Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Closer to the centre, the city's 18th- century Orthodox
Cathedral
(Catedrala Metropol-
itana; 8am-7pm)
stands in the middle of the pretty Parcul Mitropoliei. At the park's
western end is a
small chapel
( closed to the public)
and a statue to national hero
Mi-
hai Viteazu
.
Princely Court
(Curtea Domnească; 0245-613 946;
www.muzee-dambovitene.ro
; Calea Domnească
181; adult/child 9/4.50 lei; 9am-7pm Tue-Sun)
The court was built in the 14th century
for Mircea cel Bătrân (Mircea the Old) and remained a residence for Wallachia's princes,
including Vlad Ţepeş, until the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu (r 1688-1714). Much of
the court lies in ruin, though the 27m-high
Sunset Tower
(Turnul Chindiei)
- the symbol
of the city - has a museum exhibition.
Just north of the Sunset Tower is a lovely park for strolling. Each of the Wallachian
princes gets his own bust here, but the biggest prize is reserved for Vlad Ţepeş, who mer-
its a big, suitably dramatic statue in the centre of the park - a great photo op.
MUSEUM & RUIN
Zoo
(Grădina Zoologică; 0245-616 558;
www.zootargoviste.ro
; Zona Calea Domnească,
Parc Chindia; adult/child 7/4 lei; 9am-7pm Tue-Sun May-Sep, 10am-4pm Tue-Sun
Oct-Apr; )
Târgovişte's small zoo, in the park north of the Princely Court, is surpris-
ingly comprehensive, with some large cats, a hippo, lots of chimps and a variety of other
animals. The zoo shows obvious signs of wear and tear, but the animals appear adequately
cared for. Kids will love how close you can come to the animals.
ZOO
Museum of Printing & Old Romanian Books
(Muzeul Tiparului şi al Cărţii Româneşti Vechi; 0245-612 877;
www.muzee-dam-
bovitene.ro
;
Str Justiţei 3-5; admission 4 lei; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun)
Housed in a 17th-
century palace built by Constantin Brâncoveanu for his daughter Safta, the museum is
filled with original books from the beginning of Romania's printing age and manuscripts
by 17th- and 18th-century Romanian writers.
MUSEUM
Târgu Church
(Biserica Târgului; Str Ion Rădulescu; 8am-6pm)
Near the restaurants on Str Alexan-
dru Ioan Cuza is the beautiful, partially frescoed Târgu Church. The 1654 church was
painted during the 17th and 18th centuries, but destroyed during an earthquake in 1940.
CHURCH
