“Wednesday” on TV. (123RF)
Calling all funky fangs, furs, stoners, and scales!
Let’s go back to autumn 2022 for a moment. Something mysterious and spooky snaps through the air; there’s been a goth subculture renaissance and you can’t get the surfer-punk twang of the genius Frankensteined-genre-blend of “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps out of your head. With the viral song haunting your social media, it’s nearly impossible to not feel the urge to swing your arms in the air, distort your body and imitate Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega’s) iconic dance scene. Every time you open TikTok, the song replays and you sink deeper into the nightmarish world of Jericho and Nevermore.
The re-envisioned Netflix series “Wednesday” produced by Tim Burton, rose to fame with its charming macabre small-town vibes and revival of the highly likeable, and ever so slightly demented Wednesday Addams. It’s easy to see how this hit show sparked a gothic subculture revival amongst its fans. While waiting for the second season to return in 2025, you can visit some of the beautiful filming locations in Romania to relive the series while you wait. Most of these filming locations are within the Romanian capital, Bucharest, making multiple sites easy to hit.
Cantacuzina Castle, Bușteni Romania
This stunning neo-Romanian castle is used for exterior scenes of the main location of the series, Nevermore Academy, the school for misfits, clairvoyants, shapeshifters, gorgons and social pariahs. Cantacuzina Castle was built in 1911 and used as a summer residence for Prince Grigore Catntacuzino until 1930. When ownership shifted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was restored and opened to the public. The castle was influenced by Brâncovenesc architecture which mixes elements of Ottoman, Byzantine and late Renaissance detailing and is perfect for capturing a whimsigoth boarding school aesthetic. The seclusion of the castle location in the Carpathian Mountains, makes it feel even more like you are stepping away from reality and into the pocket of murder-mystery-laced fantasy.
The castle is open to visitors and hosts many events including exhibitions and concerts. It keeps beautiful castle grounds with a grotto, gardens and a fountain. Art from Dali, da Vinci, and Van Gogh are also on display here, along with gorgeous Roman stained glass.
The castle itself is beautiful, however, it does not look exactly as it appears in the series. Special effects were used to overlay the castle with images of the original Addams family mansion to give it even more of a gothic feel. For more information, you can visit Cantacuzinocastle.com
Busteni, Romania - December 30, 2022: The Cantacuzino Castle or Nevermore Academy - the place where the Wednesday series film was filmed (123RF)
Gară Regală, Sinaia, Romania
Seen as Jericho Train Station in “Wednesday,” this “Royal Train Station” serves Sinaia in Romania’s Bușteni Region. It is a town and resort in Central Romania’s Bucegi Mountains. It was built in 1881 and reserved only for use by the royal family so they could be closer to their summer residence, Peleș Castle. On the outside of the station, you can view murals and sculptures of significant figures in Romanian history. Inside you can explore neoclassical decorations such as bronze railings and chandeliers. The train station also offers tourists one-day trips to various locations like Peleș Castle which is now a museum with Klimt frescos and stained-glass windows.
Sinaia Royal Station (123RF)
Bucharest Botanical Garden Bucharest, Romania
This beautiful garden with over 10,000 different species of plants was used as a stand-in for Nevermore’s greenhouse. The greenhouse made a perfect classroom setting for students to learn about botany and herbology. The greenhouses are open to visitors and the garden is now a part of Bucharest University’s Botanical Institute. Visitors can explore a wide range of exotic plant species, see impressive water pond displays and stroll through a lovely rose garden. There is a special section of the garden called Grandma’s Garden Sector that models traditional Romanian gardens in which medicinal plants, fruit trees, vegetables, aromatics, flowers and shrubs work symbiotically. There is also an Herbarium and Botanical Museum onsite where you can feel like a student learning how to make an herbal book or by viewing one of many collections such as seeds or fossil plants. For more information, you can visit Gradina-botanica.unibruc.ro
Lake Brănești, Bucharest, Romania
Just east of Bucharest, surrounded by rolling hills and lush forest is Lake Brănești, or what viewers know as Jericho River in the series, where scenes for the annual Poe Cup Canoe Race were filmed. You can pack a picnic, have a lovely day at the lake and imagine what it might be like to watch the four main factions’ horror-esque, heavily Poe-inspired decorated canoes compete mercilessly for the winning title.
“Wednesday” Nevermore Academy (123RF)
Dinamo Pool, Bucharest, Romania
Dinamo Pool serves as the exceptionally large school pool at Nancy Reagan High school. The pool scene where Wednesday infamously releases the piranhas on her classmates is the catalyst for the beginning of her story. Upon being expelled, she must start her new life at Nevermore Academy. Dinamo Pool is one of Romania’s oldest and most renowned pools in Romania and has served as a training center for the Romanian National Team. Top swimmers still practice here. You can find out more about single swims and visiting at csdinamo.eu.
Buftea Studios, Bucharest, Romania
Although Jericho is a real place in Vermont, the entire town of Jericho was constructed at Buftea Studios in Romania for filming. This includes the popular Weathervane Coffee Shop that the students regularly hang out at. Buftea Studio is Eastern Europe’s largest and longest-established film studio with over 500 internationally successful movies and TV series produced since 1957. A history of almost 70 years of cinema.
You can book a tour that will take you through the studio’s indoor and outdoor stages, set constructions and onset restaurant, and enjoy your own (imaginary) moment in the spotlight. To book a tour you can visit, studiourilebuftea.ro.
Palatul Monteroru, Bucharest, Romania
Built in 1874 and renovated by famous architect Ion Mincu, this historic house and monument was used as the Romanian Writer’s Union HQ until 2013. In 2015, it was transformed into a multicultural center used to host live music events. For “Wednesday,” it features in many of the interior shots of Nevermore Academy including Principal Weems’ office. The French eclectic style, painted stucco ceilings and monumental staircase make it an elegant, yet unique backdrop for Wednesday to make her entrance in her stunning, vintage, black ballgown at the Raven Ball, where she dances her iconic dance.
Casa Niculesca Dorobants Bucharest, Romania
This French neogothic mansion was built in the 1900s for Tatiana Miculesca-Dorobantu, one of four daughters of Ion C. Brătianu, the former Prime Minister of Romania. It was designed by architect, Grigore Cerchez to be mysterious and beautiful. This mansion was also used for interior shots of Nevermore Academy. You might recognize the ancient looking corridors of the school here. The mansion resembles a Gothic church with details such as gargoyles, pointed arches and imposing windows that help create a glam-goth allure. It is open to the public and currently for sale.
Romania has gorgeous landscapes, adorned castles, hearty regional cuisine and vampire-lore, and now brings the chimerical world of Wednesday to life. It’s worth a visit. Who knows, maybe whilst there you’ll fall into a mystery yourself.
