Discover Dâmbovița: History and Nature

Travelers choosing Dâmbovița for a trip focused on culture and nature will find several different points of interest: a court complex first mentioned in a document at an early date, museums with regional and Paleolithic connections, designated protected areas and described routes. The range extends from the Curtea Domnească in Târgoviște to European bison and nature reserves. You can tailor your trip to the topics that interest you most.

Protected areas and European bison

Bucegi Natural Park is a protected area and part of the Natura 2000 international network of protected areas. Other named nature reserves in Dâmbovița County include Cheile Tătarului and Canionul Horoabei; Turbăria Lăptici is designated as a botanical nature reserve. These designations distinguish the protected landscapes according to their respective classifications. Check the applicable rules before visiting these three reserves.

One specific nature experience is offered by Zimbrăria Neagra, where visitors can observe European bison kept there. The enclosure covers 162 hectares in Pădurea Neagră near Bucșani, between the Crivăț and Neagra streams. The reserve was established in 1983 to promote the bison’s adaptation to the lowlands. Check the current visiting arrangements when planning your visit.

Princely history and museums

The first domestic documentary mention of the Curtea Domnească in Târgoviște dates to 1403. The complex was designed as a group of buildings for the ruler, his family, the courtiers, servants and guards. Its history can therefore be explored not only through the story of a single resident, but also through the different groups for whom the court was intended. The Potlogi Palace offers a different architectural focus: it is considered a landmark of the Brâncovenesc architectural style.

The museums also offer different ways to explore the region. The Muzeul de Etnografie și Folclor – Pucioasa is housed in Casa Dobrescu, a building typical of the sub-Carpathian region of Muntenia. The Muzeul Evoluției Omului și Tehnologiei în Paleolitic is described as the first museum of its kind in Romania and in Central and Southeastern Europe. At Casa Romanței in Târgoviște, visitors can watch video recordings of the national festival “Crizantema de aur”; it is also a museum space unique in Romania.

Casa-Atelier Gabriel Popescu is described as Romania’s only engraving workshop-house with a wooden press. Following extensive restoration, modernization and enhancement work, it reopened in June 2016. Check its current visiting arrangements before your visit. The museums in Dâmbovița are open year-round, including on public holidays, except on Mondays and on days when work or unforeseen events have been announced. Check the current schedule before setting out.

Routes and regional traditions

The Circuitul Turistic al Capitalelor Țării Românești connects Bucharest, Târgoviște, Curtea de Argeș and Câmpulung. The “Ruta secretelor județului Dâmbovița spre munții Bucegi” is 119.8 kilometers long in total and was recognized as a cultural-tourism route on August 25, 2020. “Dâmboviţa 4 x 4” is also the name of an off-road route in Dâmboviţa County. The routes offer different thematic ways to explore: historic places, a route with a stated total length, and an off-road route.

A look at the food culture leads to the traditional fair in Voinești. A description published in 2015 mentions cheese, traditional meat products, vegetables, fruit, beekeeping products and traditional drinks from the Dâmbovița Valley and beyond. It also notes that the fair was held annually and had already been running for more than 50 years at the time. This historical perspective gives the fair a distinctive place in the region’s heritage.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Târgovişte, Moroeni, Crevedia, Tătărani, Găești, Fieni, Corbii Mari, Comuna Cornățelu, Moreni, Cazaci, Pucioasa.

For the main travel overview: Romania.