The Princely Palace in central Alba Iulia, which was built in the 15th century and where the prince Michael the Brave lived, will be open to the public from Monday following the completion of restoration work carried out with European funds, with the official opening of the museum of the same name.
Visitors will be able to admire a first basic exhibition, illustrating the key historical periods, key events and transformations that the Princely Palace went through. This first part of the permanent exhibition will soon be followed by two others.
For a more relevant experience in the museum, the visits will be guided by specialists, and will be scheduled every half hour. For the same reason, groups larger than 15 people at a time will not be allowed.
The Museum of the Princely Palace will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on the opening day.
The Princely Palace in Alba Iulia was officially inaugurated on Saturday in the presence of the minister of Culture, Raluca Turcan.
The former Princely Palace was built in the 15th century, being modified and extended in the 16th and 17th centuries. Initially, the building was used as the seat of the Roman Catholic Capitol, the place where documents were drawn up and authenticated. From the 16th century it was the princely residence, and for a period of 11 months, in 1599 and 1600, the building served as the residence of the prince Michael the Brave.
The building was severely damaged by the Turks and Tatars during the great invasions of 1658 and 1662.
After the conquest of Transylvania by the Hapsburg Empire, the palace was transformed into barracks, remaining with this status for three centuries.
In recent years, part of the palace building has undergone extensive restoration work through a European-funded project.