Besides castle Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Peles is the most remarkable turn-of-the-century castle in Europe. It was built between 1873 and 1914 for King Carol I, Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.

After the previous king of Romania had been expelled from the country, Romanian politicians searched for a successor. They turned to Karl, who had to travel incognito from Germany to Romania in order to start his job. Peles castle is located in a valley in the southern Carpathian mountains close to the town of Sinaia. An outstanding example of turn-of-the-century historicist eclecticism, it was, unlike Neuschwanstein, an actual residence. It was built to the very latest technical standards, with hot water baths and electric light.

The building features stunning features for representation and entertainment, including a room with medieval-style armor, a library with a secret door, a private theatre with a large pipe organ, a room with Asian artifacts, a medieval German style meeting room, and an Ottoman-style entertainment room.

Images (C) Mario Gagliardi 2019