Sibiu  The Old Saxon City

COUNTY SIBIU 

Simply Beautiful Sibiu!

With a population of about 170,000, the decidedly delightful old Saxon town of Sibiu  straddles the river Cibin, a tributary of the river Olt, and is the capital of Sibiu County.

Sibiu is just about at the true geographical centre of Romania, and long served as an outpost for first the Saxons in Transilvania, and later the Wallachians coming up the Olt River from the more traditional Romanian principalities of Oltenia and Muntenia to the south.

The Enchanting Main Square

The fairy-tale old city centre has at it's heart the Piaţa Mare (Big Square), lined with buildings which look like they were designed in Hollywood to be the perfect late Mediaeval backdrop for a romantic epic.

Even the most travel-weary amongst us will melt at the sheer charm and uplifting drama of the wonderful old buildings which line the three downtown squares, all linked by little alleys, cute passages under clock towers, and quiet cobbled side streets which confirm you are in the real old Europe.

A European Union Cultural Capital

As you browse through our website, you'll probably realise that many cities in Romania are still undergoing significant development to bring the tourism infrastructure up to more Western standards.

See our Air Travel in Romania Section for Airline and Route Information through Sibiu's International Airport

But Sibiu is one of the shining jewels in the crown of "ready" Romanian cities.  The Sibiu International airport, despite the town's small size, enjoys flights on major airlines, including Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines.  

The town centre is well preserved and dotted with world-class museums, and some inspirational architecture (keep your cameras at the ready!).

All of this contributes to Sibiu being chosen by the European Union as the European Capital of Culture in 2007, which indeed only added to the panache and more importantly, the tourism infrastructure of one of Europe's newest lights.

Super Popular Sibiu

The city of Sibiu and its surroundings are one of the most visited areas in Romania. It holds one of the best preserved historical sites in the country, many of its medieval fortifications having been kept in excellent state. Its old centre has begun the process for becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

Sibiu and its surrounding area have many significant museums, with 12 institutions housing art collections, paintings, and exhibits in decorative arts, archaeology, anthropology, history, industrial archaeology and history of technology and natural sciences.

Stop in Sibiu.  Seriously.

Even if it is your first visit to deepest, darkest Transilvania, Sibiu is one of the easiest towns for an English-speaker in which to stay and get around.

We hate to mention it, but yes, there IS a McDonalds (placed next to a bus station), and you can get that could-be-anywhere mall feeling on the road going out towards Braşov if you really must.    And there are several top-notch hotels if you prefer a good view over the city centre, although a more meaningful cultural experience might be had with fewer familiar trappings.

If you only can afford even a two or three day stop somewhere in your travels around Romania, Sibiu really does afford a restful and very entertaining stopping off point to catch your breath, enjoy the history in full, and even make a few side-trips to the lofty little lake of Bâlea Lac or nearby mountain town of Paltiniş.

Fortified Sibiu

Sibiu is dominated by its medieval fortifications and its vibrant historic centre. Much of the city's aspect is due to its position, easily defensible, but allowing horizontal development.

The old city of Sibiu lies on the right bank of the Cibin River, on a hill situated at about 200 m from the river. It consists of two distinct entities: the Upper City and the Lower City. Traditionally, the Upper City was the wealthier part and commercial outlet, while the Lower City served as the manufacturing area.

The Upper City

The Upper City (Romanian: Oraşul de sus) is organised around three city squares and a set of streets along the line of the hill. As the main area for burgher activities, the area contains most points of interest in Sibiu.

The Main Square

The Main Square is, as its name suggests, the largest square of the city, and has been the centre of the city since the 16th century. 142 m long and 93 m wide, it is one of the largest ones in Transylvania.

Brukenthal Palace, one of the most important Baroque monuments in Romania, lies on the north-western corner of the square. It was erected between 1777 and 1787 as the main residence for the Governor of Transilvania Samuel von Brukenthal. It houses the main part of the National Brukenthal Museum, opened in 1817. Next to the palace is the Blue House, an 18th century Baroque house bearing the old coat of arms of Sibiu on its façade.

On the north side is the Jesuit Church, along with its outbuildings, the former residence of the Jesuits in Sibiu. Also on the north side, at the beginning of the 20th century an Art Nouveau building was constructed on the west part, now it houses the mayor's office.

Next to the Jesuit Church on the north side is the Council Tower, one of the city's symbols. This former fortification tower from the 14th century has been successively rebuilt over the years. The building nearby used to be the City Council's meeting place; beneath it lies an access way between the Main Square and the Small Square.

On the south and east sides are two- or three-storey houses, having tall attics with small windows known as the city's eyes. Most of these houses are dated 17th to 19th centuries, and most of them are Baroque in style.

The Little Square

As its name says, the Piaţă Mică is smaller in size, being rather longer than wide. Its north-west side has a curved shape, unlike the Main Square, which has an approximately rectangular shape. Accordingly, Piaţă Mică plays a smaller part in the city's present-day life.

The square is connected to the other two squares and to other streets by small, narrow passages. The main access from the Lower City is through Once Street, which divides the square in two. The street passes under the Liar's Bridge - the first bridge in Romania to have been cast in iron (1859).

To the right of the bridge is another symbol of the city, The House of the Arts, an arched building formerly belonging to the Butchers' Guild. On the left side of the bridge is the Luxemburg House, a Baroque four-storey building, former seat of the Goldsmiths' Guild.

The Huet Square

Huet Square is the third of the three main squares of Sibiu. Its most notable feature is the Evangelical (Lutheran) Cathedral in its centre. It is the place where the earliest fortifications have been built. The buildings around this square are mainly Gothic. On the west side lies the Brukenthal High school, in place of a former 15th century school.

See Also the Lutheran Church in the Big 3 Churches Section Below

The Lower City

The Lower City (Romanian: Oraşul de jos) comprises the area between the river and the hill, and it developed around the earliest fortifications.

The streets are long and quite wide for medieval city standards, with small city squares at places. The architecture is rather rustic: typically two-storey houses with tall roofs and gates opening passages to inner courtyards, giving the entire Lower Town the feel of the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Most of the exterior fortifications were lost to industrial development and modern urban planning in the late 19th century; only one or two towers still exist along the mostly residential streets.

A building associated with newer urbanism of the period is the Independenţa high school.  This area also has the oldest church in the city, dating back to 1386.

 The Fortifications

The city of Sibiu was one of the most important fortified cities in South-eastern Europe. Multiple rings were built around the city, most of them out of clay bricks.

The south-eastern fortifications are the best kept, and all three parallel lines are still visible. The first is an exterior earth mound, the second is a 10-meter-tall red brick wall, and the third line comprises towers linked by another 10-meter-tall wall. All structures are connected via a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways, designed to ensure transport between the city and lines of defence.

In the 16th century more modern elements were added to the fortifications, mainly leaf-shaped bastions. One of these survived to this day, as the Haller Bastion (all the way down Coposu Boulevard).

The Guild Towers of Sibiu

The Seven Mediaeval Towers

In addition to the main council tower in the centre of the main square, Sibiu was once defended by several outlying towers connected with the defensive wall.

The Tanners' Tower was defended by leather workers and tanners of the area, overlooking the banks of the Cibin River on the north-west side of the old city. The grand old octagonal tower looks as if it was designed by a film crew, the thick walls designed to hold masses of gunpowder.

Located along the aptly named Wall Street (Strada Zidului at the intersection with Str Korsakov), it blew up several times in the 16th century, with its current stout shape constructed in 1638. Another tower down on Wall Street, is the Gunpowder Tower, a great circular tower which was built in 16th century.

The Citadel Street Towers

The southernmost of the main fortification towers, the Mercenaries' Tower (also called the Arquebusiers' Tower, named after the light firearm prevalent in the 1500s), the octagonal tower features window slits through which the rifles were aimed.

 Formed out of local stone up to 1 m high, the remainder of the tower used bricks, up to the octagonal top. Located along Citadel Street (Str. Cetătii), not far from the French Centre and the downtown ASTRA park, the shape and height of this tower makes it one of the prettiest in Sibiu.

Further out Citadel Street is the Potters' Tower, with similar construction, although just a rectangular shape. More interesting, and also along Citadel Street is the Carpenters' Tower (LEFT), which has rounded stone foundations, but an octagonal proportion made of brick, as if the builders change their minds halfway through. The Carpenters' Tower was used to pour hot black oil on the unfortunate assailants.

That Is One Fat Tower!

The Fat Tower (aka the Thick Tower) is indeed a tubby little thing, its massive walls having survived to this day from 1540. Used as a platform to cannons, it was converted to a theatre in 1788 and is today part of the Thalia Hall.

The Stairway Tower (or the Gate Tower), is just off Huet Square, and has foundations dating from the end of the 12th century. Substantial changes in the 19th century were made to this tower, which has a wide passageway underneath connecting the large and small squares of old city centre. The adjacent stairs were actually added in the early 1860s. Nearby, the Gate Tower along Str. Al. Odobescu (where the Pasajul Scarilor intersects), is a wide sturdy square tower next to the Old Town Hall, guarding access to the town's main square.

The Staircase Passage

The steep Passage of the Stairs leads down to the lower section of Sibiu.

It descends along some fortifications under the support arches. It is the most picturesque of the several passages linking the two sides of the city.

The Station Square

(Or 1 Dec 1918 Square)

Arriving in Sibiu by train is an easy affair, since the main train station is immediately adjacent to the bus station at the 1 December 1918 Square, also known as Station Square, or "Piaţa Gării". Locals have never actually quite figured out what the Square has to do with the first of December, the National Unification Day, and most Sibians will simply refer to it as Station Square.

All of the main bus and trolley bus lines depart from the square heading south mostly towards the old city centre and other destinations in Sibiu city.

If you enjoy walking, Sibiu is well made for your feet. Most of the attractions really within the old city area, and taking public transport is only necessary when heading south towards some of the attractions going out for is the ASTRA park for example.

Read more on Trains, Tickets and Trams in Sibiu Here

The tram buses depart Station Square to the south towards Răşinari and the ASTRA Museum park, and west to the Saxon enclave of Littlerook (Turnişor) with its McDonald's, bus station, outlet stores, and international airport. The adjacent Station Park is a great spot to buy some sunflower seeds from a local gypsy woman. Try not to pay too much.

The station building itself contains the headquarters of the railway company for the district, as well as a pharmacy, ticket kiosk, a little cafe, and even a little police station.

 Culture

Sibiu is one of Romania's most culturally lively cities. It has two theatres and a philharmonic orchestra. The Radu Stanca National Theatre is one of the leading Romanian theatres.

With origins dating back to 1787, it attracts some of the best-known Romanian directors, such as Tompa Gábor and Silviu Purcărete. It has both a Romanian-language and a German-language section, and presents an average of five shows a week. The Gong Theatre is specialised in puppetry, mime and non-conventional shows for children and teenagers; it also presents shows in both Romanian and German. The State Philharmonic of Sibiu presents weekly classical music concerts and also lesson concerts for teenagers.

The concerts take place in the newly renovated Thalia Hall, a concert hall and theatre dating from 1787, situated along the old city fortifications. Sporadic organ concerts are organised in the Evangelical Cathedral and thematic concerts are presented by the Faculty of Theology choir at the Orthodox Cathedral.
 

Events

A great number of festivals are organised yearly in Sibiu, the most prestigious being the Theatre Festival organised each spring at the end of May.

The one in the summer of 2005, gathered over 2,500 participants from 68 countries; over 300 shows were presented. Also, the oldest Jazz Festival in Romania is organised here, as well as a festival for young classical music artists, a documentary film festival, a medieval arts festival and many more smaller cultural events.

 Sibiu's Museums

Sibiu's museums are organised around two entities: the Brukenthal National Museum and the ASTRA National Museum Complex.

The Brukenthal Museum consists of an Art Gallery and an Old Books Library located inside the Brukenthal Palace, a History Museum located in the old town hall building, a Pharmacy Museum located in one of the first apothecary shops in Europe, dating from the 16th century, a Natural History Museum and a Museum of Arms and Hunting Trophies.

The ASTRA National Museum Complex focuses on ethnography, and consists of a Traditional Folk Civilisation Museum—a 96-hectare open-air museum located on a forest south of Sibiu—a Uatniversal Ethnography Museum, a Museum of Transylvanian Civilisation and a Museum of Saxon Ethnography and Folk Art. It also has a project of opening a Museum of the Culture and Civilisation of the Romany People. There is a Steam Locomotives Museum close to the railway station, sheltering around 40 locomotives, two of which are functional.

The Franz Binder Museum

One of the Crown Jewels of the ASTRA Museum complex, the Franz Binder Museum offers wide array of ethnographic and cultural displays, which are a must see stop on any visit to Sibiu.

The Franz Binder Museum tends to attract some of the better temporary travelling exhibits in the country, so keep an eye out for announcements of upcoming exhibits.

One of the more surprising things about this museum, is that it does not concentrate solely on local Romanian and traditional art forms.

Rather, the collection expands to include pieces of art from many world cultures across a sequenced series of exhibits showing the reasons for art (the "gestures"), titled "Elements of the Peoples of the World's Culture and Art".

There are some curiously large collections from Africa, China, Japan, Brazil and other places not likely to be on the tip of your time during a visit to historic Sibiu. 

The Pharmacy Museum

The Pharmacy Museum is housed in 1568 a Gothic townhouse just off the little square in Sibiu's old city. With over 6000 exhibits ranging from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the museum fully covers the development of pharmacology, laboratory techniques, medicines and pharmacy science throughout the ages.

Unique among similar museums and other countries, and this Romanian collection also includes excellent exhibits of homoeopathic equipment, techniques, and methods. Samuel Hanemann pioneered work in homeopathic therapy and was a contemporary of the Transylvania Governor Samuel von Brukenthal, after whom the parent museum was named.

The Natural History Museum

Auspiciously located at number 1 Citadel St (Str. Cetatii, Nr. 1), the museum was built in 1849 by the Transylvania Society for natural history (Societăţii Ardelene de Ştiinţe Naturale).

The Society headquarters was designed by famous architect C. W. Friedrich Maetz from Cluj, opening on the 25th of May 1895. The neoclassical facade features four ionic columns on the portico over which is featured a balcony with balustrades.

The natural history collection contains over a million pieces across the geologic, palaeontologic, botanic and zoological disciplines.

 If you have any interest whatsoever in fine museology combined with some fairly interesting specimens, be it animal, mineral, or vegetable, the Natural History Museum in Sibiu will provide you with the insights necessary to understand Romania's unique ecosystems and geology. In particular, don't miss the recently opened (2007) Romanian natural history exhibit, opened by local dignitaries with much fanfare.

Call the museum on +40 (269) 213 156

The History Museum

You'll realise as you approach this fine Gothic building that the architecture of the museum compound is almost as interesting as some of the exhibits inside. Built at the end of the 15th century it's the biggest Gothic structure (non-military) in all of Romania.

The full name of the museum, "Muzeul Naţional Brukenthal - Muzeul de Istorie Casa Altemberger", signals that is as part of the important Brukenthal Museum complex.

Arranged across a dozen halls, the exhibits tackle subjects such as the evolution of rural communities and southern Transilvania, the life and influences of Neolithic Transylvanian's, Bronze Age artefacts, local Dacian artefacts and ways of life from the Tilişca-Căţănaş Citadel, and are very well done re-creation of an ancient village including all of the common elements for eating, sleeping and defences. A side collection of armour may be of limited interest for some, but is nonetheless a very replete and well-done exhibit.

Good lighting and thoughtful displays across a wide variety of subjects make this museum a surprisingly modern masterpiece, complete with LCD screens and fibre optic lighting.

The History Museum can be found off the Main Square (Piaţa Mare) at number 2 Bishops Street (Str. Mitropoliei, Nr. 2). Tel: (+40) 269 218143

The Sibiu Children's Palace

The Children's Palace is down in the lower town part of the Old City Centre, not far from the train and bus stations.

In addition to a variety of programs on each week, from puppet shows to excursions, the building also houses overflow and special exhibits from the Brukenthal museum and others. Check in to see what's on.

The Big 3 Churches

The Ursulines Church

The current church built in 1474 and was part of a monastery until 1543. The Reformation saw many Catholics convert to the new Protestant variety of Christianity, and the church was converted to the new Lutheran faith.

Later on, the church was transferred to the hands of the Ursuline nuns who came to Sibiu in the early 1700s. The Ursulines reconstructed the church starting in 1728, and rehabilitated it to the Gothic wonder it is today, with heavy baroque touches and beautiful stained-glass windows.

Romanians to this day can still be surprised when confronted with the Catholic style of pews and great altar, with significant differences from their more familiar orthodox architecture.

The Lutheran Church

The Lutheran Cathedral is an important architectural treasure precisely because it does not conform to the ecclesiastical building norms of the surrounding Orthodox churches and cathedral (see the Trinity Cathedral below). 

The full name of the Lutheran church in Sibiu is the Evangelic Church of the Augustine Confession in Romania. Most of today's congregation comes from a German roots, being Lutherans of the Saxon community. The church is also the headquarters for Lutherans in Romania, headed by Bishop Christopher Klein.

The Reformation brought changes to the Saxon communities of Transilvania, not only in the church, but also in education.

At the end of the 14th century in Sibiu, the first mandatory public education system was started on Romanian soil, thanks to the efforts of the Lutheran church. The church also held civic leanings, with the priest often also being the mayor of the town.

The Catholic Hungarians tried a counterreformation of the wayward Lutherans at the end of the 17th century, however was met with very little success. The fundamental Saxon spirit survives in the churches and schools to this day.

Whilst much of the congregation did emigrate (mostly to Germany) once the borders were opened in 1989 after the revolution, Sibiu remains one of the largest Lutheran communities in Romania, with over 14,000 still attending the area churches.

The Sibiu Trinity Cathedral

It doesn't really matter if you don't like churches, or even if you only have two hours in the city of Sibiu, but Trinity Cathedral is definitely a must-see, must-stop place.

As always, please be respectful as far as your dress, and local customs are concerned. Please read our section on religion for a more information.

Not only is it one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in Romania, the sheer openness and grandeur of the internal space makes it almost impossible to believe this fine old church is tucked away on a ordinary street in the old section of Sibiu.

As a rare nod to the ethnic Romanian population, Trinity Cathedral is actually built with permission from Vienna in 1857, to serve the local Transilvanian Orthodox community.

In a grand gesture of inclusiveness, it was actually the Emperor Franz Joseph I who donated a thousand gold coins, followed by the Transilvanian governor and many others in the Sibiu upper classes and church.

The previous Greek church on the same side was demolished in 19 two and worked soon began up until 19 four, when the great dome was installed on the new church under the watchful eye of local architect Joseph Schussnig.

After a contest in which 31 architects submitted their plans, construction on the great cathedral began using a design with a massive Roman door flanked by two massive rectangular towers, reaching up 45 m. It was the great Ayasofya (Sfânta Sofia) basilica in Istanbul which inspired the imposing interior dome of the Trinity Cathedral, harking back to the height of Byzantine architecture and grandeur.

In addition to the main towers,  four little octagonal towers also adorn of the exterior, surrounding the interior cupola, which spans over 34 m.

The light coming through the dome is simply sumptuous on any given morning or afternoon. Local painters contributed to some of the interior icons, and the Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Ioan Metianu in 1906, with future prime minister Nicolae Iorga in attendance. Further restoration and painting works were continued in the Neobyzantine style of Iosif Keber and Anastasie Demian.

The Trinity Cathedral is located at number 33 Bishops St (Str. Mitropoliei 33-35), and is open daily.

Habsburgs take back castle Dracula

Sibiu's celebrated Brukenthal Museum and Transylvania's Dracula site, Bran castle, have been restituted to their legal owners by the Romanian state. Habsburg family descendants of Princess Ileana, daughter of King Ferdinand of Romania, are now owners of the 14th century Brasov county castle, a tourist destination for vampire fans due to the spurious link that Vlad 'The Impaler' Tepes may have spent the night there a couple of times.

In both cases, the properties will remain museums. Representatives of the Evangelical Church of Sibiu, the regained owners of the Brukenthal, said they want their property to become “an international museum, a European asset”.

Source:  The Diplomat

The Astra Museum Park

All of Romania, in One Place!

Obviously, you'll want to spend time in the old town centre of Sibiu, but your number two stop -- even if you only have a morning or afternoon -- should definitely be the Astra park. 

When you do a lot of travel-writing, as our Rest Romania correspondents do, it is fairly easy to become a little jaded about the seemingly endless number of tourist attractions, large and small.  But the incredibly well-done Astra open-air folk museum just south of the Sibiu city centre is at the pinnacle of it's kind.

Spread across a wide swath of forested parkland reserve, over 200 structures are faithfully reconstructed in natural settings, all connected with pathways, around lakes and watercourses.  

Listed below are some local agents who can help you with bookings and organize local tours in the Sibiu area.

Travel Inout, Str. Miraslau nr. 22 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 232882  FAX: +40 (269) 232882 

Trans Europa, Str. N. Balcescu nr. 19 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 211296  FAX: +40 (269) 210364 

Transair Agency, Str.Al.Paoiu Ilarian nr.3 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 216013  

Tramp Travel Holidays International, Bd Victoriei nr 29, ap 11 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 206630  FAX: +40 (269) 243955 

Pf Alaman Marian, Tiglarilor G2/58 in Sibiu

+40 740140506  

Reky Travel Turism, Str.Nicolae Iorga nr.59,sc.C, et.1, ap.24 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 244165  FAX: +40 (269) 421460 

Paralela 45, Calea Dumbravii nr. 12 in Sibiu

+40 (269) 216096  FAX: +40 (269) 217947 

Maya Tour, Str George Cosbuc , nr.25 A in Sibiu

+40 (269) 223324  FAX: +40 (269) 223324