Rupea Citadel

Welcome, explorers, to the wild, windswept beauty of the Transylvanian Highlands. You are currently standing at the foot of one of the most impressive, yet wonderfully uncrowded, medieval fortresses in Romania: the Rupea Citadel. …

Having purchased our tickets at the parking lot entrance, we now pass through the heavy outer gates and enter the Lower Citadel. This outermost ring is the most recent addition to the fortress, constructed primarily in the…

Continuing our ascent, we cross into the Middle Citadel, constructed largely during the fifteenth century. The path grows steeper, and the defensive architecture becomes significantly more aggressive. …

As we navigate the rocky paths between the Middle and Upper Citadels, we encounter a feature that is arguably more important than any defensive wall or stone tower: the great well. To understand medieval siege warfare, one must…

We have finally reached the summit: the Upper Citadel. This is the oldest part of the fortress, the very center of the snail shell, with foundations dating back to the thirteenth century and possibly earlier to a Roman or Dacian…

As we begin our descent, wrapping our coats tighter against the biting Transylvanian wind, take a final look around the imposing stone ruins of Rupea Citadel. You have just walked through a masterclass in medieval military…