Cantacuzino Castle
Bușteni, Prahova County · Muntenia
About Cantacuzino Castle
Cantacuzino Castle was built between 1901 and 1911 on the Zamora hillside above Bușteni for Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, twice Prime Minister of Romania and one of the richest men of his day, nicknamed 'the Nabob'. The family was fond of the spot: a hunting lodge stood here where the Cantacuzinos used to break their journey to Brașov. The plans were drawn up by Grigore Cerchez, a leading architect of the Neo-Romanian movement, who combined dressed stone and brick with loggias, trefoil arches and Brâncovenesc-style columns.
The family used the castle as a summer residence into the 1930s; after nationalisation in 1948 it became a sanatorium of the Ministry of the Interior and the murals were whitewashed over. Returned to the heirs in the 2000s, the castle was restored and opened to visitors in 2010. Since 2022 it has been known around the world as the exterior of Nevermore Academy in Wednesday, which Tim Burton filmed here for Netflix.
What you can see
The interior is visited with a guide. The high point is the ballroom: the walls are painted with 27 coats of arms of the boyar families related to the Cantacuzinos, and beneath the coffered oak ceiling runs a frieze of twelve life-size portraits of the ancestors, painted on Cordoba leather. Along the route you also see the Murano stained glass, the mosaics, the Albești stone fireplaces with gold leaf, the bronze fittings cast in Paris and the oak staircase that rests only on the walls. Upstairs, the art gallery hosts temporary exhibitions, from Picasso and Dalí to LEGO creations.
Outside, the stone terrace in front of the castle opens towards the Bucegi Mountains and the Heroes' Cross on Caraiman. The 3.5-hectare park has ornamental pools with fountains, a grotto, the hunting tower in the inner courtyard, contemporary sculptures and the small wooden church of St George, consecrated in 1936 in the presence of Queen Marie.
Good to know
The interior can only be seen on the guided tours, which leave every hour; in between, you wander the park. For fans of the series there is the 'Secret Room', a photo set with a separate ticket. The castle is privately owned and often hosts events, so check the schedule before setting off.
- The ballroom, with its 27 boyar coats of arms and the frieze of twelve portraits on Cordoba leather.
- The Brâncovenesc-style loggia upstairs and the stone terrace, with the Bucegi Mountains and the Caraiman Cross straight ahead.
- The Murano stained glass and the oak staircase held up only by the walls.
- The fountains in the park and the grotto, from where the whole castle stands against the mountain backdrop.
- The facade filmed as Nevermore Academy in Wednesday.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Bușteni lies on the DN1 between Sinaia and Brașov. From Bucharest it is ~145 km (A3 to Ploiești, then DN1; 2 to 2.5 hours, longer at weekends), from Brașov ~40 km (~50 minutes). In Bușteni, turn off the DN1 (Bulevardul Libertății) and climb Strada Zamorei for about 1.5 km to the castle gate; it is signposted.
Public transport: train to Bușteni station on the Bucharest–Brașov line (~2 hours from Bucharest, ~45 minutes from Brașov). From the station it is a 20–25 minute uphill walk along Strada Zamorei.
- Where to park
The castle estate has a paid car park: 20 lei for 4 hours. Spaces are limited; at weekends and in the holidays, as everywhere in the Prahova Valley, it fills up by midday.
- Fees & discounts
Castle + gallery + park: adults 85 lei, seniors and students 60 lei, children aged 5–12 40 lei, aged 13–18 45 lei. Castle + park or gallery + park: adults 65 lei, seniors and students 50 lei, children 30–40 lei. Park only: 25 lei. Secret Room and LEGO mini-museum: 15 lei each. Free for children under 5 and for people with disabilities and their companion. Groups of at least 20 people pay reduced rates. Private VIP tour in Romanian or English: 150–200 lei per person. Tickets can also be bought online.
- Rules
The interior is visited only with a guide, on Romanian-language tours leaving every hour; English tours are available only for groups, by reservation. Reservations are accepted only for groups of more than 20 people. Semi-professional and professional photo shoots (weddings, fashion) require a separate fee.
- Facilities
Canta Cuisine restaurant with terrace · souvenir shop · art gallery · children's adventure park · online tickets · guide in Romanian (English for groups only) · accommodation on the estate
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