The name comes from the Neamt river which is flows at the footsteps of the mountain. The medieval fortress became a reference for me and for many other Romanians in school when we read the poem of Dimitrie Bolintineanu which tells the story of when Stefan the Great's Mom sent him back on the battlefield when, wounded he wanted to find shelter from the Ottomans in the fortress but his mother sent him back on the filed saying that she prefers him to die for the country than to hide like a coward in the fortress. He ended up winning the battle, that's what i call motivation! ;)
I think we all know by heart the poem, here some part of it translated.
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Daca tu esti Stefan cu adevarat,
Apoi tu aicea fara biruinta Nu poti ca sa intri fara a mea vointa. Du-te la ostire! Pentru tara mori! Si-ti va fi mormantul coronat cu flori! |
If you are the real Stefan
Then, you, here without victory Can't enter without my will Go back to your army! Die for the country! And your thumb will be filled with flowers |
The views over the fortress are very nice especially considering the tall bridge that leads to it and also the hike till the bridge is very nice. The surrounding forest is the house of several animals and plants and the area is also considered very religious due to the big amount of churches and Monasteries that are in the close neighborhood.
On one of the boards available across the trail containing information about the citadel, it is mentioned that the "fortress was founded by Petru I Musat in 1395. The Ottoman sultan Mehment II, tries to conquer the citadel but without success in 1476. Also other rulers tried to do the same later on. like the Polish Jan Sobieski in 1691 but he also fails. " (translation)
Although of a big importance for Romania as a tourist destination is only worth it if in the area, as it lacks a guided story and maybe more "rooms" open to public.
View over Targu Neamt from the Citadel's bridge
At the end i leave you with a great view over Targu Neamt.
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