Medieval cities in Romania

Sibiu - Hermannstadt
Brasov - Kronstadt
Timisoara - Temeschwar
Sighisoara

Cluj-Napoca - Klaussenburg
Deva
Sebes - Muhlbach
Fagaras

Sibiu - Hermannstadt, the former name


The City of Sibiu
Along with Cluj-Napoca,Timisoara and Arad,the city of Sibiu is one of the most beautiful cities in Transylvania.
The city has a special charm because it is a "museum city" which reminds us of the old times by the walls of its defence tower and the fortifications of the former Sibiu fortress.The city preserves many old houses and building,real of the medieval archtecture.

Sibiu is situated at an altitude of 425 - 450 meters, on the banks of the Cibin river, in a valley that has the Cindrel Mountains in south and the edge of the Transylvania Plateau in north.Its climate is moderate, with average annual temperatures of 9 ⁰ C ( - 3 ⁰ in January and 19 ⁰ in July ).

"The old city",situated in center,is surrownded by the walls of the old fortress.By tradition , Sibiu is divided in two : the up town and the down town.
Sibiu is known an important touristic center with many and varied objectives.Also, his neighborhood are picturesqueness and with many atractive places.

Touristic objectives in Sibiu :

1. Piata Mare - " Ringul cel mare" as he was once called,was the meeting place,the festivals place.
   Picturesqueness festivities took place here with the occasion of a crowning.Copious meal : oxes, rams, lambs, were roasted to the fires in the big square and the win couldn't have missed.
   The handicrafts- man and their apprentices were presenting national dances carrying profound meanings.
   The 14 february day of 1582 year remained memorable.This was the perfect place to debate the defence questions.Beheadings, hunggins and even stick burnings made sensation here until the end of XVIII -th century.
   
2. Turnul Sfatului ( The Council Tower) - situated between Piatza Mare(The Big Square) and Piatza Mica
   ( The Small Square).The construction was finished in 1588.He is prierced by two arches who cut the road to the down town.The tower history has his dramatica moments.He brokedown in 1586 burying under his slabs the painter Iohan David who was trying to adorn his arches.To his rebuilding, he was added with 4 little towers.The actual aspect was given to him at the restoration in 1824.
   
   
3. Brukental Museum - construction which plan was projected by an Austrian architect around 1781 - 1785 in a baroque style.The portal in massive rock has above the front door Samuel Brukental' s escutcheon.
   
   The museum was for the first time opened for the public in 1817.The art gallery includes sculptures, graphic arts, XV - XIX th century pictures made by : Nicolae Grigorescu ( "Gipsy woman head"),Stefan Luchian ( " Carnations"), Nicolae Tonitza("Portrait of a girl"),Theodor Aman, Ion Andreeescu,Thedor Pallady,Iosif Iser
   
   
4. Evangelic Church - built on ruins of a Roman basilic to the middle of XIVth century and finished in 1520.In XVth century it suffered a lot of changes:two verandas were made , the belfry-very modest until that date - was raised up with two floor more,and then the tower with the access stairs to the belfry and the galleries where the Renaissance style has made known its presance were added.
   
   
5. Catholic Church (Big Square)- built in a baroque style between 1726 1728 by the catholic monks.Having the shape of a church-the interior has a large vault sustained by strong columns.
   
   
6. Orthodox Metropolitan Church ( 35 Mitropoliei Street) - who's construction lasted between 1902-1906.Its arhitecture presents Byzantine characters who resemble those in St. Sophia Church (Constantinopole).
   
   
7. Stairs Passage - recently arranged.Built in XIIIth century , this passage is also called "Zidul cu ace":the most picturesqueness place in Sibiu.
   
   
8. Fortress fortifications and the defence towers (Cetatii Street)- The fortifications were raised up in XIVth century , consoldated in XVIIth century and restaured in 1963".Arquebusier's tower" become later "Pantatzilor Tower" was built in XVth century on an octogonal foundation.

Brasov - Kronstadt , the former name
The City of Brasov
Although the holiday season has already begun at the seaside,I' ve met lots of tourists,willing to go hiking along the well known mountain tracks.In Brasov,during week ends,everybody naturally goes to Poiana Brasov.Of course,for everyone visiting the City under Tampa, The Black Churh, The Council Tower and the "Cerbul Carpatin" restaurant are a must.
Local administration has its eyes and ears set on rebuilding all the necessary infrastructure that can hopefully assist the mountain loving camper to easily select the route along which he wishes to go mountaineering.The tracks leading to and from Poiana Brasov are fortunately very well marked.Most of the tourists use the cable transport to get up to the "Cristianul Mare" a first class mountain cabin,at 1704 m altitude,an only 20 minutes walk away from the "Postavarul" Cabin (1640 m).In Poiana you'll of course find most of the people walking,
having picnic lunches or sunbathing.The route leading to Brasov is covered in asphalt,with breath taking curves and fantastic views of the valley.

Brasov ( 324.000 habitants),considered the heart-town of Romania, is an important economic, touristic, cultural and sportive center of the country.Brasov is 171km far away from Bucharest.The most usual ways to Brasov are the road through Prahova Valley and the railway who goes in parallels with the road.Situated at 592m,on the interior side of the curvature of carpathian chain, to the foot of Tampa Mountain(960m), Brasov is situated in the middle of depression.Its climate is moderate, with average annual temperature of 9 ⁰ (- 5 0 in January and 19 0 in August).

Historic dates - on the actual teritory of the city, a big number of settlements in the neolithic age and the bronze age was descovered.In the iron age, the Dacians had stable establishments on the vallies where the actual districts of the city are situated. Brasov was for the first time certified in the Middle Age, in a document in 1521, under the name of Brassovia.Become a free town with commercial rights, Brasov will become in a very short time a city with a prosperous commercial situation, having intense relations with Moldavia and Wallachia.Brasov is situated on one of the oldest commercial roads, this was the meeting place of Wallachia, Moldavia and Transylvania.At the end of XVIth century,Brasov had started to raise up a fortress,but its fortifications were not ready when first Turkish invasion in Transylvania took place(1421) and the city was conquered.Turkish invasion restarted in 1434, but they cannot conquer the city, beeing surrounded by hard fortifications.Under the walls protection, Brasov become more and more prosperous.

Local stations radio:Radio Brasov(87,8 FM) and Radio Contact.
Local daily paper:"Transilvania Expres", " Jurnalul de Brasov", "Gazeta de Transilvania", "Buna ziua, Brasov".

Touristic objectives in Brasov :

1. Brasov fortress - erected between XIVth and XVIIIth centuries; known as one of the most strong fortress in Transylvania.It's the keeper of a big number of vestiges:Poarta Ecaterinei,Poarta Ecaterinei, Bastionul Postavarilor, Bastionul Tzesatorilor, Bastionul Fierarilor.
   The White Tower and the Black Tower are two fortifications exterior to the fortess who were kept in a very good condition.
2. Black Church - XVIth century - it has been qualified by the speialists beeing the most representativ monument of the gottic art of our country.This church is the owner of an organ with 4000 tubes, of an famous organist in the hall world-Stas Ekhardt-and of a famous colection of oriental carpets.It was named Black Church by the spots of soot remained on the walls from the big fire in 1689.Imposing building, 89m long, 21m high and 38m wide,with an interior tower built afterwards (65m high).Black Church is a Catholic church.
3. Piatza Sfatului( Council Square) - an old place for bargain, is dominated bt the old building of the council (XV th century),with a tower to controle the access to town.The foundation and the ground floor of the tower, who are still conserved, prove that this monument was raised up in 1528.Once it used to be the center of the Townhall.To the ground floor of the tower, we can find the History Museum where are exposed objects from neolithic and paleolithic age.
4. Bartholome Church ( XIIIth - XIVth century ) - very imposing with strong fortifications consolidated with contreforts .It's a gottic style construction.
5. Catholic - Roman Church ( 21 Muresenilor Street) - built on the place of an old basilic between 1776 - 1782.It's an illustrative monument in baroque style with stained -glass windows.
6. Art Museum ( 21 Eroilor Bld.) - the owner of some very valuable pictures of great painters :Nicolae Grigorescu,I.Andreescu, Stefan Luchian,Nicolae Tonitza.
7. Casa Negustorilor numita si Casa Hirscher( The merchant's house) - built in 1545 by the model of the ancient market halls in West Europe.This house is in present "Cerbul Carpatin" restaurant.
8. The First Romanian School Museum
9. Dramatic Theatre ( Eroilor Bd)
10. Ethnography Museum (23 Eroilor Bd).Open : 9 - 17.00 / Monday closed
11. Sfantul Nicolae Church ( sec XVI- XVIII)
12. Sti Petru and Pavel Church ( sec XVIII)
13. Sfanta Treime Church( sec XVII - XIX )
14. Adormirea Maicii Domnului Church ( Dealul Melcilor).
    
    
    
    

Timisoara - Temeschwar ,the former name
Timisoara - flowers town

The town on the Bega river, flowers town,Timisoara is called proudly by the people,the small Viena.Timisoara is the transit town - the gate to the west frontiers of Romania - offering to the traveller a stop nice and educative.

Touristic objectives in Timisoara :

1. Hunianzilor Castle - situated in the center of the town, who hide in present Banatului Museum( built in XIV th century by Iancu de Hunedoara ); right in front of the castle was installed the first street lamp who had annonced the Europe that Timisoara was the first town with electric public lightning.
2. Catholic Dome - situated in Union Square(Piata Unirii).Built in 1774 in baroque style, it has nine altars painted by Viennese specialists.The Dome with its perfect acoustics, it's an atraction for many music fans passioned by the organ concerts.In the front of the Dome, there is a fountain with healing waters
3. Rasciana Cathedral - built in XVIIIth century, has been since 1964 an historic monument.The building, who at the begining of XVIIIth century was only a small church in wood become later a cathedral of the baroque style(transformation made by the Serbian community);it's name since 1865 beeing Orthodoxe -Serbian Cathedral.
   

Sighisoara

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