There are a lot of places in Romania, connected to the myth and origin of Dracula, but this one stands exactly at its root. The medieval town is historically bound to Vlad Dracul, Vlad the Impaler’s father, who has lived in this town.
Sighisoara attracts many tourists along the year, which come either to discover its historical beauty, or to chase the birthplace of a myth. Sighisoara has a lot to offer for both types of tourists and exerts a kind of fascination over the travelers of all kind. The medieval city is part of the UNESCO word heritage. Prepare yourself for a journey through a well preserved medieval city, a real-life museum, but which is populated by locals still till this day.
How to get there
Sighisoara is situated 55 km from Sibiu and 95 km from Brasov. You can easily reach it by car, maybe on your road rip between Sibiu and Brasov, or by public transport. The train will not cost you much (around 5 EUR) and you can check the routes here.
When to visit
You can visit Sighisoara all year round ! In every season Sighisoara will show you a façade of it, which you have never seen before, transfigured by the passing of the time. Every year in the summer, end of July, Sighisoara hosts the medieval festival. The streets are then roaring with festivities, beautiful dresses, merchants selling souvenirs and live entertainment in the streets. If you have the chance, you should definitely visit the Medieval festival, as the ambiance gives it a very authentic feeling and makes time travel seem real.
A bit of history…
Sighisoara was built in the 12th century by the German Saxons. The walls surrounding he fortress were built in the 14th century, and are between 4-14 meters high. They had in total 14 defense towers, each one belonging to the different guilt operating within the fortress. Out of the initial 14 towers, only 9 of them are still preserved today.
What should you visit in Sighisoara?
There are many things to see here, as the whole town is like an open air museum. Its beauty and uniqueness will for sure win you over as well.
The clock tower
The clock tower has become a symbol of the city and guards the entrance to the old citadel. The tower is 64 meters high and its lower part was built in the 14th century. Even though the ticket lines might be a bit long during the summer time, I absolutely recommend to go up to the top of the tower as it offers an amazing view over the city. Even from the outside the clock tower offers the visitors an interesting sight, as every hour the clock’s figurine, representing the days of the week, rotate. The entry tickets are 15 Lei (3.1 EUR).
The city Square
The city square was once used as a city assembly spot and a market place. Nowadays you can enjoy a nice cop of coffee or a beer in order to make those hot summer days more tolerable. If you walk towards the clock tower, through the small narrow streets, you can see on the right side, “Vlad Darcu’s House”, which is one of the popular tourist attractions among the myth chasers, even though it is a bit ‘too much Dracula’ in my opinion.
The church of Dominican Monastery
The church dates back to the 1298, and belonged to the Dominican monks, until these were banished by the Saxons which converted to Lutheranism. It got its final form after the reconstruction, following the big fire of 1676.
The Covered Staircase
The staircase was built in 1642 and had originally 300 stairs. After a brief reconstruction the number of stairs decreased to 175 (which means you no longer run out of breath so fast…or at least I don’t anymore 😃). The staircase was used by children as a way to get to school. It’s beautiful façade is decorated in renaissance style.
The church on the Hill
After you walk up the staircase, a beautiful panoramic view of the city awaits you. But this is not the only thing! Archaeological research has found under the church and in its immediate vicinity remainders from a church dating back to the 12th-13th century. The church’s current southern façade dates back to the 15th century and depicts 4 status, representing the worships of the Mages.
I hope you will enjoy your trip to Sighisoara and be mesmerized by its uniqueness and beauty! If you want to read more about what you can do in Sibiu or around Sibiu, check out my articles. Let me know in the comments below if you found this article useful and how your trip to Sighisoara was.