Sibiu

Sibiu is situated in the Southern side of Transylvania, on the river Cibin, very close to Romania’s geographical centre. Sibiu is an important railway junction and disposes of an international airport with regular flights to Germany and Italy. The beginnings of this town were marked by the Saxon colonization. The first colonists came from the German territories in the West of the river Rhine, and were Flemish, Walloons and Francs. In the documents of that time they appear as Flandrenses, Teutonic and Saxons. In the fourteenth century, Sibiu has become a big commercial centre and for centuries it was the most important German fortress in Transylvania. In 1691, the Habsburg Empire integrates Transylvania with the capital in Sibiu, and since then the town grows more and more. It was capital city and residence of the Transylvanian governor for more than 100 years until 1791.

Sibiu is full of touristic sights and places that must be visited, most of which are concentrated in the historical centre of the town and around it, so you don’t need public transportation, but you can walk and breathe the medieval air that will surround you after the first steps. The following are the touristic attractions recommended by our agency: the Union Square, situated at an altitude of 400 metres in the Upper City; from this place you can easily get to Paltinis resort, Big Square and Small Square.

To the tourists interested in antique sites we recommend visiting the Evangelical Church. The walls of the fortress served to protect the town because when the bells at the Evangelical Church rang there was an attack.  The three towers were made of stone and brick and were part of the third fortified site of the town, the Tower of the Potters, the Carpenters and the Gunsmiths. The Museum of Natural History is the second of its kind in Romania in what concerns the number of exhibits. To the tourists passionate about history we recommend visiting the Brukenthal Palace and Brukenthal Museum with exhibits and art galleries where you can also visit the inner yards. The Pharmaceutical Museum shows the evolution of the pharmacy and drugs because in Sibiu functioned the first pharmacy in Romania. The Bridge of Lies marks the passage from the Small Square to the Huett Square. Initially, this was initially a wooden bridge and its German name changed from The Wide Bridge to the Bridge of Lies, the first unsupported wrought iron bridge. The Evangelical Church displays the biggest pipe organ in Romania and it is the tallest building in Sibiu, offering wonderful views over the town from the tower. The Synagogue from Sibiu is also very well conserved and was built in 1898. Last but not least, we recommend that you should visit the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, a remarkable architectural work. You cannot visit the town without passing even for a snack in one of the various restaurants where you can taste traditional plates that you cannot find elsewhere in Transylvania.

Regardless of the reason you choose to visit this wonderful town, you will be certainly convinced that every old building is a real work of art and its peaceful and welcoming inhabitants give tourists a sense of wellbeing. Only visiting this city will you be able to understand why Sibiu was designated the European Cultural Capital in 2007.