Câlnic, Alba

Câlnic village is known for its castle, which is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.

Built as a noble's residence, it was bought in 1430 by local peasants and fortified.

The castle differs from most other constructions of this type in that it is not situated on a hilltop but rather in a depression, much lower than the surrounding hills.

This position, clearly inconvenient in case of a siege, can be explained by the castle's first function as a residence, not meant as a defensive construction.

Liviu Stoica, Gheorghe Stoica, Gabriela Popa - Castles & fortresses in Transylvania: Alba County / Castele și cetăți din Transilvania: Județul Alba, Cluj-Napoca, 2009, ISBN 978-973-0-06141-3

Main court of the Câlnic castle. The building to the left is the chapel. Behind the wall, hills surrounding the village and the castle can be seen.
Main court
Outside view of the castle