The town with eyes: Sibiu, Romania

Hermannstadt

The German name speaks of the remarkable historic events, involving Transylvania and the Saxons, that I wrote about in a previous blog. Today the city is popularly known as Sibiu. Before we reach the historic centre we pass by modern high rise housing in pleasant pastels. A hint of what is to come.

Fortification repurposed

As soon as we set foot in the old town we walk through a walled fortification that leads to the Thick Tower. This is one of the original 39 defensive towers built to guard the town. It has a unique U shape . At different levels there are platforms for cannons and other defense measures. Over the years it has variously served as a grain storehouse, a fire watchtower, a temporary prison and even a museum. 

A proud culture

Annexed to the tower is Thalia Hall, an impressive theatre and concert hall, which houses the State Philharmonic of Sibiu. The hall hosts weekly concerts by the Sibiu Orchestra and also other performances like the ballet. 

Class division ?

This medieval city’s historic center has two parts, the lower and the upper. What do you associate with the upper ? Did I hear you say ,”the upper class”? You're spot on. The lower town was the domain of the artisans and such. Where are we right now? That's right, the Upper Town for after all we just passed the theatre. 

Close by is  the Sibiu County Department of the National Archives of Romania. And artists have displayed their works for sale right opposite the building.

All eyes on us: See-(v/b)iew  as Sibiu is pronounced!

All around us are houses with attic windows that are designed to look like eyes. It is no wonder then that Sibiu has the appropriate moniker: The city of eyes.

All eyes are on our local guide as well as she is proudly  dressed in a dark green traditional costume. Apparently she is an award winning Romanian guide. She waits for us in the arched passage featuring a cobbled floor and white walls, characteristic of the town's historical passages and alleys. The passage leads into the vibrant town square, the Piata Mare (Big Square),. 

Distinct German logic, reason and the fine arts

Brukenthal Palace appears before us. What used to be the house of the Governor of Transylvania is now Romania’s first museum. It includes the Pharmacy Museum, the museum of Hunting and the museums of History, Romanian art and Contemporary art.

Just across the museum is Sibiu City Hall, featuring ornate architectural details in facades and balconies,a cupola and the attic windows.

We also happen to walk around the coat of arms of Sibiu, embossed on metal, embedded on the ground.

Steeped in history

The steeple of  the Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary looms before us. Adding to its Gothic architecture is the fact it served as a burial place for important figures in Sibiu society until the 18th century. Way out another landmark stands out: Saint John's Church with its distinctive bell tower 

The invaluable craftsmen

As we pound the cobblestones we come across a curiosity: a pole with tools, buttons and nails stuck to it. It is called the Journeymen's  pole.  The items were left behind by traveling craftsmen to symbolise not only their craft but also their journey. The building it fronts used to house these men and served as a workshop

There's also a German-language high school, named after Samuel von Brukenthal, who served as the governor. The school has a long history, starting in the 14th century making it the oldest German-language school in Romania. The present building is not in its original site but on that of an earlier educational institution. You wouldn't know since that's how subtle the restoration work in Sibiu is.

A tableau appears

Walking through another archway  we greeted with a vista of the lower town with its sloping paths and stairways and arches.

Bridge of lies

Several steep streets and stairways lead from the Lower to the Upper Town and. One of them, a steep incline,  passes beneath the "Bridge of Lies" - a popular meeting place among the locals even though it's rather lonely today.A bridge like you see in other parts of Europe with lovers locks  on the railings? Not exactly.

Be warned, though. The bridge will collapse as soon as anyone tells a lie while expressing love or making a trade deal while on it. 

Rest assured. These are just legend legends. The Germans called the bridge Liegenbrücke. It translates to ‘lying bridge’ describing the fact that it has no supporting pillars.

Will I miss it?

Since we started our walk in Sibiu the Trinity Catholic Church has caught my eye. I wanted to enter but we are busy moving on to other sights. By the time our tour guide leaves us on our own I begin to despair. Will I ever get to see the interior? The cathedral entrance is elusive. We hardly see anyone entering or leaving and the people we ask about it do not know! And then we see some people leaving and I quickly move to the spot and enter. I'm not disappointed. Some  Worshippers remain seated, while others are getting  ready to leave. So I quickly take in the ornate decorations, murals, pink columns, ceiling frescoes and the intricate stone carvings and the organ 

Twilight zone

That night we are to stay in Sibiu. As soon as we check in, we leave for the Old town again because we do not want to miss the sunset. We simply enter the fortress and head west as far as we can go until we hit a wall in the upper town. The sun has almost set casting a golden glow over the red brick walls. Little was I prepared for the surrealistic spectacle with arches framing views. We were actually at the Stairs Passage, a third fortification ring made up of arches and stairs around the Protestant Church. It served as an important link between the upper and lower towns.

As we returned to the hotel, we began to notice how the subtly modern restaurants are getting very busy plying customers with culinary delights while soaking in the old town charm.

Sibiu is soo- beayu-tiful. The dormer eyes which never close trading their sight over the precious heritage!

With a soar and a sigh(t): Sighisoara, Romania

Fairyland

We are headed towards Sighisoara, a citadel on a hill top. Our tour leader has thoughtfully arranged  to take us to the top on a little red train. Passing by pastel hued houses along inclined, windy,cobblestoned streets on which we go bump-bump, and medieval towers and then a red walled white trimmed house is like a child's dream of fairyland come true.

Imbued with Dracula 

Lunch has been arranged for us at a creepy looking, bright yellow, medieval building Marked by a black iron dragon, with narrow, dark staircases. We are served food on platters that evoke gore but are aesthetically plated, nevertheless.  We are right in the building where Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula,was born sometime between 1428 and 1431.gained notoriety for his brutal method of impaling his enemies  A room within has been turned into a horror museum which fans can enter for a fee. We didn’t bother to go in, but there was a long queue. 

A few metres away is the torture chamber! We simply walk by. Entrance is near the  (shudder)Passage of the Old Ladies, a rustic covered walkway!

A spectacular introduction

Just opposite is the clock tower, an imposing edifice lording over the dramatic old town. A 17th century Swiss clock with faces on two sides of the tower is its defining feature. On the side facing the city are seven wooden figures, one for each day of the week, stored inside. The figure representing the particular day appears outside. A brilliant mechanism changes the figures each day. On the other side of the tower, facing the citadel, are various other figures. A climb within the three storeyed tower would have taken us to the floors dedicated to the Roman, Medieval  and Saxon history of Romania and of course the innards of the unique clock.The multi-colored roof tiles glitter in the sun.

You can't play truant

One of the buildings we pass by is the German cultural centre which is now a museum with plenty of handicraft for sale. Very close to it is a covered wooden staircase consisting of 176 steps called Scholars’ Stairs. It was built as a passage connecting  the lower citadel with the upper. The roof ensured that the passage remained navigable during the harsh winter weather and its heavy snowfall. On the top stands the Church on the Hill. Besides, this staircase helped students reach the school near the church throughout the year. It’s still here to this day and you can walk up the dark stairs to get to the top of the hill! Now buskers make good use of the walkway.

We skip the stairs and therefore deprive ourselves of being  awed by the historic webbed ceiling and frescoes within the church as also the historic cemetery.

Where is  the monastery?

As we wander around we see the Monastery Church. The Monastery that was beside the church was demolished in the late 19th century. In its place stands the present town hall.the church with its Gothic architecture is spooky. Again we just walk around it knowing fully well about the valuable bronze artifacts it houses. 

Tower spotting

Defensive towers, of which only nine towers have survived, were built into the walls surrounding the old town, of which the Clock Tower is one. Each one is designed differently depending on the finances of the guild that took responsibility for it. The only other one we can identify clearly is the Tailors tower with its double archway, just opposite the clock Tower. 

Unknowingly we walk along the citadel walls and find ourselves in what we now know to be the tower walk. We should have spotted the blacksmith's tower, which was also close to the clock tower,and the water tower but then we really did not know what we were looking for. Turning a corner and passing through yet another archway takes us to a blue building. That is called the Blue House citadel. We might have found all of them had the walk not involve steep inclines and had the cobblestones been kinder to our feet.

We are back at citadel square to start our walk downhill towards our bus. But not before another look at the colourful ancient buildings and glimpses  of the stalls selling trinkets, and souvenirs. 

An unmistakable Saxon built citadel indeed, with the guilds, the school and the fortification!