Târgoviște Princely Court

Târgoviște was the capital of Wallachia for much of the period between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the Curtea Domnească is what remains of the princely seat: foundations and standing walls of the palace, the princely church with its frescoes, a smaller chapel, bath houses and the garden that has grown up over the ruins. Dominating it is the Chindia Tower, built in the fifteenth century during the reign of Vlad III, a round brick tower some twenty-seven metres high that served as watchtower and belfry; a spiral stair climbs to a viewing gallery, and the tower has become the emblem of the town. The complex sits in the middle of a modern city, so the contrast is sharp, and the museum inside the tower covers the court's history. It is the most complete surviving princely residence of medieval Wallachia.

History

Johann Schiltberger named Târgoviște as a capital of Wallachia in 1427, records place the princely court here under Mircea the Elder in 1417-1418, and the town became the sole capital in 1431. Matei Basarab doubled the walls and added 10 bastions, Constantin Brâncoveanu rebuilt the palace in 1695 and churches in 1699, and after the capital moved to Bucharest a fire and an earthquake in 1802 left the complex in ruins (Wikipedia, Târgoviște Princely Court).

Highlights

• Chindia Tower - the fifteenth-century brick tower with a climb to the gallery.
• Palace foundations - the excavated ruins of the princely residence.
• The princely church - a standing church with medieval wall painting.
• The court gardens - lawns and old trees over the ruined complex.

When to go

April to October for the gardens and clear views from the tower. The site opens year-round with shorter winter hours and closes one day a week. Weekday mornings are quiet; local school groups arrive mid-morning.

Before you go

Most of the palace survives only as low walls and foundations, so the imagination has to do a lot of work, and interpretation is thin and largely Romanian. The tower stair is narrow and steep with limited passing room. The surrounding city is unremarkable and there is little else to detain a visitor for long.

Nearby

Bucharest is an hour and a half southeast; Sinaia and the Prahova valley lie north.

Key facts