• Andrew's TravelsRomaniaTraveler
    Brasov; Catherine's Gate; once the main entrance to the walled city
    Schei GateView of the Old Town fortifications and the Black Church behind1Rope Street, 1.2 meters wideThe Black ChurchStatue of Johannes Honterus outside the Black ChurchInside the Black Church; nave / organThe Altar / The PulpitThe Nativity Mural; a fresco of the Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus, and two SaintsPersian rugs hang inside the churchMain Square; Council House, now a museumMain Square; view towards the Black Tower, a WatchtowerChurch of Holy TrinityStreet sceneSighisoara; The Tailor's Tower, on the Western flank of the Citadel and the main entranceView up to the Church on the HillThe Church on the HillGerman CemeteryLunch - langos, a doughnut base with pizza toppings / town centre street sceneThe Clock Tower, the symbol of the cityView from behindView back to the Tinsmith's TowerThe Roman Catholic Church, 19th centuryBootmaker's Tower, the northern flank of the CitadelFurrier's Tower / Butcher's Tower

    Transylvania 3; Brasov and Sighisoara

    September 12 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We drive to Brasov; this town has a population of 250,000 and is Romania's second most visited place, after Bucharest. It owes its existence to Teutonic Knights, who established a town in 1211, and it grew into a German colony named Kronstadt; the Saxons added churches and a medieval town wall in the Middle Ages to make it a fortified city. The main attraction is the Black Church, named for its charred appearance following the Great Fire of 1689. We explore the town in the rain (see captions on photos for details) before leaving for Sighisoara.

    Sighisoara was established by the Saxons who built a magnificent fortess town that is now a UNESCO-protected Citadel. It was a booming commercial centre in the Middle Ages, supporting many guilds; these have towers around the city bastions that honour them. Sighisoara is also allegedly the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. We walk up to the towering medieval citadel and explore it (see captions on photos for details).

    We then drive to our next overnight accommodation in Bistrita in northern Transylvania.    Read more