Fagaras Castle or Cetatea Făgărașului in Brașov County, Romania

Făgăraș Citadel (Romanian: Cetatea Făgărașului, Fogarascher Burg) is a historic monument in Făgăraș, Brașov County, Romania.The construction of the fortress started in 1310, on the site of a wooden fortification with earth ramparts from the 12th century. Archeological research shows that the old fortification was violently destroyed around the middle of the 13th century, presumably in connection with the Mongol invasion of 1241. Located halfway between Brașov and Sibiu and close to Wallachia, the Făgăraș Citadel provided a defensive position against possible incursions into south-eastern Transylvania.[2]

In 1526, Ștefan Mailat [ro] consolidated the citadel, doubling the thickness of the walls. In 1541, the Ottomans attacked the fortress and captured Mailat, who died in captivity at Yedikule Fortress in Istanbul.[3] Gáspár Bekes, owner of the citadel between 1567 and 1573, constructed the moat around the fortress, the excavated earth being used to strengthen the inner part of the walls. During the time of Stephen VIII Báthory (voivode of Transylvania from 1571 to 1586) and Balthasar Báthory (lord of the fortress from 1588 to 1594), the first bastion was constructed in the south-eastern corner of the outer defensive ring.[2] In 1599, Michael the Brave occupied Făgăraș Citadel and sheltered there his family and the royal treasure.[3] In the 17th century, Prince Gabriel Bethlen gave it priority over Alba Iulia in modernizing the fortifications, while Michael I Apafi transformed it, due to its strengthened position, into a princely residence.[2] It functioned as a garrison from 1689, preserving its military function after the union of Transylvania with Romania.[4]

In 1950, the citadel was converted into a prison for political detainees.