The citadel was built as part of a defence system for the Transylvanian villages exposed to outside invasions. A decisive aspect for building the citadel on the actual location was the route of the invading armies which were coming from the Bran pass and were passing through Râșnov, on their way to Burzenland.
The medieval citadel of today is considered to be built between 1211 and 1225, during the rule of Teutonic Knights in Burzenland, although there is no evidence in this respect.
In 1335, during a Tatar incursion that ravage Burzenland, Râșnov and Brașovia are the only citadels remained unconquered. This is also the first documentary attestation of the fortification.
The fountain legend
The legend around the fountain says that during a siege, the inhabitants of the citadel made two Turkish prisoners dig a fountain in the middle of the citadel in order to regain their freedom. The captives dug for 17 years, during which time they wrote verses from Quran on the fountain’s walls which can be seen even today. The fate of the prisoners isn’t doubtless, some saying that they’ve been released, and others that they’ve been killed.