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Fortress Rasnov
From the flat plains of Barsa one can spot from a far the massive ruins of the Rasnov fortress, built on a rocky
hill. It is located 200 meters above the city of Rasnov in the Carpathian mountains. The Saxons first settled in Transylvania
in the 11th century and built the town of Rasnov in 1225. Built about the same time as the Prejmer fortress, it is first
mentioned in documents of 1355. In the following centuries it was rebuilt and strengthened several times. Between fortress walls have
found shelter the troops Michael the Brave, who stopped here after the defeat of the Miraslau (1600). He expected at Rasnov to arrive
from the Romanian Country his army reinforcements needed.
Situated on the old tradition road from Brasov- Rucar-Campu-long Muscel
linking Transylvania Romanian Country, the city faced many sieges; once fighters had to open its doors in 1612 because of lack of
water. Rasnov is located about 15 km from Brasov and a similiar distance from Bran. Rasnov is also sometimes spelled as
Rīsnov. The city today has a population of under 16000.
This event comes to memory also because of the well that we see
within the ruined fortress. We can only imagine how hard it was for it to be carved in the rock well over 150 meters deep.
How
the city looks once? A walk among the ruins of the Boards of supplies, along the thick walls with galleries where the city fighters
defended the city, or the "courtyard" - a place where cattle were brought to the shelter - can suggest the contours of it
Also
a suggestive immage offers the Rasnov museum, where weapons, tools, prints and other objects evoking the atmosphere of that time period
and the entire history of the mighty fortress are held.
Being a peasant fortress, built in the Middle Ages by the inhabitants
of Rasnov in order to shelter and defend in times of hostile invasion, it's past is closely linked to the whole historical development
of that population.
In documents, Rasnov name first appears in 1331 as the Romanian-Slav form Rosnou and then as Rosnow
(1343), Rasnow (1337) then Rosinov (1377), Rosarum (1388). Rasnov name is based on word "pink which means rose, both in Latin and
Slavic and German languages and in medieval time the rose was chosen as the emblem of the city.
The route of the walls is irregular because of terrain at the edge of the hill that it surrounds. The peasant fortress complex of Rasnov consists of two courts: a view, in the eastern wall of the city, bordered by a fortified wall and has a square tower called "old tower", an inner city surrounded by walls and towers. Outer Court, located in the east of the city, served for housing cattle, are also reinforced and an outpost to defend the city.
Bibliography
Beyond the ruins - medieval fortresses (Author: Husar, Alexander, Publisher European Institute)
1000 palaces and castles of the world (collectively Author, Publisher: Aquila 93, Year Published: 2007)
Cabin and royal palace ROMANIA - architecture and interior decoration (author Marian Constantin, Publishing Company, 2007)
The travel guide of Romania - Publisher Publirom, 2008
Wikipedia contributors. "Rāsnov" 4 January 2010. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 7 January 2010 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R%C3%A2%C5%9Fnov&oldid=335775538>
Kester "Castle of the Week 110 - Rasnov Fortress, Romania" 2010. Heavengames LLC. 07 Jan. 2010. <
http://stronghold2.heavengames.com/history/cw/cw110>
Astral Telecom "Turism in Romania" 2009. Astral Telecom. 25 Dec 2009. <http://www.turism.ro>
SC PUBLIROM MEDIA GRUP SRL "Ghidul Turistic al Romaniei" 2009. SC PUBLIROM MEDIA GRUP SRL. 27 Dec 2009. <http://www.ghidulturistic.ro>
Institutul de Memorie Culturala "Poarta catre patrimoniul cultural romānesc" 2009. Institutul de Memorie Culturala 26 Dec 2009 http://www.cimec.ro