is one of the oldest archaeological remains on the territory of Romania, the first signs of human settlements dating back to the Paleolithic and early Neolithic (5,500-3,500 BC). The first documentary attestation dates back to 1324, in the late Middle Ages, when the Saxons rebelling against King Charles Robert of Anjou of Hungary took refuge inside the fortress, Castrum Kuholm. The name Kuholom refers to the rock on which it was built: basalt. Documents from the 15th century mention the fortress as an important commercial and craft center, with 12 guilds. The fortress served over time as a fortification but also as a refuge for the population that inhabited the surrounding hills and valley, its location being strategic: at the junction of the roads that connected Transylvania, Moldavia and Wallachia through the southeastern passes. Rupea Fortress, built on Cohalmului Hill, dominating the city from above, was built and expanded in the 14th–17th centuries, as a fortress and refuge for the surrounding villages. The walls form 4 enclosures, being reinforced in places with polygonal towers, the circulation being controlled by several interior gates that compartmentalize the fortified complex. The central enclosure is provided with a reduit[1] and a chapel.

Archaeological research has revealed various objects from this era, evidence of settlements in the region: stone tools, ceramic fragments, funerary urns, etc. During the Dacian era, a dava known as Rumidava or Ramidava (according to various historical sources) was built on these sites; This first ancient fortress is evoked by the astronomer, astrologer, cartographer Ptolemy [Claudius Ptolemaeus] under the name Ramidava, considering it as one of the most important fortresses of southern Dacia; conquered by the Romans, the Rumidava fortress becomes the Roman castrum Rupes ("rock" or "stone"). The Roman name is most likely related to the fact that the fortress is built on a stone massif. The Roman name also gave the name of today's locality, formed around the hill: Rupea. The Roman fort of Rupes was part of the Roman fortification belt for the defense of the commercial area and the routes that connected the Târnave Valley, the Olt Valley, Râșnov and Hoghiz. Later, on the Dacian remains, the pre-feudal settlement was formed: by the construction of the upper fortress, in the 10th-13th centuries, and the medieval one, later, by the construction of the middle and lower fortress, starting from the 14th century. Between 1432–1437, the fortress was attacked and plundered by the Ottoman Turks, only to be abandoned later, in 1643, after a devastating fire turned it into ruins. At the end of the same century, the Saxons returned to the fortress to take refuge. This time, the fortress was surrendered to the Habsburg armies without armed resistance.

In 1716, the fortress walls served as a refuge for survivors of the plague epidemic that broke out in the town near the fortress. The fortress was finally abandoned in 1790, following a strong storm that destroyed its roof. Since then, the fortress has been left in disrepair, although the town of Rupea became a powerful Saxon cultural center in the interwar period. During the communist regime, the fortress resisted its complete destruction by the communist authorities, who wanted to recycle the basalt for the development of the town of Rupea. The last attempt to restore the fortress dates back to 1954. Subsequently, this important vestige of Romania's cultural and historical heritage was left completely abandoned. The Ministry of Regional Development and Housing, the Agency for Regional Development Centru and the Rupea Local Council signed in 2009[2] a financing contract, with non-refundable funds, for the project of rehabilitation and expansion of the tourist infrastructure of the city of Rupea. This project also includes the rehabilitation of the abandoned fortress of Rupea. Since June 2013, the Rupea Fortress has been fully restored. The fortress is classified in the list of historical monuments in Brașov County with the code BV-II-a-A-11769.

Rupea Fortress is located 50 km from Brașov, built on a basalt massif, in the area of ​​the Cohalm Hill geological reserve - "Rupea Basalts". It is a peasant fortress with four areas fortified with polygonal towers. The fortress is modified over time, by adding two inner courtyards and three defense towers. The fortress is built on three enclosures: - the upper fortress which is the oldest construction. The upper fortress was built on the ruins of the Dacian dava (it is assumed that they are the ruins of the Dacian Ramidava fortress). - the middle fortress, a construction from the 15th century, enlarged at the beginning of the 17th century. Here the Chapel and the Scouts' Tower were built the lower fortress, built in the 18th century.

Components of the fortress

The first enclosure of the fortification system is the upper fortress, which dates back to the pre-feudal period, the 10th-13th centuries. It includes the most recent extensions, including the Slaninii Tower, specific to the Saxon communities. The 59-meter-deep well is also found here. The upper fortress has an area of ​​over 1,500 square meters. The fortress's defense system is based on the walls of this enclosure, perfectly combined with the natural rocks. The entrance to the upper fortress was through a very narrow corridor, the gate under the Powder Tower, the Tower with the thickened top. Inside the enclosure, traces of rooms can be seen, which served as housing for the population that took refuge in the fortress during sieges. The best-known rooms in the upper fortress are the Judge's Chamber and the Priest's Chamber. However, these are very difficult to identify today. The middle fortress was built in the 15th century and modified, to be enlarged, in the 17th century. Here one can identify the Tower with bars, the Chapel and another Pentagonal Tower, unique in Europe, the entrance gate to the middle fortress. During this period, the fortress was enlarged by adding an inner courtyard, in which in 1623 the fortress fountain was dug, 59 m deep and unfilled to this day. Also in the middle fortress one can see the tower and the main lower gate dating from the 17th century. The lower fortress was built starting with the 18th century. The fortress guard's residence, from 1850, and the military warehouse, built at the beginning of the 19th century, date from this period. The plans of the fortress also mention the Slăninii Tower (specific to Saxon fortresses), the Servants' Tower, the powder magazine, the Hungarian Tower, the Scouts' Gate with the Scouts' Tower, the Royal Court Chamber, the Court Chamber, the Scribes' Tower, a firing mouth, the Court Chamber and the Upper Chamber. The Rupea Fortress has the shape of an ascending spiral (snail shell).

Rupea Fortress visiting schedule:

Period 01 November – 31 March: 9:00 – 17:00

Period 01 April – 31 August: 9:00 – 20:00

Period 01 September – 31 October: 9:00 – 19:00

Following excavations carried out in the area of ​​the city of Rupea, the presence of man in these lands has been attested since 2,000 years ago, with a Roman military stone being discovered in the lower part of the city. The name of the town derives from the Latin word “rupes” which means rock cone and is attributed to the Quaternary rock on which the fortress stands. As a fair town, Rupea is mentioned since 1433 and later known as a developed commercial center. 4 large fairs were held here annually. The fairs in Rupea were the most famous in Transylvania at the time. During the time of Matei Corvin, Rupea was the center of 12 craftsman guilds. In the west of the city, on a steep basalt rock cliff, is located the Rupea Fortress, which is one of the oldest and strongest fortresses in Transylvania, it being attested for the first time in 1324, although it was built long before that date, but there are no documents in this regard. In 1601, Michael the Brave passed through here, and later, Stefanita Voda. In 1688, the first Austrian soldiers settled in the fortress, who renovated the fortress. The Saxon colonists, who arrived in the second half of the 12th century, made a decisive contribution to the coagulation and development of the locality. The main occupation of the inhabitants was agriculture and cattle breeding, Rupea being also a very important commercial and trade center. Until the Great Union of 1918 and during the interwar period, the Saxons constituted an important part of the population, which left its mark on the western aspect of the town (a town since 1951). At that time, Rupea played an important role in the entire region. The first national council of Târnava Mare County was formed here.

From an economic and cultural point of view, it is worth noting that before 1918, Rupea had 4 banks, the most important of which was Banca Cetatea, and in 1920 the first Romanian gymnasium school was established. Since the 19th century, Rupea has also been attested as an upper elementary school, a Saxon school with nine classes for boys and eight classes for girls. After the Second World War, although the geopolitical situation of Romania determined a stagnation of development, both at national and local level, Rupea continued to develop, with the construction of a polyclinic, a cultural center, a cinema, housing estates, a water supply system, and the development of industrial and craft enterprises.

Daily schedule 07.00 -22.00 (Romanian time) Departure location - Brașov

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