Sighișoara is a city-municipality located in Mureș county, on the Târnava Mare river, in central Romania, in Transylvania. It is called Schäßburg in German and Segesvár in Hungarian. Sighișoara has a population of 25,000, of which 75% are Romanians, 18% Hungarians, 5% Roma, 2% Saxons. Sighișoara is the birthplace of the Wallachian ruler Vlad Țepeș, the legend of Count Dracula. From Târgu Mureș, the county capital, it's 54 km to Sighișoara, which can be reached by road in 1 hour via the DN13/E60. Sighișoara also has a railway station.
The history of the area goes back thousands of years. Discoveries show that there are traces of settlements and mechropolis dating back to the early Iron Age in the basement of the hill on which the present-day Citadel stands. Sighișoara was founded by German settlers brought to Transylvania to guard the old borders of the Hungarian kingdom. The chronicler Kraus estimates that Sighișoara has been inhabited since 1191. The first documentary attestation is from 1298 with the name Schespurch. The inhabitants of the medieval town were craftsmen organized in guilds, the most, 15, being recorded in the 15th century. The most dramatic event in the town's history remains the fire of 1676. The current appearance of the Citadel is due to the reconstruction effort after the great fire, when all the houses were rebuilt in brick and stone and the roof of the Clock Tower was changed. Today Sighisoara isste a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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The address of the center is 8 Octavian Goga Street. It is open daily from 9-17. The Tourist Info Center in Sighișoara is rather poor in information. Except for a useful map for tourists, you can't find much, although I met 2 employees in the center, and Sighișoara is a much visited destination. More information about Sighișoara can be found on town hall website.
tourist info center
tourist info center
We go along Octavian Goga Street through its pedestrian area and go up past the Guild House on Tower Street. on the right we leave the Sander Hall, and on the left the Old Ladies' Corridor and the Torture Chamber. At the upper end of the gorgeous stone-paved street, with summer mosses in the windows, is the most famous tourist objective of the SIghișoara Citadel. Clock Tower is the main entry point to the citadel. Its name is due to the famous old clock with figurines, unique in Romania. The Clock Tower is the symbol of Sighișoara. Unlike the other towers of the citadel defended by guilds, the Clock Tower belonged to the entire community. Today the Clock Tower houses the Sighișoara History Museum, and is a must see. It can be visited between 9-15:30, except Mondays. it is a historical and architectural monument. The wide space in front of the tower is called Museum Square. To the right of the tower is a vantage point overlooking the city.
Clock Tower
me at the Clock Tower
Clock Tower
towards the Clock Tower
Old Ladies Aisle
history museum
the figurine clock
In Museum Square, to the right of the Clock Tower, just next to the lookout point, you'll find Blacksmiths Tower. The Blacksmiths' Tower is located behind the Monastery Church. Its main role was to protect the church in case of siege. It has a side on the city wall. The tower was built in 1631 on the foundations of the old Barber's Tower. It is a historical monument. It can be visited from 10-18, on weekends even until 20. It houses the Dracula Galleries.
Blacksmiths Tower
Blacksmiths Tower
Blacksmiths Tower
Continuing the alley along the edge of the fortress wall is the Town Hall, actually the back of the building, next to which there are alleys and benches. In the alley between the Town Hall and the Monastery Church is the statue of Vlad Țepeș. The building, which stands out well from the road at the foot of the citadel, was erected in 1887-1888. Upstairs is a baroque-style hall where concerts are held.
belvedere
Town Hall
Monastery Church is located on the Citadel Street, between the Town Hall and the Clock Tower. It is a monument of Gothic architecture. It was built in the 13th century. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. It is the church of the Sighisoara Saxons.
Monastery Church
Monastery Church
Monastery Church
From Museum Square towards the Citadel Square we leave Vlad Dracul House on the left and the Venetian House on the right. Citadel Square is a wide, stone-paved square through which all visitors to the fortress probably pass. Here we met a minicar for leisurely strolls. The Fortress Square is also home to "House with deer", perhaps the most architecturally interesting building. Its name and uniqueness are provided by the exterior mural, which depicts a life-size stag. The deer has its head and trophy mounted directly on the wall.
Citadel Square
mini directory
Citadel Square
House with deer
Stag
Church on the hill seen from the Citadel Square
Overpass in Citadel Square
Shoemakers' Tower is located at the north-eastern end of the Citadel Wall. These were mentioned in 1521, then rebuilt and modified in the 17th century. It bears the stamp of Baroque architecture. Today it houses the local radio station. Next to the tower is a small park.
Shoemakers' Tower
Shoemakers' Tower
Shoemakers' Tower
We continue on Zidul Cetății street to the left to reach the Tailors' Tower. You can also walk along a parallel alley just under the wall. The Tailors' Tower was built in the 14th century. It is located opposite the Clock Tower and overlooks the second gateway into the citadel. It is also called the Great Tower of the Back Gate.
Tailors' Tower
Tailors' Tower
Tailors' Tower
We keep going in the same direction and go along the Citadel Wall street until Tower of the Cojocarilors. It is a smaller tower. It dates from the 15th century. Next to it is Butchers' Tower, larger than its brother and raised to have a visual opening over the bastion in front of it. The Cojocarilors' Tower together with the Butchers' Tower form the Törle Gate, and together with the house underneath it form a typical grouping of medieval architecture in Sighișoara.
Tower of the Cojocarilors
Tower of the Cojocarilors
Torle gate
Butchers' Tower
Covered staircase is located on Scholar Street. It was built in 1642 and has 175 steps. It is an original construction in the fortress and the largest staircase of its kind in Transylvania. Its purpose was to facilitate access to the school and church on the hill and to protect children and passers-by in general. Today it has a stone foundation, wooden walls and a shingle roof. The sun's rays scrape weakly through the shingles.
Covered staircase
Covered staircase
me at the Covered Staircase
Covered staircase
Schoolchildren's Ladder
The address is 3 Cojocarilor Street. The easiest way to get there is up the Covered Staircase. Church in Deal is of evangelical rite and is the most valuable architectural monument of the fortress and of the Gothic architecture in Romania. The current building was erected on the site of an existing fortress in 1200 and was realized in several stages in the 14th-16th centuries. It is dedicated to St. Nicholas. Next to the church is the Hill School, today a high school. Next to the Covered Staircase is the Monument of the German Soldiers. In front of the church is the entrance to evangelical cemeteryat the top of the hill. The cemetery is considered a tourist attraction. It continues down the valley with other cemeteries. Near one corner of the church is The Rope Tower.
School on the Hill
School on the Hill
Evangelical Church on the hill
Church in Deal
Church in Deal
evangelical church
evangelical cemetery
evangelical cemetery
The Sewers' Tower is located on Cositorarilor Street. It dominates the lower part of the city, having an excellent defensive position. Traces of cannon can still be seen on its walls. The tower is completed by the Riflemen's Gallery, which is unique in the architecture of the citadel. We found this tower under renovation. I do not recommend the shortcut through the forest, even if it is a wide alley with stairs. From this tower we can either stop by the Clock Tower once more to say goodbye to it, or walk down into the lower town to the Info Center.
shortcut in the forest
The Sewers' Tower
The Sewers' Tower
Sighișoara has preserved the charm of the medieval fortress. The Clock Tower is the central focus of the citadel. The sloping stone-paved streets that converge on the Citadel Square, the other towers that were once administered by craft guilds, the legends of the place, are all an invitation to visit the charming fortress of Sighisoara. Sighișoara Citadel had 14 towers, today 9 of them are still standing. Nearby you can also visit the Orthodox Cathedral and the Breite Plateau.
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All the best!
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