# Indoor map — Neamț Citadel Museum ## Approach - The access bridge: A curved bridge on eleven stone piers, built under Stephen the Great; the last section could be raised. Rebuilt on a modern structure during the 1968–1972 restoration. - The bastions and the gate through the north-east tower: Four semicircular bastions flanking the northern moat; double gates with Gothic and Romanesque details, and the traps at the entrance to the outer courtyard. ## The fort - The inner courtyard and the well: The courtyard around which the rooms are arranged; the deep old well, reopened by the Austrians in 1717 and later filled in by the prince's troops. - Room 1: The north-west tower: The visitor plan, the natural setting, the approach routes and the archaeological finds from before the fortress on the Pleșu ridge. - Room 12: The north-east tower: A two-level exhibition on 1691, when the fortress faced the army of King John Sobieski of Poland. - Room 9: The custodian's room - Room 6: The armoury: Reconstructed soldiers of the standing army and their weapons. - Room 21: The prison: Two cells. - Room 20: The castellan's chamber: A reconstruction; the castellan was the fortress commander. - Room 19: The mint: A reconstruction of the mint. - Room 18: The storeroom: A reconstruction with original household objects. - Room 17: The kitchen: A reconstruction with original household objects and a period cooking stove. - Rooms 14–16: Lapidarium: The medieval fortresses of Moldavia. - Room 13: The princesses' chamber: Reconstructed figures. - Room 11: Passage room - Room 10: Saint Nicholas Chapel: The chapel, with its iconostasis restored by the museum's conservators. - Room 8: The mountain guards' room: A photographic exhibition. - Room 7: The 'Black Dungeon': The dungeon on three levels, with reconstructed prisoners. - Room 5: The secret chamber: A monumental stove reconstructed after the one at Suceava, with figures of boyars. - Room 4: The bedchamber: Panels and drawings on the Princely Council. - Room 3: Passage room: A reconstructed sentry. - Room 2: The Council and Justice Hall: Key moments in the fortress's history; weapons, banners, a suit of armour, replica documents, stove tiles and seals; replica furniture. ## Guide stops - [0. Welcome](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-bun-venit.md?lang=en): . Welcome to Neamț Citadel Museum. This audio guide walks you through the exhibition: scan the QR code next to each exhibit or choose a stop from the list. - [1. The bridge on eleven piers](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-podul-pe-11-piloni.md?lang=en): The access bridge. Welcome to Neamț Citadel, one of the strongest fortresses of medieval Moldavia! You are now stepping onto the access bridge. - [2. Stephen the Great's bastions and the gate](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-bastioanele-lui-stefan-cel-mare-si-poarta.md?lang=en): The bastions and the gate through the north-east tower. Before you rise the bastions added by Stephen the Great. In the fifteenth century, bombards could hurl heavy stone or cast-iron balls, and straight walls had become vulnerable. - [3. The inner courtyard and the old well](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-curtea-interioara-si-fantana-veche.md?lang=en): The inner courtyard and the well. You are now in the inner courtyard of the fort built by Peter I Mușat. All around are the garrison's rooms, today the museum's 21 exhibition spaces on several levels. - [4. Room 1 – Origins and the siege of 1395](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-originile-cetatii-si-asediul-lui-sigismund-1395.md?lang=en): Room 1: The north-west tower. We are in the north-west tower, where the citadel's story begins. For a long time it was believed that the fortress had been built by the Teutonic Knights or by Saxons, because of its name, which sounds like the Romanian word for German. - [5. Room 2 – The Council and Justice Hall](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-sala-de-sfat-si-judecata.md?lang=en): Room 2: The Council and Justice Hall. You have entered the Council and Justice Hall. Picture the castellan of the citadel seated here, hearing the disputes of people from the district. - [6. Room 6 – The Armoury and the Ottoman siege of 1476](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-sala-armelor-si-asediul-otoman-din-1476.md?lang=en): Room 6: The armoury. In the Armoury you can see reconstructed soldiers of the oastea mică, the prince's standing force, together with their weapons. This is the place to tell the citadel's most glorious story. - [7. Room 7 – The 'Black Dungeon'](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-neagra-temnita.md?lang=en): Room 7: The 'Black Dungeon'. We now descend into the Black Dungeon, a space that extends over three levels. The name says it all: darkness, damp and walls almost three metres thick. - [8. Room 10 – Saint Nicholas Chapel and Prince Vasile Lupu](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-paraclisul-sfantul-nicolae-si-vasile-lupu.md?lang=en): Room 10: Saint Nicholas Chapel. We enter the Chapel of Saint Nicholas, one of the most beautiful spaces in the citadel. Its centrepiece is the iconostasis, restored by the museum's specialists. The chapel's story is tied to Prince Vasile Lupu, who reigned from 1634 to 1653. - [9. Room 12 – The north-east tower and the events of 1691](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-turnul-de-nord-est-si-momentul-1691.md?lang=en): Room 12: The north-east tower. We climb into the north-east tower, which spans two levels and is devoted to one of the citadel's best-known episodes. - [10. Room 13 – The Princesses' Chamber](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-camera-domnitelor.md?lang=en): Room 13: The princesses' chamber. The Princesses' Chamber reminds us that the citadel was not home to soldiers alone. In troubled times, princesses and noblewomen took refuge here with their wealth. One of the saddest stories of the citadel concerns Ruxandra, daughter of Vasile Lupu. - [11. Rooms 17–19 – Kitchen, storeroom and mint](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-bucataria-camara-de-provizii-si-monetaria.md?lang=en): Room 17: The kitchen. These three rooms show the practical side of life in the citadel. A garrison of about 300 men had to be fed every day, and in a siege the supplies had to last for weeks. - [12. Room 20 – The Castellan's Chamber](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/ghid/cetatea-neamt-camera-parcalabului.md?lang=en): Room 20: The castellan's chamber. The last major stop is the Castellan's Chamber. The castellan, or pârcălab, was the commander of the citadel, appointed by the prince, and at Neamț his role extended far beyond the fortress walls. - [Web page](https://museu-cetatea-neamt.neamt.rdcopilot.com/harta-interioara?lang=en)