What to See Inside Peleș Castle
The Hall of Honour, the armoury, the secret library door and the technology that made this the most modern castle of its age.
Peleș is one of those rare castles where every room outdoes the last. Behind a storybook exterior is a parade of styles and a layer of hidden technology that astonished visitors in the 1880s. Here's what to look for as the tour moves through the palace.
The Hall of Honour
The heart of the castle is the Hall of Honour, panelled from floor to ceiling in intricately carved walnut, hung with alabaster bas-reliefs and lit from above by a great stained-glass ceiling. That ceiling is mechanically retractable — it slides open to the sky at the touch of a switch, an extraordinary piece of engineering for the 1880s. It's the room everyone photographs.
Peleș was the first castle in Europe lit entirely by its own electrical plant, with central heating throughout and two elevators — the storybook shell hid a thoroughly modern house.
The armoury and the themed salons
The armoury gathers around 4,000 weapons and suits of armour from the 15th to 19th centuries, European and Oriental, including a complete set of armour for both horse and rider — the highlight for many visitors, and almost always for children.
From there the tour passes a sequence of themed rooms: the gilded Florentine Room, the Hispano-Moorish Salon with its Carrara marble fountain, the silk-and-copper Turkish Parlour, and Queen Elisabeth's Music Room. Each was furnished to transport you to a different country without leaving the mountain.
The library, the theatre and the details
The royal library is famous for a secret door concealed among the bookshelves, leading to private rooms — a flourish straight out of a novel. The small castle theatre, decorated by artists of the Klimt school, hosted the first film screening in Romania in 1906.
Throughout, look for the details: Murano crystal chandeliers, Cordoba leather wall coverings, German stained glass and nearly two thousand paintings. Plan on about an hour to 1.5 hours inside, and remember the shoe covers handed out at the door.
Frequently asked
How long does it take to see inside?
Allow about an hour to 1.5 hours for the standard Ground Floor + First Floor tour route.
What's the most famous room?
The Hall of Honour, with its carved-walnut walls and a stained-glass ceiling that slides open to the sky.
Is there really a secret door?
Yes — the royal library has a door hidden among the bookshelves that opens to private rooms.
Can I take photos inside?
Amateur photography without flash is allowed; professional cameras and tripods need a paid permit.