Râșnov Citadel

Romania, Romania

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Râșnov Citadel in Râșnov, Brașov County, Romania, is a medieval Fliehburg fortress built by Teutonic Knights between 1211-1225 on a steep hill as part of Transylvania's defense against Tatar and Ottoman invasions, later enlarged by local Saxon villagers into a self-sustaining refuge with over 30 houses, a school, chapel, and craftsmen shops. Featuring thick 5-meter stone walls up to 1.5 meters thick, nine towers, two bastions, a drawbridge, and three concentric courtyards protected by steep slopes and galleries, it resisted most sieges—including Tatar attacks in 1335 and 1421—but fell once in 1612 due to water shortage after enemies found a secret spring, prompting the digging of a 146-meter-deep well completed in 1640. Now a major tourist site with restored structures housing a history museum, it symbolizes Saxon resilience and offers panoramic views near Brașov, distinct from aristocratic castles by its peasant origins and communal design.