In 1524 on the site of the current citadel, the people from the town of Braşov constructed a semicircular tower, which was later surrounded by a wall. The role of this fort was, due to its higher ground position, to control and restrain the enemy who intended to besiege the town. This fortress was demolished by the armies of Petru Rareş Prince of Moldova, who was an ally of János Zápolya, King of Hungary. The gate of the rebuilt fortification and the bridge leading to it were completed, and three towers were attached to the former horseshoe-shaped structure in 1552. In 1611, an outer and inner rampart was built around the castle. In 1630-1631 a protective belt with a corner bastion was built. During that period, an 81-meter-deep well was dug inside the fort. In 1688 some of the Braşov citizens who rebelled against the Habsburg Armies occupying Transylvania took up positions in the citadel, but General Veterani occupied it. The building continued to be under Austrian rule. In 1789 Turkish prisoners were held here, and during the Napoleonic Wars, French people were imprisoned here. In 1849, General Joseph Bem's army occupied it, but the garrison soon surrendered to the Russian Tsarist troops. The citadel, which had lost its military significance, stood uninhabited for a long time. Nowadays there is a garden and a restaurant within its walls.
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