July 2022

Peles Castle is relatively young. It was built between 1873 and 1914, by this time old mature castles got destroyed and rebuilt a couple of times. By the XIX century castles had lost their importance for fortification. While Castelul Peleș is built on a hill, it is not surrounded by a high wall and a moat. To be exact, it is not a castle, it is a palace. Luxury is what defines it. It also was very advanced for its time.

Peles became the first castle in Europe fully powered by locally produced energy. Its electric system was completed in 1884 and the central heating system started to work in 1897.

The palace was built for King Carol I the first king of Romania and his wife Elisabeth of Wied.

In 1953 the castle was declared a museum after King Michael I abdication and the establishment of Communist regime. In 2007 the Peles Castle was returned to the royal family and now is leased by the Romanian state.

Palace interiors is a work of art and craftsmanship. Rooms are decorated in different styles from Italian Renaissance and French classicism to Oriental. Peles Castle displays a rich collection of armour from different eras between the 14th and 19th centuries.  

The museum offers three different types of tours. Basic is limited to the ground floor, the next one adds the first floor, and the complete tour includes the second floor. Carpets, curtains and lots of old and expensive wood. Very beautiful, but not friendly to people with allergies. The museum warns that it is not suitable for people with chronic respiratory diseases. Ksenia with her lasting complications from Covid felt unwell on the first floor (second part of the tour) and hurried outside. Also note that the parking lot is quite far from the palace (10-15 minutes walk). However, if you come by taxi, it can drive right to the front yard.

To save some time you can buy tickets to Peles Castle online. Check prices and opening times here.