Brancoveanu Castle in Sâmbăta de Sus

Brâncoveanu Castle in Sâmbăta de Sus, located in Brașov county, is a monument that in the past reflected the flowering period of the Brâncovenesc architectural style in Wallachia and the neighboring areas.

In the 18th century, the castle was one of the few buildings representative of this architectural style characterized by elaborate ornamental details and Ottoman and Byzantine influences. At the end of the century it was demolished, being later rebuilt in the late Baroque style, but preserving decorative elements from the old palace. It still offers a glimpse into the historical and cultural past of the area today.

The castle was built in the first half of the 18th century, during the reign of Voivode Constantin Brâncoveanu, ruler of Romania, a symbol of Romanian resistance and the defense of the Orthodox faith. His reign, which lasted from 1688 to 1714, was marked by his ideal of promoting art and culture. He was a supporter of the Orthodox Church and encouraged religious education. He initiated the construction of several churches and monasteries, including Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery. His reign was tragically cut short in 1714 when he was captured by the Ottomans and executed along with his four sons for refusing to convert to Islam.

Brâncoveanu Castle witnessed, for centuries, the events in the region, becoming a cultural symbol of the area. Today it is undergoing rehabilitation, but the tranquility and the calm landscape of the area invite learning and contemplation. Visit this place to discover the rich historical heritage of Brașov County and the entire country!

After the death of Constantin Brâncoveanu, the domain became the property of Dumitru Marcu, a Sibiu merchant, and at the end of the 18th century it was completely demolished, as a military safety measure. The cellars are the only ones that have survived to this day from the original construction.

The ruler Grigore Brâncoveanu restored the old estate in the 19th century, building here an ensemble composed of a palace in the late Baroque style, administrative buildings, a brandy factory, two mills and gardens. With the arrival of the agrarian reform in 1922, the domain became the property of the Metropolis of Sibiu, and on June 24, 1925, a recreation center for artists and writers was inaugurated here, a mission that it held for several decades. After the end of the great wars, it was transformed into a primary school.

Once in the area, the visit becomes complete only when it is completed by a stop at Brâncoveanu Monastery in Sâmbăta de Sus. The monastery was also built by Constantin Brâncoveanu and is a symbol of the national and spiritual identity of those in the area. Destroyed from the ground up in 1785 by order of the Court of Vienna, it was restored starting in 1926.

Tourists will find here a place of deep silence, an altar in the forest, where services are performed in the open air, in the middle of nature. Today, the "Academy from Sambata" is also housed here, a center of Christian spirituality, art, science and culture that organizes conferences, congresses and symposiums with theological themes.