Built as part of a defence system for the Transylvanian villages exposed to outside invasions, the fortress was historically garrisoned by both the local Romanian and Saxon communities, with each providing an equal number of men.

The only chance of survival for the inhabitants of the area, including from Cristian and Ghimbav, was the refuge inside the fortress at Râșnov.

Compelled to stay there for decades, the people of Râșnov and the nearby villages turned the fortification into their long-term place of residence.

The medieval initial fortress is considered to have been built between 1211 and 1225, during the rule of the Teutonic Knights in Burzenland, although there is no archaeological evidence in this respect.

It fell due to the lack of water caused by the discovery by the enemy troops of the path leading to a secret spring.

To remove the weakness constituted by the lack of a source of water inside the fortress, a 146 metres (479 ft) deep well was dug out between 1623 and 1642.

Between 1848 and 1849, because the town of Râșnov lay on the way of both the Hungarian revolutionaries and the Austrian imperial troops, the inhabitants retreated to the fortress.

[1][2] In 2000–2007, an Italian entrepreneur has transformed the decaying ruins into a picturesque tourist attraction by destroying and arbitrarily rebuilding parts of the archaeological remains.

[1][4][5] The fortress has a simple architectural style, similar to the ordinary houses of the time and adapted to the fortification requirements.

[1] Inside the fortress there is a museum which briefly presents elements of local history, the area's habits and crafts, and also gathers artifacts and weapons from the inhabitants' past.