanian movie projection was screened here in 1906.
• In the Hall of Fame there is a huge glass ceiling which is driven by electric motors.
• The whole castle even has central heating.

There are 170 rooms and about 30 bathrooms in Peles Castle. It’s central tower is 66 m high, and the castle houses a vast collection of art and historical pieces. Many of the rooms are exquisitely themed into different cultures, such as Italian, Turkish, French and Moorish.

The Communist Era

Back in 1948 the castle was confiscated by the ruling Communist party and became property of the state. It was only after the 1989 Romanian Revolution that the castle was handed back and became a tourist attraction. Luckily the historical value was completely preserved throughout this period.

Rules of Entry

Somethings to keep in mind when you visit Peles castle. Before you enter you must purchase a special photography pass which cost 30 Romanian Lei per person. This is paid directly to the Royal Family, which is why it’s not included in tour bookings.

As you enter the front door of the castle you’re asked to put on some plastic bags over your shoes. This helps to protect the authentic carpets and floors through the castle. There are no backpacks allowed inside the castle. There is a bag room just inside the front door and you asked to leave your backpack there, and you are issued a number to collect it on the way out.

I was happy to know the video recording is permitted with the photography pass. We were told there are various web cams positioned through the castle which monitor people taking photos without a photography pass. You are asked to wear a visible ticket on your shirt or bag strap so it can be seen that you have a photography pass.

Peles Castle Guided Tour

The share opulence of this castle will take your breath away. It is in true Royal style and class in every way imaginable. The tour takes visitors through about 20 rooms, and each one is a living museum. Each room is stuffed with expensive art pieces and ornate furnishings.

Our Peles Castle guided tour lasted approximately one hour. One thing that I found odd is that we did not spot any rest rooms throughout the tour. Especially since there are 30 bathrooms in the palace. It’s probably wise not to drink too much water. The tour through the castle was jaw dropping from start to finish.

Visitors are greeted by a magnificent huge hall as you’re walking with walnut panels and amazing statue. This is where you find the motorised glass ceiling.

20 Rooms to Visit

For me the most impressive display was the weapons room, complete with a massive collection of over 4,000 mediaeval weapons and armour. There was even a full horse armour on display. It has a wide range of European and Asian weaponry from a whole lot of different countries. It even has complete armoury of medieval knights on display.

The music room is truly exquisite to see. Apparently when Queen Elizabeth was one of the residents she used to host the most beautiful music nights. There’s a large harp as a centre piece and a magical sitting room full of ornate furniture. It’s astounding to visit a room of such royal indulgence, and to imagine the magical music nights which must have taken place here.

The Royal library is full of rare books rare books in leather covers and gold embossing. The book room even has a secret door behind a bookshelf where the King could escape to different rooms inside the castle. The Florentine room is magnificent with it’s exquisite Italian styling, complete with Michelangelo sculptures over the fire place.

On the first floor is the concert hall which contains a Belgian harpsichord from the 17th century, amongst other magnificent historical musical instruments.

Exiting the Castle

When the tour is over you exit through the same front door. Collect your bags and return your plastic slippers, and you’re back out into the royal courtyard. We were given about 20 minutes to roam around the beautiful setting at the front of the castle. This is full of statues and gardens, most notably an imposing statue of King Carol I.

It’s a very peaceful scene, with panoramic views of a lush valley and surrounding hills. The walk out passed by several locals selling baskets of locally grown berries. We purchased one for 15 Lei and enjoyed a healthy snack. Interestingly there were not any souvenir vendors, and we did not pass by a souvenir shop.

After 5 minutes walk, just near the car park there is a small cluster of cafes and a restaurant. Note that this is the only public toilet on the whole site, at the back of the cafe. We went to use the restroom to find there is just a single restroom for men and there was quite a lineup, so much that our tour group did not allow enough time for this. Plan carefully.

Review of Peles Castle Tour

Overall our visit to Peles Castle was well worth a visit. There was a high volume of tour groups going through on a Saturday afternoon in peak season July, but they were well organised. We got to go through about 20 beautiful castle rooms, each one as magnificent as the last.

Overall we felt we had a very thorough tour through the castle; well paced and not too fast. There are a few stairs to walk up during this tour, but overall it’s not too strenuous.

Pay for the Photography Pass

It is definitely worth paying the 30 Romanian Lei for the photography pass. I think you may be sorry if you don’t. And it’s definitely worth visiting Peles Castle. This is not your classic medieval castle, but more closely resembling a 19th-century Royal palace. And the Peles Castle Guided Tour is well worth it, purely for its artistic cultural and historical significance.

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