Pelişor Palace

About 100m up hill from Peleş Castle, the German-medieval Pelişor Palace has a hard time competing with its neighbour. King Carol I planned this house for his nephew (and future king) Ferdinand (1865-1927) and wife Marie (who didn't get on well with King C and loathed Peleş). Marie picked the design - pretty pastel decorations in simple Art Nouveau style. Most of the furniture was imported from Vienna. Marie used four apartments while Ferdinand had just one.

Marie died in the arched golden room, the walls of which are entirely covered in gilded leaves.

At the western end of the Peleş estate is the Swiss-chalet-style Foişorul Hunting Lodge, built as a temporary residence by King Carol I before Peleş Castle was completed. Marie and Ferdinand's son, the future King Carol II, briefly lived here with his mistress Elena Lupescu. During the communist era, Ceauşescu used it as his private hunting lodge. The building is closed to visitors.