Sibiu the German Heritage

In the lands of legends, a certain city stands out nowadays, being the best preserved medieval settlement and a cultural reference for the whole region - Sibiu or Hermanstadt. Sibiu has been the center of the German minority since the medieval times and nowadays it is a major tourist attraction in Transylvania.




Sibiu is located about 300 kilometers away from Bucharest, but it has its own international airport, therefore it’s reachable by plane, car or train. The medieval charm, the amazing food, the surrounding landscapes (The Carpathians) and the friendly people made Sibiu one of the top destinations in Eastern Europe, in just two years after being nominated as the cultural capital of Europe.



The city center, also the historical center, is packed with attractions and museums, so you don’t need a car to explore this wonderful town. Walking or riding a bike will do fine. You can guide yourself using the Council Tower, an impressive structure erected in the 12th century and the tallest tower in town. If you choose to climb up in the tower through the dizzing stairs, you won’t regret the view.



Make sure you don’t miss the Brukenthal Museum and the Gallery of Arts, hosted in two buildings in the Main Square that used to be the home of the most famous baron that lived in Sibiu. Original pieces of furniture and crockery, as well as famous paintings of Romanian, Austrian, German and Italian painters are available in the museum.



Just steps away, in the Huet Square, you can admire the most impressive church in Sibiu. The Evangelic Church was raised in the 14th century and it has the tallest church tower in Transylvania (74 meters). It’s the only place in Sibiu where you can enjoy organ concerts, in the summer and on Wednesday nights.



Also, take some pictures on or underneath Sibiu’s landmark: the Liars Bridge. It’s Transylvania’s oldest cast iron bridge and no one knows for sure why the people named it this way. Some say that it’s the translation from the German lugenmarchen, which also means “lie”. Others say that the dishonest merchants were thrown off the bridge in the old times, but most of the people agree with the following theory: the bridge was a popular walking place for all lovers, especially for the military cadets and lots of promises were made there, most of them being lies.