Located deep in Romania's heart, Transylvania is a land of hills, forests and quaint villages. It has always been beautiful, but didn't used to be so peaceful. Beginning in the 12th century, Germans known as Transylvanian Saxons began to settle in Transylvania, welcomed by the King of Hungary with special privileges. In return, however, they were expected to defend themselves from Ottoman armies and the raids by nomads. Their defense mechanism was to build fortified churches to resist against the foreign armies and soon, these churches also became symbols for religious devotion. Over time, many of them became formidable with the construction of rows of walls, watchtowers, murder holes, supply caches and quarters for villagers and soldiers. It is estimated that around 300 of them were built throughout Transylvania but less than half of them survive today. Visiting Transylvanian towns like Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Cluj etc. is an experience like no other and it is highly recommended to include them in any Romanian itinerary.
Sibiu was an unexpected love story. It was not really on my agenda but after visiting the castles, I wanted a pit stop before making my way into Serbia. Sibiu has grown outwards since its 12th century beginning and was rated by Forbes as the 8th best European city to live in - quite some praise indeed!
Sibiu is a pedestrian-friendly city with two levels: the Upper town, home to most of Sibiu's historic sights, and the Lower town, lined with colorful houses on cobblestone streets enclosed within the city walls and defense towers overlooking the river Cibin. Traditionally, the Upper town was the wealthier part and commercial outlet, while the Lower town served as the manufacturing area.
The historical centre includes the Great Square (Piata Mare), Huet Square, the beautiful Passage of Steps, the well-known Bridge of Lies, Goldsmiths' Square and the Small Square (Piata Mica). For centuries, the Great Square was a witness to the town's lively merchant activity, assemblies and even public executions.
The Passage of Steps connects the upper town to the lower town and near one end of the passage is the city's oldest building which hosts the oldest restaurant in Romania The Golden Barrel. Sibiu's original fortifications included 39 defensive towers, five defensive walls and four gates.
The bridge of lies is supposed to have ears and if a person is being unfaithful, creaking or other noises on the bridge will signify that the person is lying. Legend has it that the name derived from the merchants' fiery disputes which flared up around it and the passionate vows of young lovers who often met here. In the old days, it was a practice to get people to come to this bridge and speak so as to find out if they are speaking the truth or lying. As poetic as that sounds, the true story is that it was a misspelling of the German word Liegenbrücke, which means lying bridge (as in “to lie down”).
Good job to pick this place for a wedding - the truth is out there now !
There are also buildings with creepy eyes - they are essentially ventilation windows but in terms of oppression and political strife, people believed that their every action was being watched by the politicians to ensure they did not cause any trouble. I love how real those eyes look !
Next to the Stairs' Tower is the Journeyman's House, which was a guesthouse for young craftsmen and journeymen of Europe. Anyone willing to travel to Sibiu for more than 3 weeks to learn different types of skills is welcome here. Exhibitions are also organized for these craftsmen, so that they can earn some money through sales of their products.
The churches and towers spring up in different parts of the city.
I loved the colorful houses decorated with different types of flowers in the balcony. I walked a lot during the day and sometimes, I was going around in circles but I didn't mind that one bit. The town is so beautiful and there is so much to see - one can never get tired of this place !
The interiors of the Catholic Basilica are stunning and the attention to detail is amazing.
Getting lost in the tiny streets of this town was a pleasure and the best part of it was not knowing where I would end up and what I would discover -
In the evening, I relaxed a bit in my hostel cafe. It was located in a street close to the Great Square. I had a few minutes of quiet and people watching before heading out again.
Luckily, there was a weekend music fest going on in Sibiu - it seemed the whole town was out in full force. I let my hair down and partied with the town folk.
After a delightful day, it was time to catch my overnight train to Timisoara. Transylvania is probably my favourite part of the country and places like Sibiu are unexpected surprises which contribute a lot to its beauty and culture.
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