Brâncoveanu Castle from Sâmbăta de Sus – Restored to her former glory
During the Middle Ages, Sâmbăta de Sus was owned by some noble families and belonged to the fortress of Făgăraș. The estate was bought in 1654 by Preda Brâncoveanu. His grandson Constantin Brâncoveanu Prince of Wallachia inherited the castle in 1688. During his reign, the construction took place in Venetian Renaissance and Byzantine styles. In 1670, Constantin Brâncoveanu had a manor house built in Sâmbăta de Sus. But later, after it was left derelict, his great-grandson Grigore Brâncoveanu demolished it and had a new one built in its place at the end of the 18th century. The estate and castle remained the property of the Brâncoveanu family until 1921. At that time, the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture, together with the ruins of a nearby monastery, handed it over to the Orthodox Archdiocese of Sibiu. It functioned as a creative centre and workshop then as a warehouse for a time. Meanwhile, its condition deteriorated significantly. Between 2006 and 2010, the mayor’s office and a local business jointly undertook the renovation.