Sibiu
The City of Superlatives
"Into a Sibiu where the moon enters through mist,
More gliding than stepping,
And in the silence that hides a storm,
I hear the strange clock striking in the tower.”
- Radu Stanca
Sibiu - The Old Town
Three squares connected together form the historical center of Sibiu.
Piata Mare (The Large Square)
The Large Square is surrounded by restored houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. On the northern side stands a Roman-Catholic church, built between 1726–1733. Next to it, the late baroque Brukenthal Palace hosts the Brukenthal Museum - the most important art museum in Transylvania. Here you can admire masterpieces such as *The Crucifixion* by Antonello da Messina, *Man with a Blue Cap* by Jan van Eyck, and *The Massacre of the Innocents* by Pieter Brueghel the Elder. In the Old City Hall (1470–1491) you will also find the Museum of History.
Piata Huet (Huet Square)
Huet Square is dominated by the Evangelical Cathedral - a massive building constructed in stages between 1320 and 1520. In the crypt rests the tomb of Mihnea the Bad, son of Dracula (Vlad Tepes). The cathedral also houses the largest church organ in Romania. Another attraction nearby is the *Stairs Passage* (12th century), which descends through the medieval walls and arches down to the Lower Town.
Piata Mica (Small Square)
Huet Square is connected to the Small Square by a short passage next to the *Bridge of Lies* - the oldest cast-iron bridge in Romania. Legend says that if someone lies while standing on it, the bridge will collapse. Luckily, it still stands strong today! The Butchers’ Hall (now hosting contemporary art exhibitions), the Pharmacy History Museum, and the Franz Binder Museum of Universal Ethnography are all worth visiting in this area.
SIBIU (The Capital of Transylvania) - The City of Superlatives
Sibiu is a city of superlatives, home to many firsts in this part of Europe. It had the first hospital, the first library, the first school, the first pharmacy, the first paper mill, the first bookshop, the first calendar, the first theater building, the first museum, the first cast iron bridge, the first psychiatric hospital, the first Romanian bank, the first spring factory, the first brewery, the first tool factory, the first hydroelectric plant, the first zoo, and the first open-air cinema in Romania. Sibiu also had the first archive, the first folk ensemble, the first typography in Transylvania, the first Romanian book printed here, and the first newspaper in Transylvania. Păltiniș, near Sibiu, was the first mountain resort in Romania. The first encyclopedia and the first natural history museum in the country were also founded here. Sibiu was the first city in Transylvania illuminated by electricity and the first to introduce electric public transport. Even the first multi-stage rocket in the world was tested nearby by Conrad Haas. Sibiu truly is a pioneer - a city with an innovative spirit, shaped by its people and its history.
What can you do in Sibiu?
1. Stroll around the Old Town
Start in the Large Square, surrounded by beautiful Art Deco and Baroque buildings - all heritage sites.
It’s also the place where most festivals and public events are held.
2. Visit the Council Tower
The white tower is one of Sibiu’s most famous landmarks.
Originally built in the 13th century, it protected the entrance to the former City Hall.
3. Climb the Lutheran Cathedral
From the top, you’ll enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
4. Cross the "Bridge of Lies"
The oldest cast-iron bridge in Romania.
Legend has it the bridge can "hear” lies - and if you lie on it, it might creak or even collapse. :)
5. Visit the ASTRA Open-Air Museum
The ASTRA Museum complex is a vast park filled with traditional houses and buildings from all over Romania.
6. Discover art at the Brukenthal National Museum
The building itself dates from the 18th century and was once the palace of the Transylvanian governor Samuel von Brukenthal.
The museum displays both European and Romanian art masterpieces.
