Built in 1310. on the site of a former 12th century wooden fortress, burned by the Tartars in 1241, Fagaras was enlarged between the 15th and 17th centuries when it was considered one of the strongest fortifications in Transylvania. The fortress was surrounded by a deep moat which, in times of war or social unrest, could easily be filled with water from a nearby mountain brook. A bridge over the moat provided the only access point. The fortress boasts strong defending walss and five watch towers.
Fagaras Fortress has served as a residence for various princes and their families. This is reflected in later building works, with much of it being carried out during the reigns of Transylvanian Princes Gabriel Bethlen and György Rákóczi I. Bethlen in particular was instrumental in the Italian Renaissance style being adopted at the fortress, bringing architects and glassmakers from Italy to rebuild it while bestowing it with elegance and beauty.
