Sibiu: the back story

About Sibiu: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Bucharest Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Sibiu, Hermannstadt in German, was founded by Saxon settlers in the 12th century and grew into one of the richest towns of Transylvania, with walls, towers and great squares. In 2007 it was European Capital of Culture, and it is one of the most beautiful towns in Romania.

The Saxons

German-speaking settlers, known as Saxons, came to Transylvania in the 12th century and built fortified towns and villages. Sibiu was the most important of them.

Squares and towers

The Upper Town is built around the Large Square (Piața Mare), the Small Square and Huet Square, linked by passages and stairways, with the Lutheran cathedral and defensive towers along the old walls.

Sibiu’s roofs watch you through little dormer windows called “the eyes of the city”.

The eyes of the city

Many roofs have small, eyelid-shaped dormer windows that seem to watch passers-by, the famous “eyes” of Sibiu. The iron Bridge of Lies, from 1859, crosses a lane between the squares.

Museums

The Brukenthal Museum, in the palace of an 18th-century governor, is one of the oldest museums in Europe, and the ASTRA open-air museum outside town has hundreds of traditional buildings.

Our advice: Sibiu is about four hours from Bucharest by car or train, best for two nights. Stay in the Upper Town, visit the Brukenthal and ASTRA, and in winter enjoy the Christmas market on the Large Square.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sibiu: the back story before you go.