Targoviste

Targoviste is situated at only 80-km northwest of Bucharest, on the beautiful hills south of the Carpathians. It is a small town with a glorious history. From the 14th to the 17th century this was the capital of feudal Walachia. During 1396 and 1714, thirty-three ruling princes, from Mircea the Old to Constantin Brancoveanu, ascended the throne of Wallachia in Targoviste. Among them, Radu the Great, who encouraged the first printing activities, Vlad the Impaler, the enlightened prince Neagoe Basarab, Petru Cercel, a true man of the Renaissance, Michael the Brave and others. Targoviste fully deserves its nickname of Wallachian Florence.

Here the first books in Slavonic, and then in Latin, were printed, the town being, alongside Brasov, one of the birthplaces of the Romanian literary language. The head of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul), the first unifier of the Romanians, was brought here after his murder in Transylvania, and is now kept with respect at the beautiful Dealu Monastery, close to town. This faded glory still shows up in the atmosphere of the old town. Take a walk along the streets and nice squares, to the monumental complex known as the Voyevodal Court. This is the place where the medieval palace of them king once stood. One can still see the remnants of the fortress walls, and the 16th-century watchtower, "Turnul Chindiei".

Then visit the 17th-century church founded by king Vasile Lupu, featuring the Byzantine architecture. Tirgoviste is also a cultural center. Here was the workshop of the beloved Romanian modern painter Gheorghe Petrascu. You can learn about the history of printed books in Romania from 1508 to the present, by visiting the rare-books museum that was once residence of Princess Safta. It shelters manuscripts and maps, as well as rare books. Then check out the archaeological museum, where you will find Greek, Roman and Dacian artifacts.