Sighisoara

SIGHISOARA the most beautiful and still inhabited medieval fortress in Europe raises its towers proudly on a hill next to Tarnava Mare River. The defense towers, narrow streets and “gingerbread” houses make you feel as if you enter the Grimm Brothers book of tales.

Living history, Sighisoara was founded in 1191 by German Saxon colonists brought to Transylvania to guard the old borders of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The had come from a prosperous region in Europe, and tried to implement the same lifestyle here. They built medieval towns and fortresses and contributed to raising the general level of civilization in the region.

Ideally located at a crossroad the small town lived initially on craftsmanship and commerce. Craftsmen were organized in trades whose role was more than economical. In the 15-16th centuries the town became an important artistic center. Painters and sculptors from Konigsberg, Salzburg, Bohemia and Tyrol gathered here.

Legend says that Vlad Dracul future prince of Valachia was born in Sighisoara. Bram Stocker made him famous by publishing in 1897 the bestseller “Dracula”, so popular as it was printed in 29 editions and inspired 30 movies.

 

The town has every summer its famous Medieval Arts Festival, at the end of July. You could see knights, princesses and medieval dances everywhere. But Sighisoara keeps its charm all over the year.

A tour of the city begins from the top – on Fortress Hill. You could reach the hilltop going up from the city center to the Clock Tower or beneath the Dressmakers Tower through the narrow gate barely fitting a car.

Sighisoara is an open-air museum and each building is a monument. Renaissance and Baroque dominate the architectural style. The buildings, the streets, the square all are typical to a city of craftsmen. In the old houses (at least 300 years old), people still live in today, and most of them are declared historical monuments.

Some famous houses used to belong to rich tradesmen: Casa cu Cerb (Stag House), called this way cause of the stag head hanging on a corner of the house; Casa Venetiana (Venetian House), former residence of the Mayor, currently headquarter for the local German Forum, and Casa Vlad Dracul (Vlad the Devil’s House) former premises of Guards Corp. The latest seems to be the oldest civil building in the fortress. Nowadays it hosts a refined restaurant in medieval style where tourists can enjoy “Count Dracula’s Snack” with a glass of “Vampire” wine.

Off all the towers in the city the Clock Tower reflects best the defense efforts as well as the with for assertion and authority of Sighisoara Fortress. Built in 14th century the tower is quite picturesque, it has crenels, a guard road, shooting points as well as four smaller towers symbolizing the judicial autonomy of the fortress. The clock has two hour plates and figures installed in niches. On the side facing the fortress there is the statuette of the Goddess of Peace holding an olive twig, accompanied by a drummer beating the hour in his bronze drum; the Goddess of Justice holding the scales; the Goddess of Fairness with the sword and two angels representing night and day. On the opposite side under the figures of the days of the week there is the Executioner and the second drummer. Since 1899 the Clock Tower hosts the History Museum of Sighisoara.

Passing by old craftsmen houses, wondering how is to live in a house built in 13th century you reach a place with a strange name: Duck’s Square. Standing again by the defense wall you could notice a strange tower, a unique piece of architecture seeming to be a fruit of your imagination – the Tin Coaters’ Tower. Located on the Southeast side of the fortress had an important defense role, damages of canon ball could still be seen on its walls.

A compulsory visit is to Church on the Hill, the most valuable architectural monument of the fortress. Inside rare religious sculptures and paintings were kept: the Gothic tabernacle with a fret-sawn scenery, the pulpit sculpted in 1480 and an old holy water-font in stone dating form 15th century.

Also do not miss the Scholars’ Stairs – an extensive, covered tunnel-like passage consisting of 179 wooden starirs, including 29 landings, dating from the 17th century and which ascend steeply up to the Church of the Hill.