Neamt Fortress

Hello and welcome back on this blog where today being Wednesday, we will discover together facts about a monument of its history quite important special thanks: Neamt Fortress!

Neamt Fortress is a medieval fortress in Moldova, located on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Targu Neamt (north-eastern Romania). It is located on the summit of the rock Timu Ples (also called Castle Hill), at an altitude of 480 m and a height of 80 m above water level German. Hence, Moldova and Siret valley guarded, as the road went over the mountain in Transylvania.

Neamt Fortress was part of the fortification system constructed in Moldova in the late fourteenth century, when the Ottoman threat occurrence. System fortifications included fortified settlement (princely court, monasteries with high walls and fortresses of strategic importance) for defense, fortified with stone walls, ground waves or with deep ruts.

The fortress was built in the late fourteenth century by Peter I Musat, was fortified in the fifteenth century by Stephen the Great and destroyed in the eighteenth century (1718) by order of Prince Michael Racovita.

Neamt Fortress was included on the list of historical monuments in Neamt County in 2004, with classification code NT-II-mA-10707.

Over time it has been rumored several hypotheses on the origin of the city. One of them mentions how the city of Piatra Neamt was built during the Teutonic Knights stay in the country Barsa, between 1211 - 1225 by them. And according to another hypothesis, the fortress was built by the Genoese.

However, there can be only one correct version, and this is the only one certified by research. Neamt Fortress was built during the reign of Petru I Musat (1375-1391), being mentioned for the first time on 2 February 1395, during the expedition of King Sigismund of Luxembourg of Hungary in Moldova, when he was stopped in his advance towards east by Stephan I of Moldavia.

Stephen the Great (1457-1504) realized the need to build better buildings fortified to defend the Principality of Moldavia from attacks by Turks, Tartars, Hungarians or Poles. He built the first fortified monasteries of Moldova and strengthened existing cities. Considering that not enough Neamt Fortress strengthened to withstand enemy attacks Moldova, the respite of the Battle of High Bridge (January 1475) and the Battle of White Valley (26 July 1476) he commanded heightening the city walls about 7.6 m and building battlements and narrow windows through which the defenders of the fortress could monitor and hit enemies. On the northern side of the fort was built muaatin a wall flanked by four semicircular bastions with thick walls and strong, with varying heights of up to 30 meters. The outer courtyard framed wall.

To avoid enemies near the fortress walls, Stefan cel Mare had a moat digging much deeper and wider than the previous one, in the north and northeast of the fort. The fortress is provided by an arched bridge with a fixed access and other furniture, supported by 11 stone pillars prismatic form. The furniture is on the bridge portion of the last pillar and bastion wall and could rise in case of danger, through a system of pulleys, but once she went there two traps with traps, known as the "rat race ".

In the sixteenth century there was a series of events in which was involved Neamt Fortress. First, during the reign of Petru Rares (1527-1538, 1541-1546), was reinforced as a result of the necessity imposed by partial destruction caused during the reign of Stefan the Great. Then the city has suffered under the rule of Lapusneanu (1552-1561, 1564-1568) and was again repaired in the reign of Peter Schiopul (1574-1577).

Cycles of destruction and rebuilding part of the city continue in the next century, culminating but by being destroyed during Michael Racovita (1703-1705, 1707-1709, 1715-1729).

In 2007-2009, Neamt Fortress was rehabilitated with EU funds 2004-2006 Phare Economic and Social Cohesion, which were added funding from Neamt County Council, in partnership with the City Council Targu Neamt.

More will not tell you not to bother with too much information, but I'm sure you have found pleasure in reading these few lines about this beautiful city representative.

God bless you!