Sighisoara is considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe – and one of the very few fortified towns that is still inhabited. This is the city where you can live all the medieval splendor with pastel colored buildings, stony lanes, and medieval towers without having to travel back in time. This wonderful town is pretty compact so it’s easy to get around to see all the magnificent places it has to offer. Let’s dive in!
During the 12th century German craftsman and merchants (now known as the Transylvanian Saxons) settled here. Because of this, there is a heavy German influence. Because of their skill and trade, Sighisoara played a key commercial role in the Holy Roman Empire. At one point, in the late middle ages and early Renaissance, Sighisoara had 15 guilds and 20 handicraft branches, which was a lot for such a seemingly small town! The guilds also played an important role in building the defense systems of the city. In fact, the guilds made sure the town was built within the citadel to make sure it was protected from outside invaders.
This town was originally established to protect from Turkish attacks, but it is now a peaceful and fairytale-like town open to residence and visitors alike. But don’t be mistaken by the charm, it still houses nine towers and two artillery bastions from the 14th and 16th centuries. You can even see remnants of the original wall if you know where to look.
Although the battlements of the town are quite impressive, the most iconic structure of the citadel, and now the symbol of the city, is the Clock Tower (Turnul cu Ceas). Built between the 13th and 14th centuries, it served as town hall until 1556 when a fire destroyed a major portion of the Clock Tower. It was rebuilt in 1677 but the detailed figures inside the clock remain the same from 1648. The architecture of the outside is the highlight of this impressive building but make sure to admire the multi-colored tile roof and check out the small museum inside. They add to the depth of this building in really cool ways.
Next, there is the Church on the Hill (Biserica din Deal) which lies at the top of School’s Hill (literally a hill…I wonder where they got the name). Access is made via the 176 steps of a roofed pathway (called the Scholars’ Stairway) and is one of the highlights of the city. The climb is not that bad and is well worth it to see one of the greatest churches in Transylvania and the third largest in the region. Like many fortified Saxon churches of this time, it has a very simple exterior. Also like many Transylvanian churches, it is a classic example of the transformation of old Romanesque into Gothic design between the 14th and 15th centuries.
The interior of the church was entirely painted with frescos between the 14th and 16th centuries. Many fragments were saved after all of these years – several being painted by Gothic and Renaissance masters. The only ancient crypt in Transylvania is also housed in this church (seriously not as creepy as it might seem). This church is filled with incredibly interesting history, which you’ll have to go discover for yourself when you come out and visit!
Remnants of the old cemetery have been brought inside the church although the town cemetery still exists outside and is very lush and beautiful to walk around. The old church bell has also been brought inside but serves as a reminder of the time it rang, calling all the villagers to worship at the church.
Aside from the very fascinating artifacts kept inside of the church, there is also a very informative 12 panel display that serves as a history lesson for those interested in learning more about the Reformation of Eastern Europe that ties everything together. You could seriously spend hours in this church if you have time – or less if you are overloaded with history at this point (which is quite possibly an option but I continued on).
Two other churches that are worth seeing are the Holy Trinity Church and the Church of the Dominican Monastery. The former is a Romanian Orthodox church built in the mid 1930s and was designed in the Neo-Byzantine style. This was a sharp contrast to the medieval style in most of the citadel but honestly it was kind of refreshing. The latter belonged to the Dominican Monastery built in the 13th century but its present form dates back to 1677.
We visited for a couple days so we stayed at a charming small hotel literally down the hill from the Church right in the middle of the citadel called the Fronius Residence. The building itself is 400 years old and was once home to a noble family. Several of the doors are original and many of the rooms actually looked original too. Our room upstairs had a view of the Clock Tower which was a gorgeous sight to wake up to in the morning. I would definitely recommend looking at staying here is you come and visit as well.
Even the shops and cafes have a fairytale-like appeal so be sure to spend time walking the cobblestone streets and admiring the quaint and colorful buildings. Many times, we had an entire street to ourselves which added to the charm.
And lastly, this blog post would not be complete without mentioning Vlad Tepes (remember my post about Dracula’s castle). Well, Vlad (The Impaler) was actually born in Sighisoara in 1431 and we got to visit his birthplace home which was housed close to the Clock Tower. Although the building is centuries old, it is no longer an actual home but rather a restaurant. I’m sure the most notorious ruler of Transylvania had secret culinary aspirations which are now being honored with this great little restaurant…either that or he’s furious and now haunting the place (I hope not).
I loved visiting this quaint town and wish I had just one more day here as there was more to see even though everything was so close together. Of course, playing a medieval warrior queen in front of the iconic Clock Tower while battling Vlad Tepes was part of the appeal too. More details on that fun experience will have to be saved for a later date so make sure to subscribe to my blog so you can hear about that fun experience and stay up to date on all other tips and stories I have for you in the future. But in the meantime, if you find yourself in Sighisoara, make sure to check out all the spots mentioned. You won’t regret it!
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