Zărnești (Romanian pronunciation: [zərˈneʃtʲ]; German: Molkendorf, Zernescht; Hungarian: Zernest) is a town in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania, with a population of 21,624 as of 2021.

Its close proximity to these mountains make it a common start point for tourists and hikers wishing to explore the Piatra Craiului National Park.

In the 1690 Battle of Zernest, Ottoman ally Imre Thököly (in cooperation with Wallachian Voivode Constantin Brâncoveanu) defeated Habsburg forces, which enabled him to become Prince of Transylvania for a short time.

In December 1939, disaster hit the town as 24 tons of chlorine gas were spilled, killing 60 people, even at considerable distance from the plant where a storage vessel failed.

The Romanian name "Zărnești" is a derivation from zârnă (Black Nightshade[5]), a word of Slavic origin (from Old Church Slavonic зрьно, grain) and suffix -ești.