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Tourist objectives

Targoviste
The "Princely court" National Museum Complex

Contains monuments of medieval architecture which form the ensemble of the Princely Court, out of which some host exhibitions:

• In the Chindia Tower: Dracula. Legend and historical truth;
• In the Princely Court: The art collection of the Brancoveanu era;
• In the cellars of the 16th century princely court – the History of the Princely Court, the Lapidarium;
• In the Church of Sf. Vineri – Icon collection.

From the very entrance the visitor feels overwhelmed by the slender and elegant silhouette of the Chindia Tower, unique and grandiose at the end of the stone paved alley. The Chindia Tower is a part of the ensemble of edifices of the Princely Court in Targoviste. It is a 27 m high tower with a diameter of 9 meters, of cylindrical shape, which has served as a defense and surveillance tower. Its current aspect dates from the 1847-1851 period when it was restored by the prince Gheorghe Bibescu. The Chindia Tower was preserved until now but it bears the traces of the earthquakes during the last quarter century, requiring some consollidation works. The name of the tower comes from an ancient danse, the Chindia, which was danced at the basis of the tower on the occasion of feasts at the Princely Court.

Here you may also visit: the great princely church, made by Petru Cercel, and the Sfinta Vineri church, built by the prince Vlad Calugarul and his wife Smaranda. The museum complex also contains: the Museum of History, opened in September 1986 in the building of the old Justice Palace, the Printing and Old Romanian Book Museum, the Museum of Writers of Targoviste, the Art Museum, the Regional History Museum, the National History of Romanian Police, and also the Workshop House of Gheorghe Petrascu and the Workshop House of Vasile Bledea.

Zoological garden

Located on the northern coast of the biggest park in the  municipality, the Chindia Park, in the immediate vicinity of the museum complex of the Princely Court and the Chindia Tower, the Zoological Garden of Targoviste is extended on an area of 4ha, located within a special natural environment, with abundant and diverse vegetation, and the visitors feel the need of a complete relaxation in an oasis rich with nature and history. The Targoviste Zoo has in its collection species of birds and animals from all continents: Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America and Africa. Seeing that some of these species are on the way of extinction, they have been included in  special protection and conservation programs.
 

The Brancoveanu Palace