Trgoviste – Targovishte
Trgovište – Targovishte is historical town and former royal Wallachian capital for three centuries with the ruling Princely court in the northern part of the historical county of Wallachia, the area in the southern part of present Romania, between the Carpathians and the Danube River, 80 km northwest of the present capital Bucharest. Town of Targovishte – Trgovište is located on the right bank of the Jalomita river in the Dambovita – historical Dambović County, of the hilly and fertile area of the southern Carpathians adorned with fruitful orchards and vineyards. South of Trgoviste the Wallachian Plain spreads, while north of it is the Carpathian massif under deep forests and pastures, and nearby natural monuments which attract visitors – the Jalomita Cave in the Bucegi massif Nature Park, Padina plateau and the cave with the famous Babele Sphinx at the elevation of 2216 meters, some 86 km away.
Attractions and important places to visit in Targovishte are connected with its rich and turbulent history which was the Wallachian capital during 300 years, until the tragic end of lord Constantine Brancoveanu – Konstantin Branković, ruled from 1688-1714. There were first books in Romania and the whole southeast Europe printed in Trgoviste in 1508 on which testify the Printing Museum which keeps rich collection of books. The Princely Court of Targoviste contains the National Museum complex of the Princely Royal court and 15 museum with the most significant monuments – the Chincia Tower – the symbol of the town built in the 16th century, the Large Royal church erected in 1698 during the reign of Constantine Brancoveanu – Konstantin Branković, ruins of two palaces, Historical Museum with items from the Paleolithic until the Unification in 1918, the Museum of Arch Bishopric, the Museum of Arts set in the imposing building from 1895 which houses important collection of Medieval items and paintings of Romanian artists, the Museum of Dambovita Writers, Museum of Human Evolution, well reconstructed narrow streets of the historical core with numerous restaurants and cafes, the Dealu Monastery, 4 km away which keep tombs and relics of important personalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, dukes and princesses – Vlad – Vladislav Tepeš Besarab, 1390-1447, Stefan Vladislav II, head of Michael the Brave – Mihail Viteazul, 1558-1601, Radu IV the Great who was married to the princess Katelina Crnojevic from the state of Zeta, Vlad – Vladislav V the Young, 1488-1512, Radu – Rade VI Afumati ….. The Chindia Tower of Targovishte dates back to the 15th century when Vlad II – father of Vlad the Impaler transferred his court to Targovishte, and features a viewing platform that can be reached by climbing a flight of more than 100 stairs. The Chindia tower also hosts an exhibition about the reign of Vlad the Impaler, who was the inspiration for the fictional Dracula.
Antiquity of the Serbs in the area of Targoviste which was proved by the historical chronicles of the Antique, Roman and Greek historians and cartographers, testify that the present territory of Romania was the home country of the ancient Serbs – the Slavs. According to the medieval language data of Moldavia and Romania, the conclusion is imposed that the Romanian and the Moldavian nations were created from the Serbs – Slavs. The antique and medieval documents proof that the population of the present Romania and Moldavia were Slavic Dacians or Dacian Slavs, who were the Thracians who lived across the Danube River. The old Romanian churches even today keep frescoes and icons with Serbian inscription. Use of the new Romanian language in the literature can not be traces before the 16th century.
There in Targovisthe is the former military structure which houses the exhibition on the events of the 25 December 1989 when the trial to the dictators couple of Nikolai and Elena Ceausescu was held, who were shot dead afterwards. The army captured the Ceausescu couple while their escape and took them to the barrack in Targoviste, where they were executed after improvised trial.
