Râşnov Fortress (Rosenau in German), is located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian Mountains, 650 ft. above the town of Râşnov. First mentioned in an official document in 1331, the fortress was built by Teutonic Knights as protection against invading Tartars and was later enlarged by the local Saxon population. It had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel and other buildings more commonly associated with a village.

The defensive system included nine towers, two bastions and a drawbridge. Surrounded by 500-foot-slopes on the north, south and west sides, the fortress was obliged to surrender only once, in the year 1612 when invaders managed to find the secret route that supplied the people inside the fortress with water. With the location of their water supply no longer a secret, the need for a well inside the fortress became a must.

Prior to walking up to the fortress, we had an excellent meal in Restaurant La Promenade.

Afterwards, we drove around looking for a campsite: we should have asked if we could stay on the restaurant car park, but thought it might be too full. The Dino Park car park was a bit too secluded, Camping La Gigi was closed, Camping Pensiunea had too many aggressive dogs, so we ended up at Camping Penicel: when leaving, I overlooked a ditch and got stuck, grounded, with the front wheels in the ditch. We were pulled out by helpful staff with a tractor and strong hose, used as a rope! It sounded as though water was leaking out of the water tank, but fortunately it was only the sound of the exhaust partially blocked by the ditch,