Ascent of Poienari Fortress

So we spent the night at the lay-by under the Poienari Fortress,

Vlad's place

And bright and early the next morning, Friday,
I climbed the 1480 steps (concrete, with
hand-rails all the way) up to the castle ruins

At least the trail is well-signed

"The Road goes ever up and up"

With all kinds of interesting information

along the way

At last, you're at the top; met by Igor,

the castle-keeper, who charges 5 lei (5 more

for pix)

View back to the valley and our camper, where Vicki

sleeps

Plan of the castle

South wall and tower remnant; the Turks,

led by Mohammed II (conqueror of

Constantinople), bombarded Poienari

from a nearby hill, driving Vlad out; but

he escaped and lived to impale another
day; but not very many more days

After the bombardment and Turkish rule in

Romania, the castle ceased to be of importance

and was abandoned; an earthquake in 1915

tumbled more of the walls away; but they

have been rebuilt in brick, so you can see

what's new, and old, and also the original

extent of the place

View to the north and the beginning of the Transfagarasan

Road, where we'll head next....