Poenari Citadel

Arefu, Romania, Romania

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Poenari Citadel in Arefu, Romania, is a dramatic ruined fortress perched high on a steep cliff overlooking the Argeș River valley near the Făgăraș Mountains, originally constructed in the early 13th century by Wallachian rulers like Negru Vodă as a strategic tower guarding a key pass between Wallachia and Transylvania. In the mid-15th century, Vlad III the Impaler (Dracula) extensively rebuilt and expanded it using forced labor from captured Saxon and boyar enemies, turning it into one of his main strongholds and secondary residence with walls, towers, and a commanding vantage point that made it nearly impregnable. Abandoned by the 16th century after further use, it suffered major damage from a 1913 earthquake-induced landslide, leaving atmospheric ruins today accessed by climbing 1,480 concrete steps, drawing visitors as the "real Dracula Castle" amid its haunting, isolated setting.