When you leave Bucharest and head toward Transylvania, Brasov will be the famous area’s gateway. It is often used as a base to visit the famous Bran castle and Peles castle in Sinaia. But this cute little town has more to it than that. It is worth spending a couple of days here and exploring the place, which has a history and interesting quirks of its own.
This 13th century city is known for its medieval Saxon walls and bastions, its towering Gothic-style Black Church, and its old town filled with lively cafes. The Saxons (from Germany) were invited by Hungary to develop Brasov in the old times. Their contribution in Transylvania is immense and Brasov is a very good example, since it was the regional capital.
Early morning is the best time to explore the beautiful streets when they are devoid of tourists.
The focal point of the old town is the arc-shaped town square with the clock tower in the center, Piata Sfatului. This is the perfect spot to grab a drink or snack and people watch (which I love) before you start your exploring. This picture-perfect spot has a dark history. In the middle ages, it was the venue for public trials & executions and during the communist rule, cars were purposely parked here to keep people from assembling and socializing.
There is a famous Hollywood style Brasov sign on the mountain shielding the town. One fine morning when the citizens were going about their daily lives and looked at the mountain, they were surprised to find this sign had cropped up without any prior notice. One of the locals told me that most of the town folk are not sure whether they like it or not. You can take the cable car or hike up to the Brasov sign for a bird’s eye view of the city.
The town's buildings have been constructed without any boundary between them - it was supposed to act as a defense mechanism in the old times.
Oktoberfest is everywhere - it was a great time to be outdoors.
Just off the main square sits the famous Black Church, the largest Gothic church in Eastern Europe. It is not black in color but earned the name from a 1689 fire that burned the church and darkened the walls. The carpet collection that adorns the walls are a peek into the geography and history of medieval Brasov and its cultural influence. It's a beautiful gothic church and one of the main landmarks in the city.
The free walking tour was very interesting where volunteers in local costumes played their part as famous personalities from the city. In Europe, especially the Balkans & Eastern Europe, I always did these walking tours before exploring the cities on my own. These tours normally originate from the main square or landmark of the city and free, but it is recommended that one tips the guide at the end of the tour. The guides provide a lot of valuable information about the city and enlighten us with the history, specialties, secrets, places to eat etc.
Lucky enough for me, I found a local tennis tournament and it kept me occupied for a long time.
The Strada Sforii (Rope Street) is one of the narrowest streets in Europe with a length of 80 metres and a width of 1.11-1.35 metres. It was built as an access passage for firemen to bring water in buckets, in case of major fires in the city square. The Rope of Brasov project turned the street into a street art gallery. Young artists painted the walls and windows (27 windows open on this street) and the residents have maintained the paintings and facades.
I liked how the Brasov sign is perfectly visible from the narrowest street in Brasov.
Catherine’s Gate is the last standing original medieval gate. It was constructed in 1559 & prominently displays the Brasov coat of arms. It looks a miniature version of the fairytale Transylvanian castles.
St Nicholas’ Cathedral is absolutely beautiful, especially in the night time. It was first built in wood and then replaced by a Gothic stone church. It also represents the first school which taught in Romanian, in times where schooling was regarded as a luxury and subjects were mostly presented in French, German or Latin.
The streets of Brasov look stunning in the night, especially when they are empty.
After a wonderful day exploring the city, it was time to have dinner and return back to my hostel.
Brasov is a very beautiful city with a charm of its own due to the picturesque area where it is situated and because of its history. Situated in the central part of the country, it is considered as a base for visiting other areas in the region. After spending some time here, I feel using the city as a springboard to visit other places would be a mistake and it is advisable to spend some time here and enjoy its treasures before moving on.
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