Poienari Castle
| Poenari Citadel | |
|---|---|
| Cetatea Poenari | |
 |
|
| Alternative names | Citadel of Țepeș Vodă Citadel of Negru Vodă |
| General information | |
| Location |
 Arefu, Argeș County, Romania
|
| Construction started | 1453 |
| Destroyed | 1915 |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 60 m |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Negru Vodă |
Coordinates: 45°21′13.49″N 24°38′6.80″E / 45.3537472°N 24.6352222°E
Poenari Castle (Romanian pronunciation: [po.eˈnarʲ]), also known as Poenari Citadel (Cetatea Poenari in Romanian), is a ruined castle in Romania, notable for its connection to Vlad III the Impaler. Access to the citadel is made by climbing the 1,480 concrete stairs.
The castle is located on the plateau of Mount Cetatea, facing the west side of the Transfăgărășan, on a canyon formed on the Argeș River valley, close to the Făgăraș Mountains.
Poenari Castle was erected around the beginning of the 13th century by Wallachians. Around the 14th century, Poenari was the main citadel of the Basarab rulers. In the next few decades, the name and the residents changed a few times but eventually the castle was abandoned and left in ruins.
However, in the 15th century, realizing the potential for a castle perched high on a steep precipice of rock, Vlad III the Impaler repaired and consolidated the structure, making it one of his main fortresses. Although the castle was used for many years after Vlad's death in 1476, it eventually was abandoned again in the first half of the 16th century and was in ruins by the 17th century. The size and location of the castle made it difficult to conquer. In 1888, a landslide caused by an earthquake brought down parts of the castle which crashed into the river far below. It was slightly repaired and the walls and its towers still stand today. To reach the castle, visitors need to climb 1,480 steps.
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