Pelisor Castle

On a day trip to Pelisor Castle, we discover this beautiful and fascinating complex in the heart of Transylvania. Tucked into the lush forested folds of Romania’s Carpathian Mountains, in the regal Peles Valley near Sinaia, lies a lesser-known treasure. One that whispers of royal romance, personal artistry and a nation’s cultural identity: Pelisor Castle. While its larger sibling, Peles Castle, tends to capture more headlines, Pelisor offers something even more rare: a deeply personal and artistic vision brought to life by Queen Marie of Romania herself.

We arrive on a bright summer morning, drawn by the promise of carved wood, shimmering stained glass and golden rooms that once echoed with royal footsteps. What we find is more than a castle, it is a turn-of-the-century love letter to beauty, freedom and the soul of a queen.

The Royal Vision

King Carol I of Romania commissioned Pelișor Castle between 1899 and 1902. He built it as a summer residence for the heir, Prince Ferdinand, and his wife, Princess Marie of Edinburgh. Princess Marie was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Quite a bloodline!

The king envisioned the Peles estate as a royal sanctuary nestled within nature, a complex that blended architectural harmony with the romance of the Transylvanian landscape. While Peles Castle dazzles with its German neo-Renaissance grandeur, Pelisor, designed by Czech architect Karel Liman, carries a different, more intimate charm. Moreover, the castle reflects the bold, artistic vision of the future Queen Marie of Romania.

Externally, Pelisor reflects a German Fachwerk aesthetic, interwoven with Neo-Romanian elements like decorative tiled towers inspired by Moldavian church spires. But it’s the interior, designed according to Queen Marie’s tastes, that makes this castle utterly unique. It stands as the only museum in Romania decorated in the Art 1900 (Art Nouveau) style, a movement Queen Marie championed with passion.

Unlike Peles Castle, which embodies the grandeur of empire, Pelisor feels like a home. This is the place where Queen Marie’s love of symbolism, mysticism and artistry took physical form. The artisans completed the interiors in phases: first between 1902 and 1903, and later from 1925 to 1928. They reflect her evolving style: romantic, mysterious and defiantly modern.

Dining Room

Pelisor Castle’s Dining Room is one of the most elegant expressions of Queen Marie’s artistic vision, a luminous tribute to the ideals of Art Nouveau. Bathed in soft natural light from tall, wood-framed windows, the room exudes an atmosphere of refined serenity. Pale maple and ash paneling, crafted by the celebrated Viennese cabinetmaker Bernhard Ludwig, lines the walls with graceful curves and natural motifs, seamlessly blending function with beauty. Even the grand built-in buffet, integrated into the paneling, blurs the line between furniture and architecture, a hallmark of the era’s design philosophy.

The pale wood furniture serves not only as decoration but as a showcase for exquisite objects. A fine Rosenthal porcelain dinner service sits beside a favrile glass set by Louis Comfort Tiffany, its iridescent sheen echoing ancient treasures. Silver cutlery from Christofle in Paris gleams softly under the filtered light, while delicate soliflore vases of Bohemian crystal, designed to cradle a single bloom, speak to Queen Marie’s love of symbolic beauty. Decorative pieces from Munich and Bucharest complete the setting, highlighting her distinctive blend of European sophistication and Romanian identity.

This was more than a display room, it was a space of intimate hospitality and elegant diplomacy. Here, courtly dinners, family gatherings, and cultural conversations unfolded over candlelight and crystal. The warm ambiance encouraged storytelling, laughter, and exchange between Romania’s royal family and visiting dignitaries. In every detail, the room reflects Queen Marie’s gift for turning hospitality into art and conversation into legacy.

King Ferdinand’s Apartment

King Ferdinand’s Apartments, consisting of his study and bedroom, offers a dignified counterpoint to the more whimsical, luminous spaces shaped by Queen Marie. Designed in the German neo-Renaissance style, the study reflects the king’s reserved personality and deep sense of duty.

The Arts and Crafts Workshops of Sinaia crafted the richly carved furniture, while the commanding walnut desk, made for King Carol I by royal sculptor Martin Stöhr, takes pride of place. Its front panel is a masterpiece of storytelling in wood, featuring three intricately carved boxes in bas-relief, each depicting one of the royal residences: the Gazebo, Peleș Castle, and Pelisor Castle. These carvings do more than decorate; they symbolize the continuity of the Romanian monarchy and the legacy that Ferdinand upheld.

The room also holds one of the castle’s most treasured personal artifacts: a hand-illustrated manuscript created by Princess Marie and gifted to Ferdinand in 1906, marking the 40th anniversary of King Carol I’s reign. Displayed in a glass case, the manuscript contains poems, stories, and delicate watercolors painted by Marie herself, written in English, German, and French—a testament to both her artistic talent and cosmopolitan upbringing. The pages feature a silver clasp studded with precious stones, crafted by Paul Telge, court silversmith to the Romanian royal family. The spine bears a loving inscription: “To Ferdinand from Marie – 1906.” More than a royal study, this room is a quiet sanctuary where duty, intellect and affection converge, a space that captures the king’s role as both ruler and beloved husband within the intimate story of Pelisor.

Hall of Honor

The Hall of Honour at Pelișor Castle creates an immediate sense of grandeur through refined design and careful restraint. Rich oak panelling lines the walls and gives the room a calm, royal dignity. The style fits perfectly with the Art 1900 aesthetic seen throughout the castle.

The ceiling are adorned with stucco decorated with floral and geometric motifs. These patterns offer a subtle tribute to nature, a theme Queen Marie cherished. Above, a stained-glass skylight softens the daylight and fills the space with gentle colour. This light transforms the hall from a simple passageway into a quiet ceremonial gallery. The hall guided visitors toward the Queen’s intimate personal rooms, setting the tone for the spaces that followed.

Artworks placed throughout the hall reinforce themes of heritage and identity. Two white marble busts flank the entrance. One depicts Margaret of Valois, sculpted by Aristide Petrilli. The other shows Mary of Edinburgh, Queen Marie’s mother, created by Mary Thorne Craft. Both figures stand as symbolic guides for those entering the heart of Pelișor.

A portrait of Queen Marie by Ipolit Strâmbu hangs nearby. It presents her as a thoughtful and strong woman rather than a distant monarch. As we move through the hall, we encounter a tributes to the lineage and ideals that shaped the castle’s unique artistic spirit.

Queen Marie’s Apartments

Few rooms in Pelisor Castle feel as intimately tied to Queen Marie’s spirit as her Golden Bedroom, within her suite of rooms (apartment). The apartment consists of a salon, anteroom, study and boudoir.

Queen Marie’s Salon

The salon is reminiscent, through its interior architecture, of the Brâncoven art of the late 17th century with a vaulted ceiling in ogives that descend on columns carved in stone or covered in marble and arched windows. The salon’s furniture, crafted by Bernhard Ludwig in Vienna in the Secession style, uses polished maple wood. Beige upholstery showcases the iris flower, a favourite motif of Art 1900 artists.

In the extension of the salon is the queen’s chapel – a place of retreat. Inside the chapel’s large arch, an Old English inscription reads: “Leave your troubles outside and enter purified within.” The same words appear above the smaller window arches. The floor and walls are clad in Ruschita marble.

Anteroom

The anteroom of the study features a traditional peasant fireplace, with the chairs designed and decorated by Queen Marie herself. The Arts and Crafts Workshops of Sinaia crafted the pieces in the early 20th century. Each item uses pyrographed and painted lime wood, with cross and lily motifs reflecting the Queen’s personal beliefs.

The room also holds a piano with a gilded lime wood case. The Ehrbar workshops in Vienna produced it at the start of the 20th century. The piano’s upper section and keyboard sit inside a decorative box featuring a peacock feather motif, a symbol often used in Art 1900 design.

On the wall opposite the piano hangs an exceptional Italian piece. It is a box-type chest dating from the 16th century. Above it is a painting titled The Annunciation. This work is a copy by the German artist Maximilian von Schneidt, inspired by the Master of the Virgin Mary from Cologne.

Study

The study preserves the original architectural features of the salon. It includes stone ogives, arches, and carved columns. The furniture is made of black-stained linden wood. Several of the Queen’s personal objects are displayed on the desk, adding a quiet sense of intimacy.

Queen Marie’s Golden Bedroom

The boudoir is a space Queen Marie both inhabited and personally designed. The furniture was crafted in gilded lime wood by the Arts and Crafts Workshops of Sinaia. Each piece glows softly, giving the room a warm, golden atmosphere. The style follows Art Nouveau principles. It also includes Celtic and mystical symbols that reflect the Queen’s interest in myth and nature.

Her toilet set of hammered brass and enamel was made in Chicago by L.C. Tiffany. It features swastika motifs. These designs represent an ancient symbol of continuity and well-being. Their presence shows her appreciation for meaningful iconography, long before modern associations changed its interpretation.

The boudoir feels feminine yet powerful. It blends beauty, symbolism and personal expression, standing as a room shaped by a woman confident in her vision.

The Breakfast Room

This room features white-painted fir and lime wood panelling. These elements were crafted in European workshops in the early 20th century. Queen Marie helped promote local art in Romania and she often purchased or commissioned items from regional craftsmen.

To show this connection, a smoked-glass drinking set from the Azuga workshops sits on the dresser and table. Nearby are decorative pieces made from Murano glass, Bohemian crystal and German silverware. These objects add colour and texture to the space.

The room also displays paintings by Romanian artists Marius Bunescu and Nicu Enea. Both were members of the Artistic Youth Society and their works enrich the interior with a distinctly Romanian artistic voice.

Children’s Apartment

Inside the Children’s Apartment, the pale maple wood adds a warm, honeyed glow. Each piece of Secession-style furniture was crafted by the Viennese artisan Bernhard Ludwig. The design focuses on comfort rather than grandeur. It reflects the gentle rhythm of family life and the polished surfaces shine softly. Their curves and floral motifs echo the Art Nouveau style that Queen Marie loved.

Ash and elm soften the rooms even further. Their light grains blend with the golden walls. The delicate detailing enhances the calm atmosphere whereby even the oak doors, staircases and panels feel light. They were stained in soft tones so nothing appears heavy or severe.

Glass and ceramic accents sparkle in the light. Many pieces were created by the Daum brothers of Nancy and by the workshops of René Lalique. They catch the morning sun like small jewels like the bronze cups and silver-plated teapots that sit on a side table. These were gifts for young Prince Nicolae. They remain as quiet reminders of a royal childhood.

Children’s Playroom

In the early 20th century, European cabinetmakers designed charming furniture ensembles that captured the playful spirit of childhood. This room features white-painted wicker furniture, evoking the look and feel of a dollhouse interior. It was a favourite play space for young princes and princesses, offering a light, imaginative setting.

The visual art displayed here highlights themes of childhood freedom and the allure of open spaces, whether the vast seas or the limitless sky. The seascapes in oil on canvas are signed by Dimitrie Stiubei, while the watercolour paintings of early airplanes were created by the French artist Gamy. Together, these works enrich the room with a sense of adventure and youthful wonder.

French Apartment – Breton Living Room

The Breton Living Room features an exceptional collection of oak furniture crafted in the first half of the 19th century in the workshops of Basse Bretagne, France. These richly carved pieces display detailed panels depicting everyday scenes from the lives of Breton peasants, created in a regional interpretation of the Louis XVI style.

The room is further enhanced by finely carved elements produced around the 1760s in the Dutch workshops of Arnhem and in the French workshops of Rouen. Adding to the artistic value of the interior is an 18th-century Flemish oil painting, portraying a still life with flowers and fruits. This combination of French, Dutch and Flemish craftsmanship creates a warm and historically rich atmosphere, ideal for highlighting the cultural heritage of the period.

French Apartment – Louis Philippe Salon

This elegant interior features a complete set of Louis Philippe–style furniture, crafted from walnut wood in a Western European workshop at the end of the 19th century. The room’s decorative art includes several remarkable pieces. One standout item is a cone-shaped silver vessel, engraved and flamed, with a relief depicting a lake landscape. It bears a Japanese inscription meaning “Mirror of the Moon” and was created in a Japanese workshop in the early 20th century. Another highlight is the hand-painted porcelain tea service produced in the Coppenlands workshops in England at the end of the 19th century.

The fine arts in this salon include a portrait of Duke Alfred of Edinburgh, Queen Marie’s father, signed by G. Kaberwaeir – after an original by H. Angelin. Completing the collection is a serene mountain landscape at dusk by the Austrian artist Kalckreuth.

Family Guest Room

The interior architecture of this room has a special charm. Its uneven layout breaks the monotony of the horizontal plane and creates a discreet, cozy corner that adds warmth to the space. The furniture set, made of marquetry walnut wood in the Biedermeier style, was crafted in a German workshop at the end of the 19th century.

Among the decorative art pieces, the double-layer crystal items made in Bohemian workshops in the late 19th century stand out. One particularly notable piece is the “engagement cup,” created by Friedrich Egermann, a brilliant innovator in the art of glassmaking. On the worktable, a pressed leather office set produced in a Romanian workshop is displayed, accompanied by a photograph of Tsar Nicholas II, Queen Marie’s first cousin. A photographic reproduction of Franz Stuck’s “Carmen” completes the interior adding an elegant artistic touch.

Victoria Melita’s (Ducky’s) Room

Queen Marie’s sister, Victoria Melita, lived in this room with her husband, Ernst Ludwig, Duke of Hesse. The decoration, with its strong two-dimensional character, reflects the style of the Darmstadt school, an artistic movement initiated by Ernst Ludwig himself. The furniture, made in the Art 1900 style, is crafted from white-painted softwood and was produced in the Bernhard Ludwig workshops in Vienna.

The fine arts in this room include works by leading figures of the Art Nouveau movement. Among them are three posters from Alphonse Mucha’s “Moments of the Day” cycle, as well as “Girl with a Violin” by the Parisian artist Cosard. Decorative arts are also well represented, with glassware from the Daum workshops in Nancy and Art Nouveau silver pieces made in various European ateliers.

On the dressing table, you can see items that once belonged to Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Marie’s father. This gilded silver set, crafted in Dresden, bears the Edinburgh family cipher and adds a distinguished historical touch.

The Painting Studio

Queen Marie’s artistic passions were well known, so creating a dedicated studio inside Pelișor Castle came as no surprise. A bright space with large north-facing windows was chosen and fully equipped with everything she needed: an easel, an easel chair, tiled worktables, palettes and paintbrushes. It is also meaningful that the studio was placed directly opposite Victoria Melita’s room.

Together with her sister and Duke Ernst of Hesse, Marie spent countless hours, both at Pelișor and in Darmstadt, experimenting with new forms and designs for the objects they crafted. Her deep love of beauty, painting and decorative arts helped the “queen of all Romanians” leave behind a remarkable collection of works that enrich the national cultural heritage.

Her watercolors, featuring motifs close to her heart, stand out for both their aesthetic quality and symbolic meaning. Lilies, poppy flowers and the swastika cross, an ancient symbol of well-being and faith, appear frequently, expressing her ideas of royalty, purity, beauty and spiritual harmony.

The Golden Room

The Golden Room is one of the most unique interiors in Pelișor Castle, with ornamentation personally designed by Queen Marie. The walls are covered in gilded stucco modeled into thistle branches. The vaulted ceiling is crowned by a skylight shaped like a large Celtic cross placed over a solar disk – a symbol of faith and eternal light. The gilded furniture features fantastic creatures inspired by Celto-Scandinavian mythology, representing eternity. Polychrome stained glass filters the light and creates a mysterious, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

The room also holds exceptional pieces of decorative art: the Wisteria lamp by L.C. Tiffany, a goblet by Karl Fabergé, the Tostrup cup, a crystal glass service designed by Karl Georg von Reichenbach of Munich and Fix Masseau’s statuette The Secret. Together, these works blend perfectly with the room’s furniture and symbolic décor.

Queen Marie’s creative spirit left a powerful mark on this emblematic interior. For this reason, King Michael I decided in November 2015 to place Queen Marie’s heart here, in the room where it last beat on July 18, 1938.

After the queen’s death, her heart was placed in the Stella Maris Chapel in Balchik. When the Quadrilateral was incorporated into Bulgaria, it was moved temporarily to Bran Castle and placed in the rock beneath the fortress. It was meant to be transferred later to the chapel that Princess Ileana was building in her mother’s memory. After 1948, however, the heart and its containers were deposited in the treasury of the National Museum of Romanian History. From there, honoring King Michael’s wish, it finally returned to Pelișor.

Miss Milne’s Room

This room once belonged to Miss Leile Miine, the former governess responsible for the education of Princess Elisabeth. Its fixed décor and furniture, designed in the Secession style, date back to the early 20th century and reflect the influence of Bernhard Ludwig.

The room’s artistic character is highlighted by several notable works. These include a pastel by Raffael Schuster Woldmann and a canvas signed by Nicolae Grant titled “Fetița între flori” (“The Little Girl Among Flowers”). Bas-reliefs in bronze by Oscar Gladenbeck further enrich the space. Additional decorative art pieces from the room are also exhibited in Copenhagen.

Arnold Mohrlen’s Room

History often hides its quirks in the quieter corners of royal palaces and this apartment is one of those hidden gems. It is a Swedish-inspired space with a German character and a hint of unexpected political tension.

The story begins in 1904, when King Carol I of Romania chose an unusual tutor for Prince Carol, the heir to the throne. Arnold Mohrien, the serious and often stern son of the Fendlimal-Marta family, was not a typical court intellectual. A committed republican, he was passionate about the Bible, philosophy and the democratic ideas spreading across Europe. It may seem ironic that a republican was shaping a future king, but these contradictions make history so fascinating.

Under Mohrien’s influence, the apartment gained a distinctive personality, one that blends aristocratic taste with subtle intellectual rebellion. The Swedish interior, created in the German Neo-Renaissance style, features ornate mouldings carved from Murchest ash wood and crafted in 19th-century German workshops. Each detail reflects excellent craftsmanship and quiet opulence.

A highlight of the room is a rare toiletries set made of polished faience from the renowned Wedgwood workshops in England. Its ceramic pieces catch the natural light beautifully, offering both elegance and practicality. The walls display 19th-century paintings, possibly from the Venetian school, whose introspective themes echo Mohrien’s intriguing and complex character.

The Apartment of Princes Carol and Nicolae

These apartments are a tribute to the late Italian Renaissance, filled with rich detail and refined craftsmanship. The rooms feature impressive walnut and oak furniture, the kind that invites you to admire every intricate carving. On the floors, handwoven carpets from Tabriz, Shirvan, Hamadan and Baluchistan bring layers of color and history, each one carrying a story from the East.

The painted faience tiles are especially captivating. Vibrant and beautifully detailed, they feel like artworks with their own narratives. Created in the late 19th century in Alberto Issel’s workshop in Genoa, the tiles portray scenes from mythology and scripture – from the Judgment of Paris to Moses drawing water from the rock. Nearby, elegant Ginori ceramic vessels add a refined touch of Italian style, enhancing an interior that is already full of charm and character.

Good To Know

Pelișor Castle is a small but elegant royal residence that offers a delightful glimpse into the life of Romanian nobility. Its interior was personally designed by Queen Marie and features a blend of Art Nouveau and Neo-Romanian styles. Distinctive motifs, golden accents and Celtic-inspired elements highlight her artistic influence. Although more modest in size than Peleș Castle, Pelișor is still widely celebrated. Its intimate atmosphere, unique design, and the famous Golden Room make it a truly remarkable place to visit.

Would I Return?

No.