Day 0 – Sunday
Sunday is insanely busy.
It’s going to be an approximately 760km round trip of over 10 hours driving. But I like a challenge.
We’re heading outside the capital into less cosmopolitan territory. And one of the stops is a Catholic Cathedral (for historical rather than religious interest). So a significantly more conservative fit is in order.
România is packed with interesting churches, monasteries, cathedrals, and other historic buildings.
On my route today, I pass through one small town within which I see no fewer than 14 huge stork nests – most of them atop utility poles, per design, but at least 3 on top of stone chimneys of what looks like a disused old building.
Castelul Peleș
And we’re off. First stop is just past Sinaia for Castelul Peleș, definitely worth a visit if you can. Book your entry time online in advance as nunbers are limited to control flow and wear & tear on the place. A fantastic castle, well preserved and maintained. Tours available in English if you want a tour – but book in advance obviously. You don’t need a tour; the signage & information panels are mostly in Romanian + English + French + Turkish + one or two others I didn’t make a note of. If you like old dark wooden furniture, you’re in luck. I’m just going to stick some photos in. But there is NO substitute for seeing it yourself.
I won’t tell you about the electric sunroof in the castle (although it is in the pictures). Or the vacuum pipe system. The owner was a big fan of the latest technology available!
Twisty Roads
No time to take a detour today for the Transfăgărășan highway. But Serpentinele de la Pârâul Rece was a pretty good miniature substitute. Hours of beautiful scenery pass by.
Catredala Romano-Catolică Sfântul Mihail – Saint Michael’s
This cathedral in Alba Iulia is where Iancu de Hunedoara (c. 1406 – 1456) aka John Hunyadi is burried. A Hungarian nobleman of Wallachian (Romanian) origin. A significant 15th century military leader famous for his campaigns against the Ottoman Empire.
In July 1456, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II laid siege to Belgrade, then part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Hunyadi led a coalition army of Hungarians, Serbs, and crusaders. Against the odds, they achieved a decisive victory, halting Ottoman expansion into Central Europe for nearly 70 years.
After the victory, Pope Callixtus III ordered that church bells throughout Christendom be rung at noon every day.
The idea was originally to call the faithful to pray for the defenders of Belgrade. But over time, the practice remained as a general noon bell-ringing tradition in Catholic (and later even some Protestant) lands.
So when you hear church bells at noon, that tradition is directly linked to Hunyadi’s victory in 1456.
Back to base
One long drive, 360ish km, and off to sleep by 02:00. The route back took in some of the modern motorway-standard roads leading to Bucharest, without which the round trip would not really have been feasible in a day.
Sophie Baskerville 