The bridge on eleven piers

Narration text

Welcome to Neamț Citadel, one of the strongest fortresses of medieval Moldavia! You are now stepping onto the access bridge. It rests on eleven stone piers and was built under Stephen the Great, probably between the battle of Vaslui in January 1475 and the battle of Războieni in July 1476.

Notice that the bridge does not run straight to the gate but follows a curve, almost parallel to the bastions. That is no accident. An attacking enemy was forced to spend a long time within range of the archers.

It is even thought that the bridge's direction made attackers switch their shields from the left hand to the right, which hampered them. The last section, next to the bastion, was movable and could be raised with pulleys. The bridge you walk on today was rebuilt on a modern structure during the 1968–1972 restoration, preserving the look of the medieval original.