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long time ago there was a nobleman that wanted to find a place where happiness, peace and beauty live together. He searched for it everywhere,near and far, until he found the magic place near a village in between forests. He then decided to build a house, beautiful as a castle. The house had to be built from big stone blocks and be the tallest one around. The garden surrounding the house had to be tuned in with Nature, the oaks and fir trees to guard it from harm, the roses to bring colour, the tulips happiness, and the orchard all year round of wealth.

The nobleman had a strong character, matching his name – Vlad. When he put all his strengths at work, his dream became reality and the house rose from stone. The grass became greener and the trees began growing. An iron gate appeared at the entrance and at the end of the land, walls of green came towards the sky.

And then came the troubled times, times full of fear, that made the beloved country a place of prisoners.The wise noblemen chose to let his castle be smaller than he dreamed, so the evil forces won’t notice it. He shared parts of his lands to not arouse envy. He only kept as much as made him feel protected, and the tall tower he couldn’t give up. Quiet, happiness and harmony were safe in here and the garden stayeda playground for his children, his grandchildren and grand-grandchildren.

Time passed and passed, and the noblemen laughed and cried, happy that he built such a beautiful place, sad that he couldn’t build it as dreamed. Sadness, sour, got him one day, and to keep it locked, he took it with him into the unknown, leaving everything to the grandchildren. They were to protect it and tend to it, so it will always be home to the noblest of feelings. It wasn’t an easy endeavour, as they were many and loved it and wanted it. To prevent quarrels, they decided to give it to the one who will fulfil three wishes: to make it as grandfather wished, to not destroy anything but only enhance its beauty, and to keep the place such as quietness, harmony and love shan’t ever leave.

The years went by and the castle was lifeless. Until one day when a young woman entered its gates and felt she was the one to fulfil the nobleman’s dream. With the help of craftsmen and friendly locals, within five years, she managed to reach the nobleman’s goal. She would have never succeed if not for a gentleman from Latin lands who helped and guided her through the works.And only so Castelul Maria became one day ready for its guests.

But there is more to the story: for guests to be served with the most exquisite food, and more importantly, to enjoy peace and harmony, the young woman needed help. So she searched and searched until she found people who had three qualities:an open, honest heart, a joy in being of help,and a desire to overcome themselves.

Only together, united, could theyfulfil every guests’ wishes and fight the evil dragon that still exists to these days (because past evils only turned into new, modern ones). The place only lacked a name – a name to protect it and a symbol of creation, so they called it Castelul Maria, after the Holy Mother as well as after the fruit of the woman’s love with the Latin gentleman.

Years went by kindly and now, with each season, the garden becomes ever more beautiful. In her secret places, guests find more and more quietness, and, even if each one leaves fulfilled with peace and harmony, they never cease growing and growing.