Corvin Castle

Introduction to Corvin Castle

Dating back to the 15th century, Corvin Castle is today among the Top 10 Fairy Tale Destinations in Europe, marking Romania as one of the most appreciated tourist areas. John of Hunedoara was the one who, in the 14th and 15th centuries, decided to build the imposing fortress, which spans 7,000 square meters and houses 42 rooms, 2 terraces, and 2 bridges. Annually, over 70,000 tourists gather at Corvin Castle, eager to relive the written and unwritten history, the unsolved mystery that follows each visitor through the castle's corridors.

Legends of Corvin Castle

Corvin Castle, also known as Hunedoara Castle, the Castle of the Corvins, or the Castle of the Hunyadis, is located in Hunedoara and is home to 3 legends that you will hear from guides or locals eager to share precious information with those whose thirst for knowledge abounds in unraveling the mystery.

The Legend of the Raven

• The Legend of the Raven states that John of Hunedoara was the illegitimate son of the love between Sigismund of Luxembourg, King of Hungary, and a woman of breathtaking beauty from the Hațeg region, named *Elizabeth*.
• To hide this incident, the woman marries one of the king's knights, Voicu, and the little child receives a ring as a gift.
• Over time, the ring is forgotten, and a raven, attracted by its shine, steals it.
• At that moment, John of Hunedoara shoots the raven, managing to regain possession of the gift from his father.
• It is said that this is the origin of the emblem of the Castle and the entire family.

The Legend of the Well

The Legend of the Well differs from the previous one through the characters involved:

1. It is said that John of Hunedoara hosted 3 Turkish prisoners in the castle, to whom he promised freedom on the condition that they dig a well with good water.
2. After 15 years of digging, reaching 28 meters and, respectively, good water, the prisoners demand that the other part of the promise be fulfilled.
3. However, during that time, John of Hunedoara dies, and his wife, *Elizabeth Szilagyi*, decides not to honor her husband's word but to have them killed.
4. As a final wish, the prisoners ask for the well's keys to be inscribed with "You have water, but no heart."
5. In return, after decoding the message, it is inscribed, "He who wrote it is Hassan, a prisoner of the infidels in the fortress near the church."

The Legend of the Construction of the Fortress of Hunedoara

The Legend of the Construction of the Fortress of Hunedoara is mentioned in the Greek-Catholic vicariate of Hațeg and hides the mystery of the 3 fairies:

• It is said that each of them built a fortress, one in Hunead, another in Grădiște, and the last in Orlea.
• At one point, all three meet and ask each other about the fortress they built.
• The one who was building the fortress in Hunedoara claims, with God's blessing, that she will finish the construction in the following week.
• Over time, the other 2 fortresses fell, and then, seeing that only the one in Hunedoara still stood, the other 2 fairies hurried to destroy it as well.