Mureș (county)

Mureș (county)

Mureș county is a land of medieval towers, colorful houses and high-altitude salt lakes that define the heart of Transylvania. You walk through the **Sighișoara Citadel**, a perfectly preserved medieval town where cobblestone streets lead to a massive 14th-century clock tower. This is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler and the whole town feels like a living museum of the middle ages. Every house is painted in a different bright shade, and the old guild towers still guard the walls of the upper town. You can climb the covered wooden stairs to the church on the hill for a view of the red-tiled roofs and the valley below. Follow the **Mureș River** as it winds through a landscape of green hills and grand hidden castles. The road is incredibly scenic and leads to quiet villages where the local life moves at a slow and steady pace. You find a fascinating mix of cultures and languages in every town, reflecting the long history of the people who have lived here. It is a place where everyone has a story to share and the local architecture shows a blend of different European styles. Many of the old town squares host lively craft fairs during the summer months where you can buy handmade pottery. Relax in the warm salt water of **Bear Lake** in the resort town of Sovata, which is famous for its unique heliothermic properties. The water is naturally warm and so salty that you can float with total ease while surrounded by thick, green forests. The resort is full of spas and quiet paths that are perfect for a day of rest and health after a long drive. This route is a perfect blend of medieval history, cultural diversity and natural relaxation in the heart of the country. The lake is a rare natural wonder that attracts visitors from all over the world for its healing powers.

Mureș (county) highlights

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The Scenic Route
The Heritage Drive
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History of Mureș (county)

Mureș is a multi ethnic crossroads and home to the only inhabited medieval citadel in the world. Sighișoara was founded by Saxon settlers in the 12th century and its clock tower completed in 1280 still features the original mechanical figurines that change at midnight. This city was the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler in 1431 and remained a wealthy trade hub where each of the 14 defensive towers was funded and defended by a different merchant guild. The regional capital Târgu Mureș became the center of the Hungarian nobility who built the Teleki Library in 1802 which houses over 40000 rare books including the first editions of major European scientific works. The county landscape is defined by the Transylvanian Plateau and the salt mining history of Sovata. In 1875 a massive landslide blocked a river and created Bear Lake which is the largest heliothermal lake in the world where salt concentration allows swimmers to float effortlessly. The local history also features the Bánffy Castle in Sângeorgiu de Mureș and the Rhédey Palace which is connected to the British Royal Family as the birthplace of Countess Claudine Rhédey the great great grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II. These estates were the centers of political power for the Transylvanian princes for over 400 years. Driving through Mureș takes you from the cobbled streets of the citadel to the high peaks of the Gurghiu Mountains. You can visit the Bethlen Castle in Criș which is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in the country featuring arched galleries and a private park. The local roads through the Mureș Valley offer a view of the river that has been the primary transport route for salt and timber since the medieval era. Mureș is a journey through the precise order of Saxon guilds and the refined luxury of the Transylvanian aristocracy.
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