The castle served as the royal seat fortress for the Princes of Moldavia (Romanian: Domnitori or Domni) during the late Middle Ages.

During the Late Middle Ages, it was part of a system of medieval strongholds built by the Moldavian monarchs in order to withstand the expansionist threat of the Ottoman Empire.

[5] Alexandru Lăpușneanu subsequently moved the capital to Iași in 1565 and so the castle lost its status and consequently fell into a long period of decay.

The most common heraldry is the coat of arms of Stephen III the Great (who was also given the title Athleta Christi by Pope Sixtus IV for defending Europe against the Ottoman Turks at the Battle of Vaslui in 1475).

The festival consists of jousts, pyrotechnic and laser shows, medieval singing and dancing, fight scenes, drama plays for children, archery, stuns with horses, interactive activities, or various contests.