For
other towns outside of the Sibiu city
area, please see County
Sibiu!
Simply Beautiful Sibiu!
With a population of about 170,000, the decidedly delightful old
Saxon town of Sibiu straddles the river Cibin, a tributary of
the river Olt, and is the capital of Sibiu County.
Sibiu is just about at the true geographical
centre of Romania, and long served as an outpost for first the Saxons
in Transilvania, and later the Wallachians coming up the Olt River from
the more traditional Romanian principalities of Oltenia and Muntenia
to the south.
The Enchanting Main Square
The
fairy-tale old city centre has at it's heart the Piaţa Mare (Big
Square), lined with buildings which look like they were designed
in Hollywood to be the perfect late Mediaeval backdrop for a romantic
epic.
Even the most travel-weary amongst us will melt at the sheer charm
and uplifting drama of the wonderful old buildings which line the three
downtown squares, all linked by little alleys, cute passages under clock
towers, and quiet cobbled side streets which confirm you are in the
real old Europe.
A European Union Cultural Capital
As you browse through our website, you'll probably realise that
many cities in Romania are still undergoing significant development
to bring the tourism infrastructure up to more Western standards.
The town centre is well preserved and dotted with world-class museums,
and some inspirational architecture (keep your cameras at the ready!).
All of this contributes to Sibiu being chosen by the European Union
as the European Capital of Culture in 2007, which indeed only added
to the panache and more importantly, the tourism infrastructure of one
of Europe's newest lights.
Super Popular Sibiu
The city of Sibiu and its surroundings are one of the most visited
areas in Romania. It holds one of the best preserved historical sites
in the country, many of its medieval fortifications having been kept
in excellent state. Its old centre has begun the process for becoming
a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
Sibiu
and its surrounding area have many significant museums, with 12 institutions
housing art collections, paintings, and exhibits in decorative arts,
archaeology, anthropology, history, industrial archaeology and history
of technology and natural sciences.
Stop in Sibiu. Seriously.
Even if it is your first visit to deepest, darkest Transilvania,
Sibiu is one of the easiest towns for an English-speaker in which to
stay and get around.
We hate to mention it, but yes, there IS a
McDonalds (placed next to a
bus station), and you can get that could-be-anywhere mall feeling
on the road going out towards Braşov if you really must.
And there are several top-notch hotels if you prefer a good view over
the city centre, although a more meaningful cultural experience might
be had with fewer familiar trappings.
If you only can afford even a two or three day stop somewhere in
your travels around Romania, Sibiu really does afford a restful and
very entertaining stopping off point to catch your breath, enjoy the
history in full, and even make a few side-trips to the lofty little
lake of Bālea Lac or nearby mountain town of
Paltiniş.
The Little Square behind the Council Tower
A delightful spot for a lunch a morning
tea, you can watch the crowds go by under the Liar's Bridge
and enjoy delicious food under the Sibiu sun at a
terasa cafe.
2007 was a big year for sleepy Sibiu, becoming
the EU Capital of Culture, complete with beautiful floral displays
on the main square and ad-hoc topiary bears too!
Sibiu is dominated by its medieval fortifications and its vibrant
historic centre. Much of the city's aspect is due to its position, easily
defensible, but allowing horizontal development.
The old city of Sibiu lies on the right bank of the Cibin River,
on a hill situated at about 200 m from the river. It consists of two
distinct entities: the Upper City and the Lower City. Traditionally,
the Upper City was the wealthier part and commercial outlet, while the
Lower City served as the manufacturing area.
The Upper City (Romanian: Oraşul de sus) is organised around three
city squares and a set of streets along the line of the hill. As the
main area for burgher activities, the area contains most points of interest
in Sibiu.
The Main Square is, as its name suggests, the largest square of
the city, and has been the centre of the city since the 16th century.
142 m long and 93 m wide, it is one of the largest ones in Transylvania.
Brukenthal Palace, one of the most important Baroque monuments in
Romania, lies on the north-western corner of the square. It was erected
between 1777 and 1787 as the main residence for the Governor of Transilvania
Samuel von Brukenthal. It houses the main part of the
National Brukenthal Museum, opened in 1817. Next to the palace is
the Blue House, an 18th century Baroque house bearing the old coat of
arms of Sibiu on its faēade.
On the north side is the Jesuit Church, along with its
outbuildings,
the former residence of the Jesuits in Sibiu. Also on the north side,
at the beginning of the 20th century an Art Nouveau building was constructed
on the west part, now it houses the mayor's office.
Next to the Jesuit Church on the north side is the Council Tower,
one of the city's symbols. This former fortification tower from the
14th century has been successively rebuilt over the years. The building
nearby used to be the City Council's meeting place; beneath it lies
an access way between the Main Square and the Small Square.
On the south and east sides are two- or three-storey houses, having
tall attics with small windows known as the city's eyes. Most of these
houses are dated 17th to 19th centuries, and most of them are Baroque
in style.
As its name says, the Piaţă Mică is smaller in size, being rather
longer than wide. Its north-west side has a curved shape, unlike the
Main Square, which has an approximately rectangular shape. Accordingly,
Piaţă Mică plays a smaller part in the city's present-day life.
The square is connected to the other two squares and to other streets
by small, narrow passages. The main access from the Lower City is through
Once Street, which divides the square in two. The street passes under
the Liar's Bridge - the first bridge in Romania to have been cast in
iron (1859).
To the right of the bridge is another symbol of the city, The House
of the Arts, an arched building formerly belonging to the Butchers'
Guild. On the left side of the bridge is the Luxemburg House, a Baroque
four-storey building, former seat of the Goldsmiths' Guild.
Huet Square is the third of the three main squares of Sibiu. Its
most notable feature is the Evangelical (Lutheran) Cathedral in its
centre. It is the place where the earliest fortifications have been
built. The buildings around this square are mainly Gothic. On the west
side lies the Brukenthal High school, in place of a former 15th century
school.
The Lower City (Romanian: Oraşul de jos) comprises the area between
the river and the hill, and it developed around the earliest fortifications.
The
streets are long and quite wide for medieval city standards, with small
city squares at places. The architecture is rather rustic: typically
two-storey houses with tall roofs and gates opening passages to inner
courtyards, giving the entire Lower Town the feel of the French Quarter
in New Orleans.
Most of the exterior fortifications were lost to industrial development
and modern urban planning in the late 19th century; only one or two
towers still exist along the mostly residential streets.
A building associated with newer urbanism of the period is the
Independenţa high school. This area
also has the oldest church in the city, dating back to 1386.
The Fortifications
The city of Sibiu was one of the most important fortified cities
in South-eastern Europe. Multiple rings were built around the city,
most of them out of clay bricks.
The south-eastern fortifications are the best kept, and all three
parallel lines are still visible. The first is an exterior earth mound,
the second is a 10-meter-tall red brick wall, and the third line comprises
towers linked by another 10-meter-tall wall. All structures are connected
via a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways, designed to ensure transport
between the city and lines of defence.
In the 16th century more modern elements were added to the fortifications,
mainly leaf-shaped bastions. One of these survived to this day, as the
Haller
Bastion (all the way down Coposu Boulevard).
In addition to the main council tower in the centre of the main
square, Sibiu was once defended by several outlying towers connected
with the defensive wall.
The
Tanners' Tower was defended by leather workers and tanners
of the area, overlooking the banks of the Cibin River on the north-west
side of the old city. The grand old octagonal tower looks as if it was
designed by a film crew, the thick walls designed to hold masses of
gunpowder.
Located along the aptly named Wall Street (Strada Zidului at the
intersection with Str Korsakov), it blew up several times in the 16th
century, with its current stout shape constructed in 1638. Another tower
down on Wall Street, is the Gunpowder Tower, a great circular tower
which was built in 16th century.
The Citadel Street Towers
The southernmost of the main fortification towers, the
Mercenaries' Tower (also called the
Arquebusiers' Tower,
named after the light firearm prevalent in the 1500s), the octagonal
tower features window slits through which the rifles were aimed.
Formed out of local stone up to 1 m high, the remainder of
the tower used bricks, up to the octagonal top. Located along Citadel
Street (Str. Cetătii), not far from the French Centre and the downtown
ASTRA park, the shape and height of this tower makes it one of the prettiest
in Sibiu.
Further out Citadel Street is the Potters' Tower,
with similar construction, although just a rectangular shape. More interesting,
and also along Citadel Street is the Carpenters'
Tower (LEFT), which has rounded stone foundations, but an octagonal
proportion made of brick, as if the builders change their minds halfway
through. The Carpenters' Tower was used to
pour hot black oil on the unfortunate assailants.
The Fat Tower (aka the
Thick Tower) is indeed a tubby little thing,
its massive walls having survived to this day from 1540. Used as a platform
to cannons, it was converted to a theatre in 1788 and is today part
of the Thalia Hall.
The Stairway Tower (or the Gate Tower),
is just off Huet Square, and has foundations dating from the end of
the 12th century. Substantial changes in the 19th century were made
to this tower, which has a wide passageway underneath connecting the
large and small squares of old city centre. The adjacent stairs were
actually added in the early 1860s. Nearby, the Gate Tower along Str.
Al. Odobescu (where the Pasajul Scarilor intersects), is a wide sturdy
square tower next to the Old Town Hall, guarding access to the town's
main square.
I arrive in Sibiu and friends meet me at the station. I twist and turn
on the back seat of their shiny new Dacia Logan, checking on the small,
ancient city.
Several years since I was here. It feels the same as last time, yet
looks different. Tiled roofs still pitch at odd angles, their ventilation
slats watching the town like sleepy eyes.
Citizens still stroll with an unhurried gait, born of resilience.
The "Casa Altemberger" houses the Brukenthal's
history wing, in the oldest Gothic building in all of Transylvania.
The floors creak with convincing age throughout the exhibits!
The Reformation came to Transilvania in
a big way, with the Calvinists leading the way. Many Saxons
were adherents to the new church in Sibiu, mostly the merchant
class.
Arriving in Sibiu by train is an easy affair, since the main train
station is immediately adjacent to the bus station at the
1 December
1918 Square, also known as Station Square, or "Piaţa Gării". Locals
have never actually quite figured out what the Square has to do with
the first of December, the National Unification Day, and most Sibians
will simply refer to it as Station Square.
All of the main bus and trolley bus lines depart from the square
heading south mostly towards the old city centre and other destinations
in Sibiu city.
If you enjoy walking, Sibiu is well made for your feet. Most of
the attractions really within the old city area, and taking public transport
is only necessary when heading south towards some of the attractions
going out for is the ASTRA park for example.
The tram buses depart Station Square to the south towards Răşinari
and the ASTRA Museum park, and west to the Saxon enclave of
Littlerook
(Turnişor) with its McDonald's, bus station, outlet stores, and international
airport. The adjacent Station Park is a great spot to buy some sunflower
seeds from a local gypsy woman. Try not to pay too much.
The station building itself contains the headquarters of the
railway company for the district, as well as a pharmacy,
ticket kiosk, a little cafe, and even a little police station.
Culture
Sibiu is one of Romania's most culturally lively cities. It has
two theatres and a philharmonic orchestra. The
Radu Stanca National Theatre is one of the leading Romanian theatres.
With origins dating back to 1787, it attracts some of the best-known
Romanian directors, such as Tompa Gįbor and Silviu Purcărete. It has
both a Romanian-language and a German-language section, and presents
an average of five shows a week. The
Gong Theatre is specialised in puppetry, mime and non-conventional
shows for children and teenagers; it also presents shows in both Romanian
and German. The State Philharmonic of Sibiu presents weekly classical
music concerts and also lesson concerts for teenagers.
The concerts take place in the newly renovated Thalia Hall, a concert
hall and theatre dating from 1787, situated along the old city fortifications.
Sporadic organ concerts are organised in the Evangelical Cathedral and
thematic concerts are presented by the Faculty of Theology choir at
the Orthodox Cathedral.
Events
A great number of festivals are organised yearly in Sibiu, the most
prestigious being the Theatre Festival organised each spring at the
end of May.
The one in the summer of 2005, gathered over 2,500 participants
from 68 countries; over 300 shows were presented. Also, the oldest Jazz
Festival in Romania is organised here, as well as a festival for young
classical music artists, a documentary film festival, a medieval arts
festival and many more smaller cultural events.
The Brukenthal Museum consists of an Art Gallery and an Old Books
Library located inside the Brukenthal Palace, a
History Museum located
in the old town hall building, a Pharmacy Museum located in one of the
first apothecary shops in Europe, dating from the 16th century, a
Natural
History Museum and a Museum of Arms and Hunting Trophies.
The ASTRA National Museum Complex focuses on ethnography, and consists
of a Traditional Folk Civilisation Museuma 96-hectare
open-air museum
located on a forest south of Sibiua Uatniversal Ethnography Museum, a
Museum of Transylvanian Civilisation and a Museum of Saxon Ethnography
and Folk Art. It also has a project of opening a Museum of the Culture
and Civilisation of the Romany People. There is a Steam Locomotives
Museum close to the railway station, sheltering around 40 locomotives,
two of which are functional.
One of the Crown Jewels of the ASTRA Museum complex, the Franz Binder
Museum offers wide array of ethnographic and cultural displays, which
are a must see stop on any visit to Sibiu.
The Franz Binder Museum tends to attract some of
the better temporary travelling exhibits in the country, so keep an
eye out for announcements of upcoming exhibits.
One of the more surprising things about this museum, is that it
does not concentrate solely on local Romanian and traditional art forms.
Rather, the collection expands to include pieces of art from many world
cultures across a sequenced series of exhibits showing the reasons for
art (the "gestures"), titled "Elements of the Peoples of the World's
Culture and Art".
There are some curiously large collections from Africa, China, Japan,
Brazil and other places not likely to be on the tip of your time during
a visit to historic Sibiu.
The Pharmacy Museum is housed in 1568 a Gothic townhouse just off
the little square in Sibiu's old city. With over 6000 exhibits ranging
from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the museum fully covers the development
of pharmacology, laboratory techniques, medicines and pharmacy science
throughout the ages.
Unique among similar museums and other countries, and this Romanian
collection also includes excellent exhibits of homoeopathic equipment,
techniques, and methods. Samuel Hanemann pioneered work in homeopathic
therapy and was a contemporary of the Transylvania Governor Samuel von
Brukenthal, after whom the parent museum was named.
Auspiciously located at number 1 Citadel St (Str. Cetatii, Nr. 1),
the museum was built in 1849 by the Transylvania Society for natural
history (Societăţii Ardelene de Ştiinţe Naturale).
The Society headquarters was designed by famous architect C. W.
Friedrich Maetz from Cluj, opening on the 25th of May 1895. The neoclassical
facade features four ionic columns on the portico over which is featured
a balcony with balustrades.
The natural history collection contains over a million pieces across
the geologic, palaeontologic, botanic and zoological disciplines.
If you have any interest whatsoever in fine museology combined
with some fairly interesting specimens, be it animal, mineral, or vegetable,
the Natural History Museum in Sibiu will provide you with the insights
necessary to understand Romania's unique ecosystems and geology. In
particular, don't miss the recently opened (2007) Romanian natural history
exhibit, opened by local dignitaries with much fanfare.
You'll realise as you approach this fine Gothic building that the
architecture of the museum compound is almost as interesting as some
of the exhibits inside. Built at the end of the 15th century it's the
biggest Gothic structure (non-military) in all of Romania.
The full name of the museum, "Muzeul Naţional Brukenthal
- Muzeul de Istorie Casa Altemberger", signals that is as part of the
important Brukenthal Museum complex.
Arranged across a dozen halls, the exhibits tackle subjects such
as the evolution of rural communities and southern Transilvania, the
life and influences of Neolithic Transylvanian's, Bronze Age artefacts,
local Dacian artefacts and ways of life from the Tilişca-Căţănaş Citadel,
and are very well done re-creation of an ancient village including all
of the common elements for eating, sleeping and defences. A side collection
of armour may be of limited interest for some, but is nonetheless a
very replete and well-done exhibit.
Good lighting and thoughtful displays across a wide variety of subjects
make this museum a surprisingly modern masterpiece, complete with LCD
screens and fibre optic lighting.
The History Museum can be found off the Main Square
(Piaţa Mare) at number 2 Bishops Street (Str. Mitropoliei, Nr. 2). Tel:
(+40) 269 218143
The Children's Palace is down in the lower town part of the Old
City Centre, not far from the train and bus stations.
In addition to
a variety of programs on each week, from puppet shows to excursions,
the building also houses overflow and special exhibits from the Brukenthal
museum and others. Check in to see what's on.
The current church built in 1474 and was part of a monastery until 1543.
The Reformation saw many Catholics convert to the new Protestant variety
of Christianity, and the church was converted to the new Lutheran faith.
Later on, the church was transferred to the hands of the Ursuline
nuns who came to Sibiu in the early 1700s. The Ursulines reconstructed
the church starting in 1728, and rehabilitated it to the Gothic wonder it is
today, with heavy baroque touches and beautiful stained-glass windows.
Romanians to this day can still be surprised when confronted with the
Catholic style of pews and great altar, with significant differences
from their more familiar orthodox architecture.
The Lutheran Cathedral is an important architectural treasure precisely
because it does not conform to the ecclesiastical building norms of
the surrounding Orthodox churches and cathedral (see the
Trinity Cathedral below).
The full name of the Lutheran church in Sibiu is the Evangelic
Church of the Augustine Confession in Romania. Most of today's congregation
comes from a German roots, being Lutherans of the Saxon community. The
church is also the headquarters for Lutherans in Romania, headed by
Bishop Christopher Klein.
The Reformation brought changes to the Saxon communities of
Transilvania, not only in the church, but
also in education.
At the end of the 14th century in Sibiu, the first mandatory public
education system was started on Romanian soil, thanks to the efforts
of the Lutheran church. The church also held civic leanings, with the
priest often also being the mayor of the town.
The Catholic Hungarians tried a counterreformation of the wayward
Lutherans at the end of the 17th century, however was met with very
little success. The fundamental Saxon spirit survives in the churches
and schools to this day.
Whilst much of the congregation did emigrate (mostly to Germany)
once the borders were opened in 1989 after the revolution, Sibiu remains
one of the largest Lutheran communities in Romania, with over 14,000
still attending the area churches.
It doesn't really matter if you don't like churches, or even if
you only have two hours in the city of Sibiu, but Trinity Cathedral
is definitely a must-see, must-stop place.
As always, please be respectful as far as your dress,
and local customs are concerned. Please read our section on religion
for a more information.
Not only is it one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in Romania,
the sheer openness and grandeur of the internal space makes it almost
impossible to believe this fine old church is tucked away on a ordinary
street in the old section of Sibiu.
As a rare nod to the ethnic Romanian population, Trinity Cathedral is actually built with permission from Vienna
in 1857, to serve the local Transilvanian Orthodox community.
In a grand
gesture of inclusiveness, it was actually the Emperor Franz Joseph I
who donated a thousand gold coins, followed by the Transilvanian
governor and many others in the Sibiu upper classes and church.
The previous Greek church on the same side was demolished in 19
two and worked soon began up until 19 four, when the great dome was
installed on the new church under the watchful eye of local architect
Joseph Schussnig.
After a contest in which 31 architects submitted their plans, construction
on the great cathedral began using a design with a massive Roman door
flanked by two massive rectangular towers, reaching up 45 m. It was
the great Ayasofya (Sfānta Sofia) basilica
in Istanbul which inspired the imposing interior dome of the Trinity
Cathedral, harking back to the height of Byzantine architecture and
grandeur.
In addition to the main towers, four little octagonal towers also
adorn of the exterior, surrounding the interior cupola, which spans
over 34 m.
The light coming through the dome is simply sumptuous on any given
morning or afternoon. Local painters contributed to some of the interior
icons, and the Cathedral was consecrated by Bishop Ioan Metianu in 1906,
with future prime minister Nicolae Iorga in attendance. Further restoration
and painting works were continued in the Neobyzantine style of Iosif
Keber and Anastasie Demian.
The Trinity Cathedral is located at number 33 Bishops
St (Str. Mitropoliei 33-35), and is open daily.
Habsburgs take back castle Dracula
Sibiu's celebrated Brukenthal Museum and Transylvania's Dracula
site, Bran castle, have been restituted to their legal owners by
the Romanian state. Habsburg family descendants of Princess Ileana,
daughter of King Ferdinand of Romania, are now owners of the 14th
century Brasov county castle, a tourist destination for vampire
fans due to the spurious link that Vlad 'The Impaler' Tepes may
have spent the night there a couple of times.
In both cases, the properties will remain museums. Representatives
of the Evangelical Church of Sibiu, the regained owners of the Brukenthal,
said they want their property to become an international museum,
a European asset.
Obviously, you'll want to spend time in the old town centre of Sibiu,
but your number two stop -- even if you only have a morning or afternoon
-- should definitely be the Astra park.
When you do a lot of travel-writing, as our Rest Romania correspondents
do, it is fairly easy to become a little jaded about the seemingly endless
number of tourist attractions, large and small. But the incredibly
well-done Astra open-air folk museum just south of the Sibiu city centre
is at the pinnacle of it's kind.
Spread across a wide swath of forested parkland reserve, over 200
structures are faithfully reconstructed in natural settings, all connected
with pathways, around lakes and watercourses.
Almost hidden away in deep in the grove forest just south of the
Sibiu city centre, the ASTRA complex is a wonderland of cultural
treasures brought in from all over Romania.
The full title of the Museum, the ASTRA Traditional Folk
Civilisation Museum, barely begins to describe the importance and
scope of what should be an example for other ethnographic
installations of this type.
Understanding the Real Romania
Some travellers often have the mistaken impression that Romania
lacks the sort of deep and abiding culture that has stood the test
of centuries.
Here at the ASTRA Open Air Museum, that mistake is reversed as
you marvel at authentic buildings and collections which have been
brought from all over Romania. The Herculean efforts of the
country's best museologists has resulted in something which is much
more than a world-class museum: it's truly a life experience.
The ease at which you will learn about other ways of true
Romanian life through the centuries is made possible by the detailed
decorations with the end of the authentic home states and even
commercial buildings, from a mongers forge, to a fully fledged
winemaking operation from the 18th century, as well as a giant water
wheel mounted over a country stream, showing the engine of the rural
economy in years past.
The Diverse Romanian Culture
As you walk through the leafy display collections, you will come
to realise that Romanian culture shows its deep diversity like the
sudden fanning of a peacock's feathers.
At one moment you're taking in the life of a fisherman at his
cottage on the Danube Delta, and in the next thematic group of
installations, you come to understand oilseed crushing, ingeniously
using hydraulic energy. From woodworking and metal working to
pottery, flour milling, vine growing, beekeeping, and animal
raising, you will be a fully fledged expert in what true Romanian
village life was, and for the most part, still is to this day.
For more information on traditional life in the
Danube Delta, click here
The park itself is delightful, and visiting in the summer months
you will be presented with a riot of colour in the meadows carefully
landscaped in the forest clearings. Informative panels explain to
the key features of the displays in English and in other languages.
Guides are posted throughout the park to explain things in more
detail, showing you how a particular farm implements might have
worked, or what the significance is a various features within the
homes and hearths.
The beautiful tapestries and linens which decorate many of the
display houses may also be purchased at the wonderfully stocked
Museum store, which successfully brings the best of Romanian arts
and crafts together in one place.
Don't miss the painted Easter eggs in particular, along with the
fine linens from all over the country, both of which are excellent
items to stuff into your suitcases for the journey home. Also near
the main entrance of the park, is a concession on the lake selling
all sorts of sugary treats, and a main restaurant with liveried
staff and a very good regional menu.
After you've eaten, you will probably still have a good portion
of the park remaining for a leisurely stroll. Probably half of the
enjoyment of the ASTRA Open Air Ethnographic Museum by the beautiful
vistas, whether it's the main lake, or encountering a meadow of old
windmills and should come around the corner. If you do have a
particular interest in this sort of cultural wonderland, the Museum
park does offer accommodation at their inn and pub.
Nearby Options
If for some reason the ASTRA complex is not sufficient for your
day, there is also an adjoining small zoo which has a small
selection of beasties, as well as little boats for hire on the lakes
which link the zoo and the open air Museum area.
Depending on your itinerary, you may wish to do the Museum in
the morning, and continue on to the Saxon village of Cisnădie to the
south, or take the high Road up to the resort town of Paltiniş,
following the tram line first to Raşinari. In fact, the tram is
actually a reasonable way to get to the park, with a stop right in
front of the main gates. See our map of the Sibiu Borders region
here for the full Sibiu tram routes.
Otherwise, the park features ample parking, and you can also get
around the park by horse and carriage, available for hire by the
hour.
==LODGING===================================
Need to get more local information and advice? Talk to a local agent about local things to do and sites to see!
Listed below are some local agents who can help you with bookings and organize
local tours
in the
Sibiu area.
Digimarc and the Digimarc logo are registered trademarks of Digimarc Corporation. The "Digimarc Digital Watermarking" Web Button is a trademark of Digimarc Corporation, used with permission.
All maps are informational only. No representation is made or warranty given as to map
contents. User assumes all risk of use. Rest Romania and its suppliers
assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use.
Inclusion of links and examples of maps on other sites is for your
convenience only and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the
owner/sponsor of the map site or the content of that site.
Sibiu has the privilege of being sited just to the north of the
stunning Făgăraş and Cindrel mountains, between which the might Olt
River flows through it's gorge south to Wallachia.
The Făgăraş Mountains are a very popular trekking destination, and
the sapphire ice lake, Bālea Lac attracts snowboarders and outdoor afficianados
year-round. Sibiu is also close to the Păltiniş resort,
a popular winter holiday destination, and it is at the heart of the
former Saxon communities in Transylvania renowned for its fortified
churches.
The Cibin river and some roads of national and international interest
run through Sibiu, which is also an important city for the railway transportation,
as the meeting point of east-west and north-south routes.
Set in theCibin
Depression, the city is about 20 km from
the Făgăraş Mountains, the Cibin Mountains (12 km), and the Lotrului
Mountains (about 15 km), which border the depression in its southwestern
section. The northern and eastern limits of Sibiu are formed by the
Tārnavelor Plateau, which descends to the Cibin Valley through Guşteriţei
Hill.
Sibiu is one of the most prosperous cities of Romania, and also
receives one of the highest rates of foreign investment in the country.
It is an important manufacturer of automotive components (Bilstein-Compa,
Takata, Continental, and SNR Roulments). Other local industries are
machine components, textiles, agro-industry, and electrical components
(Siemens).
One of the main concerns for the city is attracting new investors
to locate their businesses in Sibiu, and an industrial park has been
recently completed. The city also contains Romania's largest stock exchange
outside of Bucharest, the Sibiu Stock Exchange.
Climate and Population
Sibiu's climate is temperate-continental with average temperatures
of 8 to 9° C. The multi-annual average of rainfall is 662 l/mp, and
there are about 120 days of hard frost annually.
As of approximately 2002, Sibiu has a population of about 170,000.
The ethnic breakdown is as follows: Romanians 95%, Hungarians
2%, Germans 1.6%, and others 1.4%.
Religion
Most of the population is of the Romanian Orthodox religion. Protestants
and Roman Catholics represent 4% of the population. 25% of the population
are over 50 years old, and 18% of the population are college or university
graduates.
Education
Sibiu is an important centre of higher education, with over 26,000
undergraduate students in 2004.
The Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu was founded in 1990, with five
faculties: Engineering and Sciences; Letters; History and Law; Medicine;
Food and Textile Processing Technology. Nowadays, it has many departments.
Andrei Şaguna Faculty of Theology
Faculty of Letters and Arts
Nicolae Lupu Faculty of History and Patrimony
Simion Bărnuţiu Faculty of Law
Hermann Oberth Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Sciences
Victor Papilian Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Economics
Faculty of Journalism
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Food Industry and Environmental Protection
The University College
Department for Distance and E-Learning
Sibiu also houses the Nicolae Bălcescu Land Forces Military Academy,
the most important military academy in Romania, as well as some private
universities.
In Sibiu there are 20 educational institutions on the secondary
level, the most prestigious of which are:
Colegiul Naţional Gheorghe Lazăr - mainly sciences and informatics
Tursib is the city's transport system who operates one tramway line
to Răşinari, 5 trolleybus lines and about 20 bus lines. It is also an
important hub for the international bus links with the biggest passenger
transporter in Romania, Atlassib, based here.
The city is also a hub for the Romanian railway network, CFR, with links
to Braşov, Rāmnicu Vālcea, Alba Iulia and Mediaş. It has an important
diesel powered locomotives depot and a freight terminal.
In 2007 Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture (2008 was
Liverpool). It was the
most important cultural event that has ever happened in the city in
recent decades, and a great number of tourists enjoyed the town, both
domestic and foreign.
In addition to the train station and bus stations, you can pick
up a taxi fairly reliably at the stand near the Hotel Continental,
and another one near the Radu Stānca Theatre (the one with the big
screen on it at Union Square.
Maxi-taxis are found more at the bus and train terminals,
reserved now for the more long-distance routes out of town, and are
not seen as much around town these days (since 2007).
The Buses and Trolley Buses
The TURSIB company owns and operates the buses on trolleys which
run throughout Sibiu. Any ticket which you buy is good for two travel
segments, which can either be a round trip or two legs in the same direction.
To be sure to have your ticket validated once on board by inserting
the ticket into the punching device. Just punch a button on the device
and inspect the ticket to make sure it was validated properly.
You can buy tickets for travel at any TURSIB outlet. One ticket
to travel costs 1.5 lei and can be purchased at automated machines at
kiosks for selling tickets, or at TURSIB agencies.
Ticket Purchasing Locations
The automated ticketing machines have recently been installed at
the main stations, such as the Gara Mare (Main Station), the Cemetery
station, and the station at the Museum of Natural History. You can purchase
anywhere between one to four tickets and the machines accept 10 and
50 cent (ban) pieces, or 1 or 5 lei notes.
You can also find helpful kiosks at the following locations where
you can also buy your tickets: Valea Aurie, Piaţa Rahovei, Piaţa Valea
Aaron, Compa, Nufarul (Coposu Blvd.), Universitate, Piaţa Cibin, the
Plus department-store (on the Alba Iulia Road), and at Obor.
Actual agents of the TURSIB company can also be found at number
12 Calea Dumbrāvii near 1 Decembrie square during normal business hours,
as well as down the road as number is 133 to 135. If you have had the
good sense to retain a Romanian driver-translator (as we always recommend),
you can call TURSIB on (269) 426 100, or you can also e-mail the company
on
tursib@xnet.ro.
Despite Sibiu's location in the centre of the Romania, it is a bit
more difficult get here than to other cities like Brasov and Cluj-Napoca,
mainly due to Sibiu's location outside the main railway line which joins
Bucharest to Hungary and beyond.
However, train remains the easiest, cheapest and most comfortable
way to get here. Remember, though, that from Bucharest, there are just
two trains daily to Sibiu (one in the morning, one in the night). Also,
Sibiu is one of the only cities of Romania not served by the modern
and snazzy InterCity network from Bucharest, even though there are InterCity
trains from Cluj Napoca.
From Bucharest, the train most tourists take is the day train A 1621
which leaves Bucharest North at 09:45 and arrives at Sibiu at 15:31,
nearly six hours later and stopping at most towns along the way.
The train is not particularly comfortable - hopefully, however,
CFR Romanian Railways will soon introduce InterCity trains on this route.
Coming from Cluj Napoca, the main city of Transylvania, is a much
better opportunity to get to Sibiu. In fact, many tourists do just that,
as part of their Transylvanian tour. From Cluj Napoca, there are two
fairly-convenient trains a day, one at 05:41 and one at 14:57, taking
around 3 hours and a half. The trains are smooth-running and very comfortable.
If you're not coming to Sibiu from another Romanian town, plane
is an excellent option, as there are direct connections to Sibiu International
Airport from many European cities, especially those in Germany and Italy.
Both of the national carriers connect Sibiu with their hubs in
Bucharest and Timişoara,
where you can connect with other Romanian cities on there
domestic route networks (see
map)
The mainline carrier TAROM runs
it's new Airbus A318 and
Boeing 737-700 series jets on the 35 to 45
minute daily run over the Carpathian mountains to Sibiu and back.
You have your choice of Business Class or Economy, and the
flight is particularly beautiful on winter days when the snow
glistens on the Făgăraş mountains
(photo on right).
TAROM also run their older ATR42 turboprops on the route (which
take only 5 to 10 minutes longer), so check ahead if you prefer one
over the other. Both have great views, and you can avoid the
inconvenient train schedules between Sibiu and Bucharest too.
Carpatair flies their SAAB2000
Turboprops daily to connectwih the main hub in
Timişoara in the far west of Romania. Carpatair
operates regular flights from 10 Romanian destinations to 9
destinations in Italy Turin, Milan, Verona, Venice, Ancona,
Bologna, Florence, Bari, Rome , 4 destinations in Germany Munich,
Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main and 2 in Greece Athens,
Thessaloniki (from 14 April). All flights operate with a short
stop in Timisoara.
Between the Airport
and the Town Centre,
the Sibiu McDonald's
With so much rich history, and particularly a richer food history,
it seems almost a crime to mention American fast-food alongside the
beautiful local dishes inspired by traditional Romanian and Saxon cuisines.
But, it's a bucket of deep-fried chicken is just what you want to
take with you on your trip up to the mountains, you can stop in the
KFC
outlets of the outlet centre towards the western side of the town. On
the road to Braşov, and there is the KFC next to some of the megastores,
just in case you really need to abandon all of that culture and get
that could be anywhere in the world feeling.
Similarly well-placed to the masses, there's a McDonald's on the
eastern side of town, of course right next to one of the main bus stations.
About equally distant between the centre of town and the Sibiu International
Airport, the McDonald's offers familiar fare, if for some reason you
don't find the delicious shaorma a better fast-food alternative.
All of the phone numbers in Sibiu start
with(269) or (369), depending on whether
the service is through the old state-run operator RomTelecom, or from
one of the newer entrants into the market in Romania.
DiallingintoSibiu, you must remove any leading zero
from the county code portion of the phone number, so that (0269) becomes
(269). Dialling a mobile number, you do the same, dropping
the zero from the (07XX) part of the number, to make it (7XX).
Both landlines and mobiles have 6 digits following the initial county
code.
Being named the European Capital of Culture for 2007 by the European
Union made Sibiu wake up to technology, with a dozen or more new wireless
hotspots going in.
Sibiu has HotSpots both in the centre, and the newer industrial
and shopping complexes in the east and west of town on the main
highways. See our Sibiu Map and look
for the wireless symbols (as to right).
In the Western Industrial Zone (near the Airport):
Metropolitan Wireless Café,
10 Justitiei Street
in Sibiu With a name
like this, you know you're in the right place! +40 (723) 308 888
Amas
Café, 2 Justitiei Street
in Sibiu
With a name like this, you
know you're in the right place! +40 (723) 308 888
The Transylvanian Evanghelical Academy
(Academia Evanghelica Transilvania), 55 Livezii Street
in Western Sibiu
Out near the airport and
Metro +40 (269) 219 914
Hotel Ana, 120 Alba Iulia
Highway in Western Sibiu,
550052 Out near the airport
and Metro, this recently built hotel features all the western conveniences,
including wireless and a good location on the highway into town
+40 (269) 228 856 FAX +40
(269) 28 875
Casa Bianca, 93B Eduard
Albert Bieltz St, in the
Turnişor Quarter, Sibiu 550052
In the Turnişor (Little Rook) neighbourhood across the Cibin River and
rail line in western Sibiu. Located near a nice neighbourhood
market square +40 (744) 599 466
In the City Centre (within 5 blocks of Piaţa Mare):
Pensiunea Happy Day,
2D Long Street (Str. Lunga) Sibiu 550107
a block from the Cibin
River In Just across the Cibin River
from the town centre, this guesthouse (pensiune) is run by the Best
Western people from the roadside Bandit's Fountain complex south of
Sibiu at Bradu (see below) +40 (269) 234 985
Biblioteca ASTRA,
Str. George Baritiu, nr.5-7, Sibiu 550178
alongside the main ASTRA
Park next to Union Square A comfortable
and peaceful atmosphere with good signal and right on the southern end
of the main old town tourist zone. +40 (269) 210 551 or +40 (269) 215 775
DownTown, 24,
9th of May Street (Str. 9 Mai Nr 24)
in the old Centre of
Sibiu 550201 Just
two short blocks north
of Little Square (Piaţa Mica), it's the closest to the main central
attractions +40
(724) 204 196
Supporter Sports Club,
26 Victory Boulevard, Sibiu 550024
down and across from
the Justice Palace A sports club
with all the matches and races on the big screens; a little judicious
negotiation will get you a good spot. +40 (269) 218 065 or +40 (730)
004 468
Underground Café,
52 Grove Road (Calea Dumbravii)
South of the centre
of Sibiu 550324 Not far
from the universities going south along Grove Rd from the centre
+40 (723) 346 918 or +40
(723) 677 181
Asconet, 89
Grove Road (Calea Dumbravii), Sibiu 550024
close to several local
guesthouses An internet caffe with
billiard tables with a relaxed neighbourhood feel.
+40 (369) 591 001
The Fortuna Guesthouse,
22 A.I. Cuza Street, Sibiu 550332
Close in to the Centre
and University Districts A fully
appointed guesthouse complete with wireless, suitable for any American
on the road seeking some authentic local lodging.
+40 (722) 320 099 or Front Desk (8am - 3:30pm)
on +40 (369) 429 613
The Naf Naf Bar, Str.
Marasesti, nr.1 Sibiu 550337 Perhaps
not possible to have a more naff name than this!
Please e-mail us here if you know
about this neighbourhood haunt, thanks. +40
(722) 228 455
Kubata Pub and more,
Str. Marasesti, nr.1 Sibiu 550393 A
promising name, the "and more" needs to be investigated!
Please e-mail us here if you know
about this bar on the southern end of Sibiu, thanks.
+40 (741) 174 795
On the Highway Towards Braşov
We've included here these HotSpot locations which are all well out
of the city centre, in case you'd like to stop on your way to/from
Bālea Lac, or coming
back from Cisnadie or the Olt River Gorges or
Rāmnicu Vālcea.
Sigemo, Just off he
main DN1 Highway, on 26 Sibiului Street, technically in Şelimbăr, 557260
Just out of the city limits is
the main SuperCentre type shopping area with the big box stores, and
Sigemo is a premium auto parts and accessories store.+40 (269) 216 776 or +40
(269) 213 151
Intercar, On the main
DN1 Highway at Kilometre 303+750, in the town of Şelimbăr, 557260
The only Skoda showroom in Sibiu has
wireless and petrol, so smile and look interested in a new car if you
really need to send those e-mails on the road here. Tell Dan that
Rest Romania sent you!+40 (269) 560 606 or +40
(269) 560 688
The Best Western Bandit's
Fountain Hotel (Fāntāniţa Haiducului), on the DN1 Highway between
Sibiu and Braşov at
Bradu, 555201 A fine example of all a
roadside hotel can be, centrally located between Sibiu and beautiful
Fărăgraş mountains
and stunning Bālea Lac. +40 (269) 525 300 or +40 (269)
525 322
Know of a property or some information we missed?
Please Rest Romania is Romania's Biggest Tourism Website for Accommodation, Lodging and great Reviews and Guides!
Let us know about it now Thanks!
The Park Hotel
Recently built modern option in the heart
of Sibiu
Proud of it's status and location, the Imperator
touts it's international flair. The building was
originally designed as a restaurant, and today it's glass
ceiling is famous throughout the region.
There are over 35 hotels in Sibiu, with different classifications.
The most exquisite hotel is the Īmpăratul Romanilor hotel, located in
the centre of the old part of the city.
Continental Hotels Romania owns two important hotels in the city,
one under the Ibis name in the Accor franchise. Two new hotels
opened in 2007, with another in 2008 as well, keeping the room rates
and quality in Sibiu competitive and modern.
A light and inspiring atmosphere has been created by large windows,
which contrast with the dark corners of our brick arcade basement. Our hostel is
located above the History Museum of Pharmaceutics. The museum preserves on oits
ground floor ceiling in Baroque Stuccowork. In this house had been functioning since
1568, one of the chemist's shop from Sibiu, where the creator of the homeopathy
Samuel Hahnemann activated.
This website is a
general tourist guide, designed to help English-speaking tourists
understand Romania, and as such, provides historical
information for the interest of our traveller readers. History
can be a contentious issue, and we welcome input where readers think
clarification or correction is advisable. Please
e-mail us here
if you have questions or comments about anything in this history
section.
The city was founded in 1190 by Saxon colonists settled in the area.
It was probably built near a Roman settlement, one that would have come
to be known during early medieval age as Caedonia,
which might have been deserted at the time of the Saxons' arrival.
In the 14th century, it was already an important trade centre. In
1376 the craftsmen were divided in 19 guilds. Sibiu became the most
important ethnic German city among the seven cities that gave Transylvania
its German language name of Siebenbürgen, and it was home to the
Universitas Saxorum, the Assembly of Germans
in Transylvania. Common opinion in the 17th century ascribed Sibiu the
quality of being the easternmost city to be part of the European sphere;
it was also the eastern terminus of postal routes.
During the 18th and 19th centuries the city also became one of the
most important centres for ethnic Romanians in the region.
The first Romanian-owned bank had its headquarters here (The Albina
Bank), as did the ASTRA (Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature
and Romanian's People Culture).
After the Romanian Orthodox Church was granted status in the Habsburg
Empire from the 1860s onwards, Sibiu became the Metropolitan seat, and
the city preserved its title as the third most important centre for
the Church in modern Romania. Between the 1848 Hungarian
Revolution
and 1867 (the year of the Ausgleich), Sibiu was the meeting-place of
the Transylvanian Diet, which had taken its most representative form
after the Empire agreed to extend voting rights in the region.
After World War I, when Austria-Hungary was dissolved, Sibiu became
part of Romania; the majority of its population was still ethnic German
and Hungarian. After 1990 most of the city's ethnic Germans emigrated
to Germany. Among the roughly 2,000 who have remained is Klaus Johannis,
who is currently mayor of Sibiu.
Milestones in Sibiu's history
1292 - The first hospital in what is now Romania was opened.
1380 - The first attested school in what is now Romania.
1494 - The first pharmacy in what is now Romania.
1534 - The first paper mill in what is now Romania.
1544 - The first book in the Romanian language was printed in Sibiu.
1551 - Conrad Haas' experiment with rockets.
1671 - Methane gas was discovered near Sibiu.
1782 - Franz Joseph Müller discovered tellurium.
1795 - The first lightning rod in South-eastern Europe was installed in Cisnădie.
1797 - Samuel von Hahnemann opened the world's first homeopathic laboratory.
1817 - The Brukenthal Museum, the first museum in what is now Romania, was
opened.
1896 - The first use of electricity in Romania, and the first power line
in South-eastern Europe.
1904 - The second city in Europe to use an electric-powered trolley.
1928 - The first zoo in Romania.
1989 - The second city in to take part in the Romanian Revolution.
™RestRomania.com,
Rest Romania, and Rest Romania SRL are trademarks of Rest Romania
SRL. All objects, including but not limited to images and graphics,
which are marked with the distinctive Rest Romania "diamond R"
are the property of Rest Romania
SRL, and their use
without our explicit consent is a violation of copyright.
Some content on this page is derived
from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopaedia.
It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see
full disclaimer). Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify
sections of this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License,
Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.
Sections which may be used under the GNU License may include sections marked
with the "ol" style class on paragraphs, table cells and tables.
Sections of this page which may NEVER
be used under the GNU license (other licenses and copyrights apply) include
the page header
and page footer
blocks common to Rest Romania websites; images bearing the Rest Romania distinctive
diamond-R as logo or background watermark; all paragraphs, table cells and
tables marked with a "cc" or "rr" style class showing distinctive coloured
right margin dots; Front-Cover Texts and Back-Cover Texts (as set forth in
the GNU license). A copy of the license is included
in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation
License".
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Sibiu
Downtown
to
or
Weekly
to
or
Weekly
to
or
Weekly
Sibiu
Downtown
Sibiu
Central
Communications
See
more
Sibiu Boingo and Free hotspots here, from
jiwire.com
Get your hotel or accommodation seen to the world with a premium accommodation listing with Rest Romania.
RestRomānia.ro