HMBIA News has collected the must-see places in Romania today just for you! Working on this article, we have selected diverse and beautiful places to visit in Romania.

1. Horezu monastery

The monastery is rightfully considered one of the main attractions of Romania. It was built during the reign of the Wallachian governor Constantine (II) Brankovianu. He went down in history as the enlightener of his people, and did a lot for the development of his country. During his reign, temples and monasteries were built. In addition, it is believed that he became the founder of a new architectural style, which was named in his honor “Brynkovyansky”. Unfortunately, Constantine and his family were brutally killed in 1714 for refusing to convert to Islam, but many of the most beautiful monuments of the Brankovian architecture remained after him. In 1993, the monastery was included in the UNESCO list.

2. The Village Museum in Bucharest

One of the most popular attractions in Romania, is located in the country’s capital. Here, in the open air, visitors can get acquainted with the life of the Romanian village. The museum is located on the shores of a picturesque lake. Beautiful houses, specially brought from all over the country to preserve the cultural heritage of the 15-19 centuries, clean air and stunning landscapes around, emphasize the originality and charm of the museum. It is quiet and peaceful here, even though the museum is located in the very center of the capital. Here the soul and body rest.

3. Sighisoara Historic center

The Middle Ages fans will be delighted! The city of Sighisoara was founded by colonists in the 12th century. At first, a fortress and several churches around it appeared here. For 100 years, the status of the settlement did not change, but then the colonists were gone and the city received a powerful impetus for development. Today tourists love to visit this place so much. True Middle Ages have been preserved here – fortress walls have been built along the perimeter, 2 bastions and 14 towers are here to remind us of the greatness of this place in the old days. The tower, decorated with miniatures of Roman gods, became the central part of the settlement. Today there are few museums here: the historical museum of the place, next to which is a Gothic temple, a museum of medieval weapons and a religious community of monks. A lot of impressions and gorgeous photos are provided for you!

4. Merry Cemetery

This is a very unusual tourist attraction and an actual cemetery! It is not Medieval, but still very interesting to see. It is located in the village of Sepyntsa, 600 km from Bucharest. The uniqueness of the cemetery is in its wooden tombstones.

And it looks like this: a wooden cross, a colored plate with the image of the deceased and, often, an ironic inscription. Fans of dark humor will feel at home here.

5. Black church

A small but very beautiful church is located in the city of Brasov and is rightfully its symbol. The total height of the building is 65 m, there is only one bell tower with 3 bells. The unusual decoration of the church attracts the tourists – inside the entire space is covered with authentic Turkish carpets. All this is a donation of the church parishioners. Despite the fact that the carpets are old, they have been perfectly preserved to this day.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to see the 15th century font located on the territory of the temple. It looks like a cast-iron ark, made in the Gothic style. In addition to the font and carpets, there are also a lot of interesting things here. The city of Brasov itself is located 190 km from Bucharest.

6. The Painted Monasteries of South Bukovina

The monasteries of South Bukovina are one of the most picturesque sights of Romania. They are declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and are, without exaggeration, the greatest artistic monuments in Europe. Precisely artistic, because all the outer walls of the monasteries are decorated with colored frescoes of scenes from the Bible.

Initially, the painting of the facades of buildings was made to teach Christianity to illiterate residents using images.

7. Corvin Castle

The magnificent building is located near the city of Hunedoara. The castle was donated by the Hungarian king Sigismund to the Romanian military and political leader Janos Hunyadi for distinguished services. He decided to rebuild it and make it a family estate. Since then, the castle has been undergoing major reconstruction, which the owner of the castle did not manage to complete. Janos Hunyadi’s heir Matthias Korvin continued the construction. As a result, in the architecture of the castle, you can trace both Gothic elements from the Middle Ages, and fragments of the Quattrocento – the early Renaissance. There are legends that the Transylvanian Count Vlad Tepes was held in the dungeons of the castle for about 7 years after he was overthrown. Since 1508, the castle has repeatedly changed owners, who also carried out renovations here. As a result, today fragments of the later periods after the Renaissance can be seen there. Already in the 20th century, the castle was opened to visitors. So, you can visit it as well. Do not miss this opportunity!

8. Bucegi Sphinx

In the Bucegi mountains, in the very center of the country, nature itself has created its Sphinx. Imagine – at an altitude of 2216 meters there is something similar to the Egyptian Sphinx. This shape is the result of the windsweaving of sandstone and limestone rocks of the South Carpathians. The 12-meter Bucegi Sphinx is included in the List of Seven Natural Wonders of the country.

In addition, there is a theory that it was here that one of the centers of Atlantis was located. Namely, landing sites for an alien civilization. And in the city of Iasi, a clairvoyant lives, confident that under the Sphinx there is a labyrinth that hides treasures with the knowledge of an ancient civilization. They will open to mankind when it is ready for that. In the meantime, we can simply enjoy the magnificent natural landscapes and the unusual Sphinx.

9. Curtea-Veche 

Curtea Veche translated from the Romanian language means the Old Courtyard (Rum. Curtea Veche – Old court) or the Prince’s yard (Rum. Curtea Domnească din Bucureşti). This is a whole complex of buildings of the XIV century, intended to serve the Wallachian rulers. It was built by the ruler Mircea Sarym, however, after his death, it was not used for a long time. In the 15th century, Vlad Tepes decided to build a stone fortress Dymbovitsa on its ruins. It was founded in the fall of 1459 and it is believed that it was around this fortress that Bucharest began to form. The next milestone in the life of the fortress was the construction of the churches of St. Anton (hramul Sf Anton) and the Annunciation (de Buna Vestire) after 1545 by the then ruler Mircea Chobanule. Later, the Romanian rulers were crowned here. It is currently the oldest building in Bucharest and has become an Open Air Museum. Visiting Kurtea Veche, you can see the remains of the water supply system, murals and decorations of the building, fragments of defensive fortifications and the courtyard gallery, as well as a Turkish bath built on its territory.

10. Palace of Parliament

This grandiose building is now one of the most popular attractions in Bucharest. Its construction began in 1984 and was completed in 5 years. Some sources report that more than 20 thousand people were involved in the construction, who worked 24 hours a day. And you can believe it, because the building turned out to be simply huge and incredibly beautiful! The scale of the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest was appreciated even by representatives of the Guinness Book of Records, recognizing it as the largest administrative building in the world. Considering the scale and beauty of the snow-white giant built in the Neoclassicism style, you simply won’t be able to pass by and not appreciate this attraction!

These are not all the sights of Romania, there are many more and they are all an essential part of your tour. We will be sure to introduce you to the beauties of the country in more detail in our upcoming publications.

HMBIA News