9. The Council Tower - the passage to the Small Square

The statue of Nicolaus Olahus stands at the crossroads between General Magheru and Avram Iancu street (also known as "Reispergasse"). Avram Iancu is one of the oldest streets of the city, dating from the 14th century. The façades show that the people living there were rich craftsmen and nobles, later merchants and important personalities. The buildings renovated at the beginning of the 20th century are reminiscent of the Art Nouveau style. On this street, we can find one of the oldest houses in the city, the “Böbel House”. The right side of its peculiar façade resembles a set of stairs, characteristic of the Gothic style. The house bears the name of Johan Böbel, one of the owners of the house, a baker and artist of the city. He created the Böbel Album, with images of the city’s fortifications and gate towers. Walking towards the Grand Square, you will notice the façade of the Zodiac House on your right. Its zodiacal, plant, animal and mineral symbols are the imprint of Dr. Johann Müller, a doctor of philosophy and legal sciences. Part of the houses were built on the 3rd fortification wall, the defense towers being embedded in the buildings. You can notice this detail if you open the gate at number 9. Before you reach the Grand Square, you have the opportunity to see one of the most picturesque courtyards of the city. Enter the door below the balcony with the monograms "BB" shaped in its grid. After that, the street will lead you back to the Grand Square. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 To see part of the 3rd fortification belt, you could follow Pasajul Școlii to Movilei street. This picturesque street preserves part of the 3rd fortification wall. 🔍 During the 1848 revolution, a number of personalities, such as Simion Bărnuţiu, George Bariţiu, Nicolae Bălăşescu, Nicolae Bălcescu, Timotei Cipariu and Avram Iancu lived in the houses on Avram Iancu street. 🔍 If you go through the gate at number 6 and enter the room to the right, you will see a fresco from the 16th century. The mural painting depicts biblical scenes and characters.

Let yourself conquered by the city, and embark on a journey to explore its cobbled streets, under the watchful eyes on the rooftops. Head to the Superior Consistory of the Evangelical Church of Augustinian Confession - Filek House - the tall, gray building towards General Magheru Street. Across the road, you will see the “Gheorghe Lazăr” National College. The pedagogue Gheorghe Lazăr, the poet Octavian Goga, the philosopher Emil Cioran, and other important personalities studied here. Turn right on Filarmonicii Street, and then follow the first one to the left, Șelarilor. You will discover the Franciscan Church, built in the 15th century, in Gothic style. Do not hesitate to descend the few steps to enjoy the baroque interior. Walk around the church and notice the fourth fortification wall. On your left, you will discover a very narrow street, a secret path, known only by the locals. The trail will take you back to General Magheru Street, in front of the Ursuline Greek Catholic Church. The Dominican monks built it in the 15th century in Gothic style, and it became a grain warehouse after the Reformation. Two centuries later, the monks of the order of Saint Ursula renovated the building in Baroque style. In front of the church, you will see the statue of Nicolaus Olahus, born in Sibiu on January 10, 1493 - humanist, historiographer, politician and archbishop of Esztergom. Few remember that the tram was running on the General Magheru Street, to reach the railway station. The tram was inaugurated in September 1905, and the section next to the church was the steepest part of the route. Sometimes, passengers had to get off the tram so it could climb the slope. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 The current National College "Gheorghe Lazăr" was a Jesuit high school with teaching in Latin until 1849, German high school until 1868, Hungarian high school until 1919, and Romanian high school to this day. 🔍 There is an inscription on the triumphal arch of the Ursuline church: " Haec aedes pietate Mariae Theresiae reginae avgvstae fvlta ac restavrata est " ("This edifice is restored and maintained by the mercy of the august queen Maria Theresa"). 🔍 In 2011, several scenes of the "Ghost Rider" movie, with Nicolas Cage, were filmed in the Franciscan Church.

If, during the Middle Ages, the inhabitants gathered in the Grand Square to watch a public execution, today the townsfolk and their guests visit the city center to attend international concerts and fairs. It is the space of the people, of the time dedicated to social life, of the key moments in the history of the city. Here, all the EU heads of state walked to the meeting place during the 2019 Summit, here, the 2007 Sibiu European Cultural Capital began and ended. The Grand Square comes to life with the arrival of spring and the Easter Fair in April. It keeps rolling on the rhythms of the Jazz Festival, in May. The last Saturday of May is reserved for the marathon. June turns the Grand Square into the huge stage of the International Theater Festival. A number of international sports competitions, such as the Cycling Tour or the Sibiu Rally, start here. In August, rock lovers meet in the Grand Square at the "Artmania" festival, while the classical music lovers attend the "Classics for pleasure". Those who prefer folk music can enjoy the International Folk Festival "Songs of the Mountains". September begins with the "Pottery Fair" and continues with the joy of "Cibinfest". The torch is handed over to the International Documentary Film Festival, "ASTRA Film" in October. When the wind brings news of winter, the Christmas Fair is set in the heart of the city. Tens of thousands of city dwellers and guests celebrate the passing of the year together. A cycle ends when the Great Square is given back to pedestrians in all its splendor and tranquility, during the February – March period. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 For 10 days, the “Sibiu International Theater Festival” turns the city into a huge playground. Artists from all over the world amaze the tens of thousands of spectators with their performances. 🔍 The “Sibiu Jazz Festival”, organized for the first time in 1977, is considered the longest-lived in the country. 🔍 The “Songs of the Mountains” is a folk music festival organized by the "Cindrelul - Junii Sibiului" ensemble, the first folk dance group in Romania, established in 1944. 🔍 Sibiu’ mayor, Johann Sachs von Harteneck, was beheaded in the Grand Square on December 5, 1703, due to conflicts of interest with the Habsburg Empire.

What makes Sibiu so special? Is it the facades painted in pastel colors, the eyes in the brick-red roofs watching intently, or the stories hidden behind them? The house on the right of the Brukenthal Museum holds the memory of Miss Johanna Balk, who pierced her heart with the needle of her brooch to remain true to her husband. The house on the left, called the “Blue House”, also known as the "Möringer House”, hosted the pharmacy "La Vulturul Negru". In the eighteenth century, the first city theater was opened here. To the left of the pedestrian street Nicolae Bălcescu, you can see the façade with 13 windows of the "General’s House". Its courtyard was modified to link the Archive Street with the Grand Square. Next is the "Hecht House", named after its owners. It hosted the first post office of Sibiu, in the eighteenth century. The Saxon University – which was the administration of the Transylvanian Saxons – also had its headquarters here. The stone frames of the windows, and the lions above them, will draw your eyes to the façade of the "Haller House". Do not hesitate to go through the imposing portal to discover the tower house. A few houses away, you could see the headquarters of the Superior Consistory of the Evangelical Church of Augustinian Confession in Romania. Across the street, the "Lutsch House" was once an inn, bookstore, grocery store, pharmacy, brewery, casino and restaurant. The Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to the "Holy Trinity", was built in the eighteenth-century on the northern side of the square. The services are held in German, Hungarian and Romanian, testifying the city's tradition of ethnic and denominational tolerance. The next building is the Roman-Catholic parish, the former Jesuit monastery. It hosted the first headquarters of the "State Gymnasium", the current "Gheorghe Lazăr" National College. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 In the 19th century, the ground floor of the house at number 9 housed the first photo studio in Sibiu and Transylvania. This is where the first woman photographer in Romania, Kamilla Asbóth (1838 - 1908), worked. 🔍 During the Second World War, the Blue House was the headquarters of the German Gestapo.

Once you leave the Tourist Information Center, you are the heart of the city – the Grand Square, a space morphed by each century according to the historical period. The square was made in the 13th century, after Sibiu gained the right to organize fairs. They were held around a water well called “the stork”. After the city received the right to pronounce capital punishments, public convictions and executions took place here (until the eighteenth century). In the same square, the locals dug grain silos, as a precaution in the event of a siege. Their entrances are highlighted by 5 circles covered with black marble. Nearby, you might notice a pentagon in the pavement, drawn with red stones, marking the place where the statue of Nepomuk once stood (from 1734 to 1948). He was the Catholic saint of the city. A few steps further, a commemorative plaque pays tribute to the heroes of the 1989 revolution. Not far away, other red stones form a circle, a remainder of the first water pomp. From 1984 to 2004, the statue of Gheorghe Lazăr dominated the square. Today, a reinvented version of the statue stands near the Council Tower, looking at the Grand Square. About 100 m to the west, another brick circle marks the location of the column of infamy and Roland's statue, placed there between 1550 and 1783. The knight of justice, with his sword raised to the sky, was a symbol of the authority and legislative autonomy of the city. Imagine the hundreds of generations grinding the stones of the Grand Square, on foot, by carriage, bus, tram or car. Here, they had the opportunity to watch a beheading, or celebrate important moments in the life of the city. Today's square reflects the history and culture of the city, being a space defined by its inhabitants, and all those who embrace it. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 The square has a maximum length of 142 m and a width of 93. 🔍 In the 18th century, there was a "madmen's cage", to imprison those who disturbed the streets at night. 🔍 Today, the statue of Ioan Nepomuk is sheltered in the courtyard of the Roman Catholic parish in the Grand Square. You can see it if you follow the second entrance of the church. 🔍 You can watch online what is happening in the Grand Square, via webcams available in the Sibiu City App.

Of all the buildings in the Grand Square, there is one particularly appealing. Notice the façade with the huge portal and the mansard steep roof. These elements are characteristic of the period in which they were built: the late Austrian Baroque, adopted in Transylvania in the eighteenth century. The imposing estate is the first public museum in Southeastern Europe, and the third in the world. It opened its doors in 1817, 14 years after the death of the baron who built it: Samuel von Brukenthal. Brukenthal is one of the most important personalities in the history of Sibiu and Transylvania. He represented the interests of the Saxon community at the court of Empress Maria Theresa and became her personal advisor. From 1777 to 1787, he was the Governor of Transylvania. His passion for art, literature, cartography, numismatics and science in general led him to collect numerous objects throughout his life. He gathered works of art, books, coins, minerals and other valuable objects in his palace in the Grand Square. He fought for the preservation of the rights of nations in Transylvania, in the face of the new administrative system imposed by Joseph II. Brukenthal was also concerned with the development of agricultural crops and animal husbandry. He cultivated exotic plants in the Orangery of his summer palace in Avrig, and the whole Empire knew about his horse stud farm in Sâmbăta de Jos. To get a closer look at the Baron's universe, take a few hours to visit the museum's collections. You can enjoy its bohemian atmosphere even with a quick stroll in the courtyard and the garden of the palace. You may have a chance to meet Donatello and Antonello, the museum's live mascots. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 In addition to his buildings, Samuel von Brukenthal left 1300 paintings (Flemish and engraving), 13000 books (a large number of them unique and incunabula), 17500 antique coins, a cabinet of curiosities, a cartographic collection and a collection of Roman stones. 🔍 Brukenthal’s beautiful wife, Katharina Sofia, who was the daughter of Mayor Klockner, aided him. 🔍 The portal of the palace is decorated with the coat of arms of the Brukenthal family and of his wife. The stone bridge refers to Brukenthal's original name, Brekner. In the Saxon language, Bräk means bridge.

The Saxons founded the settlement in the 12th century, after arriving in Southern Transylvania at the invitation of King Geza II, to defend the borders of Hungary. In exchange for their military services, the Saxons were rewarded with privileges. The Golden Bull, issued in 1224 by Andrei II, the king of Hungary, was one of them. In 1366, Sibiu was attested as a city, under the name "Hermannstadt". At that time, it numbered about 1900 inhabitants and it had 13 guilds, leading to the development of trade. Also in that century, a library, a school, a hospital and a mint were mentioned. In 1692, due to the city’s economic development, urban evolution and completion of its fortification system, Sibiu became Transylvania’s capital (until 1791). The city kept pace with the urban centers of the time, and the following century saw the opening of the first public museum in Southeastern Europe (1817), the building of the railway (1872) and the introduction of electricity (1897). December 1, 1918, marked the unification of Transylvania with Romania, starting a new stage in Sibiu's life. The ethnic structure of the city changed. Massive emigration of the Saxon population and immigration of Romanian inhabitants from other regions took place. The city adapted to the industrialization era. In December 1989, Sibiu was among the first cities in the country to join the revolution against the communist regime. In 2007, Sibiu became the first city in Romania to acquire the title of European Capital of Culture. Since 2011, Sibiu is the only Romanian destination with 3 *** Michelin stars. ASTRA Museum received the same number of Michelin stars in 2014. May 9, 2019 has remained in Sibiu's history due to the Informal Summit of Heads of State or Government of the European Union, which took place here. In 2019, the whole region became a European Region of Gastronomy. In 2021, the city will be the European Capital of Hiking. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 There is a chronicle of the most important events in Sibiu from 1100 to 1929. The author is the historian, ethnographer and writer Emil Sigerus (1854 - 1947). 🔍 Some key data in the history of the city: 1494 - the first pharmacy, 1525 - the first printing press, 1534 - the first paper mill, 1560 - the first book in Romanian language, 1717, the first brewery. 🔍 The collective rights of the Transylvanian Saxons included, among other things, exemption from taxes, the right to choose the royal judge, and later to elect the mayor. 🔍 The "red city" is one of the "nicknames" of the city, received after a failed Turkish siege. Probably due to the color of the walls, Sibiu is described as "the red city", impossible to conquer. Its fortifications have never been breached.

Hello! Nice to meet you in the audio guide, where we invite you to discover Sibiu. Take a break for a few hours and join our leisurely stroll to explore a small piece of the Historic Center. The city map will guide you on a walk in space and time. Listen to the stories and let yourself conquered! You are in the Tourist Information Center of Sibiu City Hall, a place where we warmly welcome you as a guest and hope to see you again as a friend. After inquiring about current events, maybe you want to admire the on-going exhibition or, on the contrary, you are anxious to start your tour. We invite you to the inner courtyard of the building, where the story of the city on the Cibin river begins. Don't rush to get there! Let your eyes explore the space and become enchanted by the Art Nouveau architectural details. Notice the monumental spiral staircase leading to the first floor, or the ornaments of the stained glass, embedding the city's coat of arms: two crossed swords, three leaves, a crown and 7 towers, painted on a red triangular shield. You will find these elements on the glass case holding the stone in which Herman, the ruler of the Saxon colonists, is said to have stuck his sword, marking the territory as their new home. All the others followed his example, thus giving rise to the community symbol. This happened in the 12th century, when Sibiu was first mentioned in a papal document under the name of "Cibininium". This is how the “Young since 1191” motto of the city was born! 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 Since 2006, Sibiu City Hall has been housed in the youngest building in the Grand Square. 🔍 It was completed in 1906, as the headquarters of the “Credit Funciar” Bank. 🔍The mobile application “Sibiu City App” belongs to Sibiu City Hall. The "Incident Reporting" module allows direct communication with the public authorities.