Sibiu photos Romania
An illustrated walk through the Sibiu old town
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We start the walk with a view from above ...
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... and of bygone times. Some of the defence towers and fortresses are standing to this day.
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We encounter an impressive city ...
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... where past and the present meet.
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The Lesser Square inside the fortresses is one of the centrepieces of Sibiu.
The upper and lower cities come together here.
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The Grand Square, historic centre of the old town.
The Brukenthal Museum on the left, and the City Hall ahead ...
... the entrance to the pedestrian zone ...
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... and the descent to the train station in the lower town.
The Evangelic Church was built in the 14th century on the remains of a roman basilica
- still the tallest building in Transylvania.
It was for centuries the established church of the Transylvanian Saxons,
who were the founders of Sibiu, and among the first professing Lutherans in Europe.
The Council Tower separates the Grand from the Lesser Square. Built in the 13th century,
it was used to defend the 2nd fortress belt, as a granary, an observation posts, and a jail.
The Lesser Square - with a café or restaurant in each house.
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The Liar's Bridge, Romania’s oldest cast-iron bridge built in 1859,
guarding the underpass into the lower town.
The Liar's Bridge from below, with the Citizen's Stairway. There are some legends to the bridge:
Crossed by a liar the bridge is said to start quaking,
and cheating merchants were supposedly thrown off the bridge.
The Stairs Tower is the oldest construction preserved in Sibiu.
It is an access gate in the ancient city walls dating from the 13th century.
Next to it, the Stairs Passage with the fortification wall to the left ...
... and residential buildings from the 15th century to the right.
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A place for reflection and amazement ...
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... where hardly a thing has changed in 100 years.
We follow another track in the city attacked by Huns, Tatars, Turks and Kurucs ...
... and reach the 'Strada Cetatii' (fortress street) with the defense walls from the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Carpenters’ Tower in the foreground, followed by the Potters’ Tower and the Gunsmiths’ Tower ...
... named after the guilds that were responsible for their construction and defence.
In painting, they looked more peaceful anno 1885.
The Fat Tower with its multiple defensive storeys stands 25 meters outside the ramparts.
Today, it serves as a theatre.
We leave the defence systems and fortified walls of the old town ...
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... and pass on to the simple quarters.
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As elsewhere in the world, not the nobles and bishops get to work ...
... but the simple people ...
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... who still live here today.
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A neighboor has proudly aggrandized his entrance ...
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... but the eye of the painter is attracted by a more modest splendour.
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Around the corner we reach the centre of the lower town ...
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... arriving at Cibin Market, named after the river passing through the city.
Agricultural products are offered directly by the manufacturer ...
... as well as fruits and vegetables, honey, pickled herbs, and bread from the wood stove.
We leave the lower town via detour through the Strada Centumvirilor ...
... welcoming this visitor in early spring ...
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... passing by the Metropolitan Cathedral 'Holy Trinity' ...
... crossing the Huet Square ...
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... and finding ourselves back at the starting point, the Grand Square.
Here the pedestrian zone Strada Nicolae Balcescu branches off.
Traditionally the main street for commerce and strolling ...
... and in summer well visited by tourists from all continents ...
... through no one would have anticipated that anno 1862.
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Slowly we approach the end of the tour.
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With particular appreciation ...
(oops - here the Clock Tower in Sighisoara has crept in)
... of the ornate archways of Transylvanian craftsmanship ...
... and a final visit to the Grand Square with the Roman Catholic Church ...
... that may enjoy modern spectacles like this.
Here events take place almost daily during the summer. Rock concerts ...
... or cabaret, such as by the outstanding artists of 'Le Bestiaire Etincelant - Cie Malabar' ...
... or exhibitions of traditional crafts, such as the Roma-coppersmiths'.
A last view of the event, and we leave Sibiu.
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But not without popping some pictures ...
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... of the ASTRA National Museum Complex in the Dumbrava-Forest on the edge of town.
Here farmhouses, watermills and forges where rebuilt meticulously ...
... and true to the original, thus salvaged from decay.
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Of course this place, too, inspired artistic contributions.
We finish the trip at the fortified church of Cisnadioara, a simple 10-minute drive away.
Towering on top of a 100m high rock cone it oversees the surrounding countryside ...
... and is one of the oldest fortresses built by the Transylvanian Saxons in the XII century.
Whoever indulges in this history-charged trip
will feel their everyday worries fade to insignificance.
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