Hunyad Castle – Hunedoara

Found in the Transylvanian city of Hunedoara, Romania is the Hunyad Castle.

The Hunyad Castle was built around the thirteenth to fourteenth century and is most well known for being an important relic from the Hunyadi dynasty who was given the castle by Sigismund king of Hungary in the fourteenth century.

During the period of 1446 and 1453 the castle was given a much needed restoration by John Hunyadi, the grandson of John Hunyadi who was the first Hunyadi to own the property.

Over the years under the Hunyadi dynasty the castle grew as it was seen as an important and integral part to the families reign as rulers.

The building was initially built in a Gothic style but the restoration and additions the castle saw over time also gives it the architectural elements of both the Renaissance and Baroque styles.

The castle is made up of tall towers with spires and high defensive walls. There is a draw bridge at the front leading into a central courtyard. There is also a watch tower inside the courtyard with a secondary smaller bridge over the defensive trench and a keep as a last line of defense.

The Hunyard Castle also has a chapel and thirty metre deep well. The well has an interesting story whereby it was dug by twelve Turkish prisoners who were told that if they dug down to water they would be given freedom in return. These unfortunate souls took fifteen years to dig the well but their freedom was never given by their captors.

Inside the castle there are great halls and galleries. One of the most important halls in the building is the awe inspiring Knights’ hall.

Legend tells us that Vlad III of Wallachia who is today known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula spent seven years in the Hunyad Castle as a prisoner between 1462 and 1469 after being deposed from his reign as a Wallachian Voivode.

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