Peles Castle was constructed for King Carol I of Romania and was built between 1873 and 1914. However, it was inaugurated in 1883. At the inauguration, King Carol I ceremoniously laid the last brick in place to celebrate the castle's completion. On that occasion, passengers from the Orient Express's inaugural journey to Bucharest in 1883 were invited to Peles Castle by Queen Elisabeth of Wied.
The reason for the very lengthy construction was due, among other things, to the Romanian War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1877-1878, when construction came to a standstill.
In addition to the construction of the castle, a power plant was built at the same time, and Peles Castle thereby became the world's first castle fully powered by locally produced electricity.
When the castle was completed, it was used as a summer residence. The castle is situated very scenic by the Carpathian mountains.
"Between 1890 and 1914, under the supervision of the Czech architect Karel Liman, considered the main architect, the castle was transformed and enlarged. Decoration: in the first shape (1883), both exterior and interior stylistic dominant is provided by the German neo-Renaissance style with two exceptions, the neo-Ottoman and the neo-Rococo styles. In the second stage (1890-1914), fundamental changes to the volumes, façades and interiors enriched the previous stylistic range, adapting the castle to the stylistic pluralism of Historicism." (
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Peles Castle has a floor plan of 3,200 square meters (34,000 sq ft) with over 170 rooms. There are 30 bathrooms. Many of the rooms are decorated according to different world cultures. All rooms are lavishly furnished.
There are vast collections of statues, paintings, furniture, gold, silver, stained glass, ivory, porcelain, tapestries and carpets. The collection of weapons and armor has over 4,000 pieces.
Seven Italian Neo-Renaissance terrace gardens have been laid out around the castle. Here are many different statues of Carrara marble by the Italian sculptor Romanelli. Among other things, a statue of King Carol I at the main entrance, but also lions, dogs, fountains, urns, stairs and other decorative objects.
You can visit the castle all day and see it from the outside as well as the many beautiful terraces.
The castle now functions as a museum and there is access to the interior of the castle on guided tours.
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