ROMANIA 583. Hall of Honour
The castle’s main entrance
incor porates a striking three-
storey display of Viennese
walnut carvings that
decorate the spiral staircase
and arched balconies
overlooking the Reception
Hall. Light floods into the
hall from the 16-m (52-ft)
high sliding glass roof.
VISITORS’ CHECKLIST129 km (80 miles) NW of
Bucharest. Tel (0244) 311- @ from Bran. # summer:
9am–5pm Tue–Sun; winter:
11am–5pm Wed, 9am–5pm
Thu–Sun. ¢ in Nov. & 8 =
http://www.peles.ro
. Theatre Room
Originally designed
as a theatre, this
room was turned
into a cinema in - The highlight
is the Art Nouveau
wall frieze painted
by Gustav Klimt in
1894 and elegantly
framed with cream
and gilt mouldings.
The Large Armory Hall
has a fascinating collec-
tion of over 3,500 items
dating back to the 15th
century, including
weapons from Japan,
Persia, India and Turkey.Library
Among the king’s collection of
over 10,000 books are 40
novels written by Queen
Elizabeth under the pseudonym
Carmen Sylva. One of the
beautifully carved book cases
conceals a secret passage
leading to the royal bedroom.King Carol’s office
is lined with walnut
panelling and
portraits of the
royal family.The Music Room
was occasionally
used for literary
evenings; its teak
furniture was a gift
from the Maharajah
of Kapurthala.
The abundance of
carved woodwork on
the building is typical
of the German Neo-
Renaissance style.