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| Panoramic view of Brasov from Belvedere |
What to see and do at Brașov
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| Facades at Council square |
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| Brașov's architecture |
The city was founded in 1211 by the Teutonic Knights and in the 13th-Century, Saxons settled here and Brașov became one of Transylvania's seven walled citadels.
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| Panoramic view of the old town of Brasov |
The Saxon merchants acquired wealth and strong political influence in the region during Ottoman Empire, the town was at the intersection of trade routes, and they built enormous churches, beautiful buildings and stone walls around the city.
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| Piața Sfatului - Counsil square |
The Council Square - Piața Sfatului
The Old Council Square (Piața Sfatului, Marktplatz) is at the heart of old Brașov lined by beautiful, colorfully painted, red-roofed houses, and cafes and restaurants where visitors and locals can rest to drink their coffee or drink, to enjoy the cuisine and to start their strolling around to explore the various sights of the town!
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| Piața Sfatului - Counsil square |
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| Brasov's Old Town House at Piața Sfatului - Casa Sfatului |
Brasov's Old Town Hall - Casa Sfatului
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| Black Church - Biserica Neagra |
The Black Church - Biserica Neagra
At Brașov's Old Town Council Square is the most distinctive landmark of the town and Romania's largest Gothic church, the Black Church. It was built between 1385 and 1477 and was damaged once by Turkish raids in 1421 and again in 1689, when the Great Fire burnt most of the town and blackened the walls of the church.
Its restoration took almost 100 years. It is one of the largest gothic churches and the seven-tons bell of the church is the largest and heaviest in Romania.
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| Black Church |
The interior is beautiful,
with balconies, stained glass windows, an enormous organ, stone
columns and walls adorned with fabulous Turkish carpets. The church
windows have recently been fitted out with special UV-filtering glass
to protect the 119 Anatolian carpets, they
are donated by German
merchants in the 17th and 18th centuries. The collection is the
largest of its kind in Europe.
Black Church's 4,000-pipe organ
dates from 1839 and is still in function; concerts are offered
several times a week.
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| Black Church's Clock |
Piața Sfatului is a very beautiful main square, clean and tidy, with colorful buildings and a storybook vibe, with great view of the sign on the mountain, with a fountain and a church, an awesome pedestrian area that is lined with lots of bars and restaurants, ice-cream vendors, souvenir shops nearby clothing stores, and often street musicians. Its worth the visit even just to take a photo and enjoy a gelato! We enjoyed our coffee at one of plenty cafes and continued our stroll around the town.
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| Streets around Piața Sfatului and above them the Hollywood-like sign of Brasov's name |
Mount Tâmpa - Muntele Tâmpa
Brașov is often referred to as the city at the foot of Mount Tâmpa. Its elevation is 960 m, almost 400 m above the city. When Vlad Tepes (the Impaler) attacked Brasov, in 1458, the citadel was destroyed; 40 merchants who refused to pay trade taxes were impaled, and displayed on top of the mountain.
It takes about an hour to walk to the top but those who don’t like hiking can take Tâmpa Cable Car, currently is undergoing a complete renovation and the re-opening date is at May 2025. The area is a nature reserve, home to bear, butterflies, wild boar and viper.
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| Mount Tâmpa and the Hollywood-like sign |
At Mount
Tâmpa there is
Hollywood-like sign of
Brasov’s name.
Above
the sign there is a large terrace that offers an unique panorama of
the city. The sign is
illuminated at night and
can be seen from a far
away distance.
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| Strada Sforii |
Strada Sforii
The Rope Street (Strada Sforii) is believed that it is one of the the narrowest streets in Europe. Its width varies between 111 and 135 cm, and it is 80 m long. It was initially built as a corridor that firemen could use, and it is first mentioned in 17th century documents.
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| Strada Sforii |
Now it is a tourist attraction and meeting spot. And connects Strada Cerbului with Strada Poarta Schei in Old Town of Brasov. Legend says that the Rope street was a meeting place for lovers whose parents did not approve their relationship and that couples who kissed on Rope street will never get apart.
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| The view from the White Tower, you can see the Black Church and part of the town |
The fortification of Brasov
The Saxons erected fortifications around the town between 1400 and 1650 and the town’s protection included walls, towers, bastions and gates. Brasov was a major economic and manufacturing center and in the mid-18th Century had 43 artisan guilds and each major guild financed construction and maintenance of Brasov’s defending towers.
Of the original seven bastions, only a few have survived, including the Graft Bastion (Graft Bastionul), located in the middle of the citadel's northwest wall. If you take Dupa Ziduri Street (Dupa Ziduri means Behind the Walls) you can see the White and Black Towers.
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| White Tower |
The White Tower (Turnul Alb) was completed in 1494. on a top of a hill, you need to climb 200 steps to reach the tower. It has a wooden staircase which spirals up four levels, offering a great view of the old town.
The Black Tower (Turnul Negru) also built in 1494 on Starja Hill, near the Blacksmiths' Bastion and received its name from a fire in 1559 when it was struck by lightning. Recently renovated and houses a museum.
The Blacksmiths' Bastion (Bastionul Fierarilor) is located at the southern end of Dupa Ziduri Street and now it is home to the Brasov’s Archives. It hosts more than 100,000 old and rare documents, including 80 valuable 14th-16th century letters.
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Catherine’s Gate (Poarta Ecaterinei) |
Follow the city wall southeast to the fairy-tale Catherine’s Gate (Poarta Ecaterinei). It is erected in 1559 by the Tailors' Guild, and it is the only original gate to have survived from medieval times. The tower we see today was part of a bigger structure, which was demolished in 1827. The four small corner turrets, as seen in other Saxon citadels, symbolize the judicial autonomy of the Town Council which could apply, if necessary, the death penalty. Above the entrance, the tower bears the city's coat of arms: a crown on a tree trunk. Built in 1559 and once the main entrance to medieval Kronstadt, it is the only original city gate to have survived the test of time.
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| Saint Nicholas |
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| Fresco at Saint Nicholas |
First built in wood in 1392, replaced with a stone structure in 1495 and considerably expanded in the 18th century, the church is a true architectural masterpiece. With a mix of Byzantine, baroque and gothic styles, it features a slender tower and four corner towers.
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Like other medieval churches, it is surrounded by protective walls with large wooden gates. In the small, old cemetery are buried several prominent people of Romania. The First Romanian School, the Library and the Archives of Saint Nicholas Church also are found on nearby grounds.
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| Dei Frati restaurant at Old Town of Brasov |
Day 6 - Brasov to Pitesti via the Transfagarasan - DN7C - THE BEST ROAD IN THE WORLD
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