RASNOV CITADEL

Known as the "Fortress of Fear", Rasnov Citadel is a 13th century Romanian fortress built on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian mountains. Rasnov Citadel was built in 1215, yet the first mention of it was not until 1331. Rasnov has been the subject of local legends for years, the most notorious of which tells the tale of two captured soldiers who died in the well with a myriad of paranormal claims made over the years.

Rasnov Citadel fortress differs from the norm in that it was built to defend the local commoners from sieges, and because of this it had a school, chapel, houses and other common buildings. Rasnov Citadel is the largest peasant fortification ever built in Eastern Europe.

There was only one successful siege at the citadel by Gabriel Bathory in 1612 when the people surrendered after their secret water supply was found. A well was built inside the fortress after the water supply no longer remained a secret so there was no need to leave to fetch it during a siege.

The well was built by two Turkish prisoners who were promised their freedom if they did the task. Work started in 1623 and took 17 years to complete, due to the positioning of the well meant digging through 146 metres of solid rock. It remained in use until 1850 when the wheel broke. The fortress was last used as a refuge in 1848 during the revolution.

Reports of paranormal activity include sightings of dark moving shadows, unexplainable sounds and cold spots. Paranormal investigations have recently been conducted here by the teams of Ghost Hunters International and Most Haunted. Other ghostly activity that has been reported are noises such as footsteps and voices and many entities have been seen including one of a nasty man and a young woman.

The recent discoveries of human bones in both the infamous well and in the castle's basement have given way to yet more sinister tales, making the Citadel Rasnov one of the world's most haunted hotspots.

Rasnov Citadel has recently undergone some restoration and renovations and is now a tourist attraction. Today, travelers to the site can visit a museum holding hundreds of year old weaponry, tools, books and clothing. One of its most known artifacts is a skeleton buried below a glass floor.