Făgăraş Country

This time, we have put together a route to take us to Ţara Făgăraşului (The Land of Făgăraşului). By passing through old German localities, like Ghimbav and Codlea, and by continuing through the mild peaks of Perşani Mountains, as soon as we go through Perşani pass and we start our journey to Făgăraş Mountains (The Transylvanian Alps), we reach Ţara Făgăraşului (The Land of Făgăraşului), a historical and ethnographical region of Transylvania, located along the middle course of River Olt, with its centre in the medieval citadel of Făgăraş. Several surrounding sights charm us - from the valleys between the slopes to the colourful and wide plains.
In order to find out a part of the history of these places, we must go to Făgăraş and visit its century-old citadel, which has been the political and administrative centre of the region for a very long time, by influencing the entire economic, social-politic, and cultural life of the region. Residence of Transylvanian and Vallachian princes, the fortified feudal complex of over 650 years old is located right in the city centre and mirrors in the water surrounding it, being the only citadel of this type preserved in Romania.
After getting to know a small part of the history of this region, we go to Sâmbăta de Jos, where we will visit a beautiful lipizzan stud farm; here, the pure-blood race - renowned both in the country and abroad - has been grown and cared for over a century.
By continuing towards the mountain, on Sâmbăta valley, we reach Sâmbăta de Sus, located at the foot of Făgăraş Mountains, and we go on piously to a place dear to the locals and filled with spirituality, that is Brâncoveanu Monastery, surrounded by beautiful scenery. We enter by an alley bordered by flowers and the backyard holds a trout farm and two guesthouses. It is a true museum with several collections which contribute to the Romanian spiritual patrimony.

After the spiritual experience at Brâncoveanu Monastery, we will continue our journey in The Land of Făgăraşului, in order to get to know a few things on the specific features of the area. From old times, the locals - hard working and gifted - have built several technical installations based on hydraulic operation to help them in their work (the hydraulic force was due to the many brooks found near the villages): mills for obtaining flour by grounding cereal beads, presses for squeezing the oil in the seeds, back saws for cutting wood logs, mill machines to process thick wool canvas, and kettles for distilling raki. Such an installation - more than 100 years old -, which was used to process wool clothes, is still found in Lisa, place known by the locals as – „La Vâltori". It is a business started in 1850 and inherited from father to son; thus, currently, the 5th generation works here. In August 2000, a new workshop was built, and the clothes are made by using traditional methods. In Ohaba, we will instead visit a mill which has provided during the years the flour, the corn, and the wheat shorts for the village community. In the past, the mill operated round-the-clock, but today it is stopped most of the time, revealing its secrets to the visitors.
We end our trip with a visit to the rupestral monastery at Şinca Veche, a place where eremites in the past lead their lives in an archaic manner at a high spiritual level.