Historic Transylvania Princes’ Palace in Alba Iulia opens to the public after EU funded restoration

The Transylvania Princes’ Palace (Palatul Principilor Transilvaniei) in Alba Iulia, which was built in the 15th century and once inhabited by Voivode Michael the Brave, has opened to the public following the completion of restoration works funded by the European Union. 

Visitors will have the opportunity to admire an initial core exhibition illustrating significant historical periods, key events, and the transformations undergone by the Transylvania Princes’ Palace. This first part of the permanent exhibition will be followed shortly by two additional sections. To enhance the museum experience, guided tours will be available, scheduled every half hour. For this reason, access will not be permitted for groups larger than 15 people at once.

The Transylvania Princes’ Palace Museum will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, with the exception of the inauguration day.

The Transylvania Princes’ Palace

The former residence of the Transylvania princes was built in the 15th century, undergoing modifications and expansions in the 16th and 17th centuries. Originally serving as the residence of the Roman Catholic Chapter, where acts were drafted and authenticated, it became a princely residence from the 16th century onward. For a period of 11 months, in the years 1599 and 1600, the building served as the residence of Voivode Michael the Brave.

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According to the National Tourist Information and Promotion Center Alba Iulia, the main entrance to this palace, considered one of the most interesting Renaissance buildings in Transylvania due to its size, is through a gate with a semicircular arch, still preserving inside a part of a late Gothic portal, evidence of its probable beginnings at the end of the 14th or beginning of the 15th century. Initially, it was an episcopal residence and the seat of a chapter school, with a rectangular shape. Gradually, the palace buildings were grouped around three inner courtyards, opening onto long arcaded corridors.

In the mid-16th century, when Alba Iulia became the capital of Transylvania (1550), Queen Isabelle and her son Sigismund (1556-1571) extensively renovated this building, which was at that time in an advanced state of degradation. Likewise, under the Bathory family (1571-1599), the palace was expanded, employing Italian craftsmen.

After the assassination of Michael the Brave, the princely palace was destroyed by Basta’s armies, being rebuilt only during the reigns of Princes Gabriel Bethlen (1613-1629) and George I Rákóczi (1630-1648). Under Rákóczi I, to the previous modifications (relocating the palace with one side on the rampart wall, building battlements, and a flat roof), a new floor was added, the roof was replaced, and rooms for receptions were arranged.

Inside the Transylvania Princes’ Palace

Inside the palace, luxurious rooms are mentioned, decorated with enameled terracotta tiles, Murano mirrors, fine furniture, tapestries, and frescoes executed by foreign painters. During the reign of Rákóczi I, rooms were built for parties with door and window frames and columns. At that time, gardeners were also employed for the princess’s gardens and courtyards. The palace also housed a courtroom decorated with ceramics and a dining hall.

The building was severely damaged by the Turks and Tatars during the major invasions of 1658 and 1662. With the conquest of Transylvania by the Habsburg Empire, the palace was transformed into a barracks, remaining in this state for three centuries.

In recent years, a part of the palace building has undergone extensive restoration works through a project funded by the European Union.