23. Nicolae Bălcescu pedestrian Street

As you exit the Astra park, you will encounter the swarm of people passing to or from the Nicolae Bălcescu pedestrian Street. In the past, the street was called Heltauergasse, an allusion to the road leading to Cisnădie. Travelers coming from there entered the city through the Cisnădie Gate Tower, which was once located nearby.
Go towards the Grand Square! Your eyes will be drawn by the lively windows of the restaurants and shops, but also by the baroque or eclectic ornaments of the colorful facades. Each tells the story of the wealthy families who lived here, or the rented shops. From perfumes, jewelry, watches, furs, hats and furniture, to sausages and cakes, everything was on this street.
As you walked about half the street, the Corinthian capitels of the Bugarsky House will draw your attention to the left. A cat-shaped gyrus tucked on the roof of a two-eyed cottage shows the direction of the wind. On the right side, the intense green and the bay window highlight the Bielz House.
A few steps ahead, an artesian fountain gives life to a small square. Take a minute to look at the surrounding buildings. On the left side, towards Grand Square, you will see a tall building - the former headquarters of the Garrison Regiment. Across the corner, on the same side, notice the Neo-Renaissance forms of probably the most famous hotel in Sibiu, the Emperor of the Romans.
Turn your eyes to the small street on the right that opens from the pedestrian. The building with the beveled corner and the balcony with laced ironworks will surely draw your attention. The Sibians know it as "La Floașiu" after the name of the trader who opened in 1920 the largest Romanian store in Transylvania.

🤔 Did you know?

🔍 During the International Theater Festival, dancers, acrobats and actors animate the pedestrian street with captivating shows.

🔍 The Bielz House was named after Dr. Julius Bielz, a well-known historian, museographer and ethnographer. His wife, Josefine Bielz, founded the Sibiu Women's Association in their home in 1875.

🔍 Until 1970, the tram ran through the middle of the pedestrian street.