Perched near the southern edge of the Carpathian Mountains, Peles Castle in Sinaia exemplifies the best of Romania’s architectural heritage. Originally the country residence of King Carol I, the castle’s construction (1873–1883) coincided with the nation’s founding.
For centuries, the lands inhabited by ethnic Romanians were divided between the Austrian, Ottoman, and Russian empires. In 1862, the semi-independent territories of Moldavia and Wallachia unified as Romania and gained independence 12 years later.