luni, 12 iulie 2010

In the land of Dracula, a property revamp: Prince Charles renovates Transylvanian home

By Vanessa Allen
Among the Prince of Wales's outlays is the latest addition to his property portfolio in Transylvania.

Charles is expected to use the 150-year-old five-bedroom house in remote Romania as an isolated holiday retreat, and it will be used as a guesthouse when he is not in residence.

Renovations on the house and an adjoining stable are now nearing completion, including ensuite bathrooms and underfloor heating.

Old haunt: The farmhouse in Viscri, Transylvania, that Charles bought in 2006 and turned into a guesthouse

Old haunt: The farmhouse in Viscri, Transylvania, that Charles bought in 2006 and turned into a guesthouse

Fit for a future king: Inside the 18th century farmhouse in Viscri, now restored as a guest house after it was purchased by Charles

Fit for a future king: Inside the 18th century farmhouse in Viscri, now restored as a guest house after it was purchased by the Prince of Wales

The prince's new neighbours include wolves, lynxes and several brown bears, who forage for food in his 37-acre grounds and the surrounding wilderness.

The house is in the village of Zalanpatak, which is said to have been founded by one of the prince's Transylvanian ancestors in the 16th century.

A home to 'relax in': Charles is expected to visit the property later this year, once the renovations have been completed

A home to 'relax in': Charles is expected to visit the property later this year, once the renovations have been completed

It has been claimed that Britain's Royal Family can be traced to Vlad the Impaler, the real-life ruler who inspired Transylvania's Count Dracula vampire legend.

Charles, first visited Transylvania in 1998 and has bought three properties there, including the Zalanpatak house and a £43-a-night guesthouse in the village of Viscri.

Traditional farming and building techniques used in the area are said to have inspired his plans for Poundbury, the Dorset village created by his Duchy of Cornwall.

He has since sold a manor near the medieval town of Sighisoara, while the Viscri and Zalanpatak guesthouses are managed by Count Tibor Kalnoky.

Count Kalnoky said Charles wanted the Zalanpatak house as 'a home to relax in, in an environment that is comfortable'.

The prince is expected to visit the property later this year, once the renovations have been completed.

He bought the Viscri house in 2006 and the Zalanpatak property in 2008, and has campaigned for the area to be protected by sustainable development.

In a speech in Viscri in 2008, he praised the region for 'the sheer beauty of the landscape, the unspoilt nature of the villages, the churches, the extraordinary atmosphere of somewhere which is timeless'.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1290172/Prince-Charles-renovates-Transylvanian-home.html#ixzz0tStSoBUZ