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

After you take a snapshot of the pastel facades with your camera or with your eyes, we invite you to sneak through the gangway near Thalia Hall. You will reach Tipografilor Street, formerly called Wiesengasse, at a time when the Pottery Fair was organized here. From here, you will enter the Schiller Square, to your right. Underneath the bay window in the corner, you will see Schiller's bronze bust. Gustav Nüssbacher, one of the expert butchers in the manufacture of the Sibiu Salami at the beginning of the 20th century, donated it to the city. The statue was initially unveiled in the ASTRA Park, on the 150th anniversary of the birth of the most famous German romantic poet. Enjoy a moment of peace on the benches around the artesian fountain. In front of you is a facade with richly ornate metal grilles, authentic from the Baroque era of the city. The house belonged to Martin Hochmeister, the city mayor, who was visited by the emperor Joseph II himself. In this same house lived Hochmeister's great-grandson, Emil Sigerus, to whom we owe the Chronicle of Sibiu. Crossing Timotei Popovici Street, you can see the building of the State Archives on your right side. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it retains elements of the eclectic style. The construction was designed for the same purpose it fulfills today. Large windows allow sunlight to enter the depot, separated from the administrative building by a long corridor, to protect the documents in case of fire. It is the first building raised for the safekeeping and conservation of the archival heritage in Romania. It stores documents from 1292 to 1984. You will recognize the coat of arms of Transylvania, Sibiu and Saxon University on its facade. Archivelor Street will lead you back to the Grand Square. Before passing through the General's gangway, look for the city's coat of arms in the decorative elements of the Bedeus House. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 Archivelor Street was called Generalkommandogasse until 1872, Ambruster until 1946 and Franklin Delano Roosevelt until 1970. 🔍 For 200 years, a mill, known as Rossmühle, functioned in the Schiller Square. 🔍 The house that shelters Schiller's bust belonged to Gustav Dietrich. After his death, he left the building to the foundation with the same name, which opened here the "Christian guesthouse."

From the courtyard near Thalia Hall, a few dinosaurs will draw your attention. Some up to 8 meters tall, they are part of the educational and recreational exhibition of the Natural History Museum. On the facade of the building, you can see a Roman numeral MDCCCIXIV. Do you remember how to decipher it? (1894) 1849 is the year when a group of Saxon intellectuals, passionate about nature, set up the Transylvanian Society of Natural Sciences. In order to shelter and exhibit the growing collections of minerals, plants and stuffed or preserved animals, in 1894 they started the construction of a building dedicated to this purpose, with money donated by the members of the association. Elements of the classicist style can be recognized on the exterior. The museum, organized on three levels, presents the evolution of the living world, from the simplest living things to birds. The interior of the building and especially the exhibitions are worth a visit. You have the opportunity to see very rare specimens, such as a polar owl from the Arctic, or mammoth fossils. The exotic butterfly species will surely impress you, the collection of Lepidoptera being the most spectacular. As in this case, mountain hiking enthusiasts established the Transylvanian Carpathian Association, also known as the Transylvanian Carpathian Tourists Society, in 1880. The members of the association started marking the mountain trails and building chalets. During the same period, in 1879, the Society for the Beautification of the City of Sibiu was founded, whose members built, among other things, the city parks. All these initiatives demonstrate the continuation of the cult of community in the Saxon culture. What society would you start for your community? 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 The Transylvanian Carpathian Association was founded at the initiative of Dr. Karl Wolff, with the name “Siebenbürgische Karpatenverein” (S.K.V.). 480 men and 18 women joined. 🔍 Hypsilophodon, Tyranosaurus Rex, Tryceratops, Diplodocus and Velociraptor are the names of the dinosaur species in the museum yard. There is also a Pterosaurus. The tallest dinosaur is 8 meters high. 🔍 The Society for the Beautification of the City of Sibiu has also arranged the promenade and the park on Cetăţii street.

We said that Sibiu kept up with the military technology of the time. This was also true in the 16th century, when the cannons appeared. For their use, the existing bastions, designed for small arms, were inadequate. Thus began the construction of a thick bastion, suitable for all types of artillery.  Keep walking towards the end of the Citadel Park, and you will find a gate to the right, facing the Carpenters Tower. On leaving the safety of the fortifications, you will feel the hustle and bustle of the city outside the wall, the new "enemy" from which we can pretend to be protected in the 21st century by the defense walls.  Watch for a moment the white wall of the Thick Tower. The prominent, asymmetrical windows are the former firing holes. The strategy was to repel those who were trying to breach the defensive walls. Soon, the Sibians adopted the fashion of "orecchione" type bastions from the Italians.  The yellow triangle marks the line of the former earth rampart.  Perhaps you want to go around the Thick Tower through the courtyard of the Philharmonic and the Stairs Tower, or maybe you will return to Cetății Street. The main entrance of the former thick tower reveals the contemporary identity of the building, the headquarters of the State Philharmonic of Sibiu, Thalia Hall. The inscription 1788 - 2004 indicates the years when the building morphed. In 1788, the defense bastion became the first theater in Transylvania, and in 2004, the building resumed its cultural function, highlighting elements of the defense system in its architecture. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 The typographer, and later city mayor, Martin Hochmeister, was the one who initiated the transformation of the defense tower into a theater. The construction lasted one year. In 1788, the first play was performed in the venue. 🔍 Thalia is the name of the muse of comedy and idyllic poetry. In ancient Greek, Thalia means "the joyful, the blooming". 🔍 Among the special events hosted by the Thalia Hall are the Sibiu Opera Festival, the Romanian-American Musical Days and the International Festival-competition of Piano Interpretation and Composition "Carl Fieltsch". 

If you are not tired of choosing souvenirs at the beginning of Papiu Ilarian street, we invite you to keep exploring the city. The closer you look, the more interesting details you will discover. Roofs with skylights, facades with embossed motifs and decorated gates – just check the solar motif on the green gate after crossing the Tipografilor Street. Radu Stanca, the spiritual patron of the National Theater in Sibiu, lived, in the big building on the corner. You will find his name on one of the stars of the Hall of Celebrities in the Citadel Park. Take a few more steps to reach Cetăţii Street, named "The most beautiful street of Sibiu". Its spectacularity comes from to the luster of history imprinted by the towers and defense walls. It remains the best preserved portion of the 14th century fortification rings. The defense walls looked like the restored section near you. The bastions were named after the guilds that built and managed them, so you can see those of the Arquebusiers, Potters and Carpenters. In the sixteenth century, Sibiu had one of the best equipped and efficient defense systems. The walls surrounded about 80 ha, and 39 bastions reinforced them. The key elements remained, of course, the inhabitants assisted by the most modern military technology of the time. This explains why Sibiu was never conquered, even during the harshest Ottoman invasions, being nicknamed "the red city". This was also due to the tribute paid to the Ottoman Empire. Walking between the two walls makes it hard to believe that you are in a former watercourse, used for a more effective defense, doesn’t it? 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 Although they serve the same purpose, each bastion is different from the other in shape and decorative elements. They probably demonstrate the pride and the desire for artistic expression of the guilds. 🔍 Since 2013, on each new edition of the Sibiu Theater Festival, several important personalities from the international world of performing arts receive a star on the Hall of Celebrities.

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.

After so many streets and buildings, we invite you for a walk in the ASTRA park. In the 19th century the fortification walls and defense towers were demolished or incorporated into the new infrastructure. In 1879, the Society for the beautification of the city was founded, the purpose of which is suggested by its name. One of the main concerns was the building of green spaces in the city, the ASTRA park being the first significant achievement. At the beginning of the 20th century, the park got its current appearance, and due to the activity of the ASTRA Association, several busts of personalities of the Romanian culture were unveiled. Since 2007, an artesian fountain has been set up in the middle of the park, animating the place during summer. Thanks to the marble chess tables, the enthusiasts of the “sport of the mind” are happy to spend their free time here. If you feel ready, challenge them to a game!  You may notice the two Atlas statues at the entrance of the Palace of the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and the Culture of the Romanian People - ASTRA. Built between 1903 and 1905, it served as the headquarters of the association, and was designed to house an historical and ethnographic museum, the archive and the library of the association. The museum was inaugurated on August 6, 1905.  With its lush Victorian-style decorations, the second-floor room is among the most beautiful entertainment venues in the city. The first Romanian theater performance in Transylvania took place on its stage. Nowadays, the hall hosts special events, book launches, jazz and classical music concerts. The palace houses the headquarters of the ASTRA County Library.  On the left, the ornate façade of the Pediatric Hospital draws anyone’s attention. The building was originally a sanatorium and guesthouse for those who frequented the public baths. Under the name "Baia Populară", the public baths still welcomes its guests today in the fascinating décor of its high ceiling, arched balconies and elements specific to the Baroque and Jugendstil styles.  🤔 Did you know? 🔍 Since 2010, the objectives of the Society for the beautification of Sibiu have been taken over by the Association for the beautification of the city of Sibiu (AIOS). 🔍 The cost of building the ASTRA Palace was 158,426 crowns. The amount was collected from member fees, donors and a lottery organized for this purpose. 🔍 Dr. Cornel Diaconovici, secretary of the association and author of the first Romanian Encyclopedia, played an important role in the fundraising. 🔍 The first play performed at the opening of the hall was “Blanduzia’s Fountain” by Vasile Alecsandri. 

The lesson about Sibiu’s religious tolerance continues. Going further on Mitropoliei Street, in front of the park, you will discover the tower of "Saint John" Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession. The Sibians call it Johanniskirche. Like most churches in the city, it is a space of worship and culture, where not only religious liturgies take place, but also cultural events. Built in the 19th century for the parishioners of the nearby Josefin neighborhood, it has two beautiful altar sculptures, representing Ioan the Baptist and Ioan the Evangelist. A gangway above the gate connects the church with the former evangelical orphanage. Currently, it houses the Friedrich Teutsch Center for Culture and Dialogue, named after the Saxon bishop and historian. If you find the metal gate open, dare to step in! You will enter the rectangular courtyard, enclosed by a portion of the fortification wall on the South-West side. This small city oasis is animated by the customers of the café-bookstore and by the visitors of the Museum of the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Transylvania, hosted on the first floor. If you have time, and if you are curious about the history of the Saxon communities in Transylvania, visit the exhibition. You will see a copy of the first document attesting Sibiu in 1191, church objects, Saxon folk garments from different areas - a true collection of the Saxon treasure. A chronological tour will help you better understand how the Saxons arrived in Transylvania and why the majority were forced to leave this region after World War II. Part of the museum's activities are also temporary exhibitions and historical lectures. The building houses the Central Archive of the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Romania and its library. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 One of the museum’s main attractions is a collection of masterpieces made by the most famous goldsmiths in Transylvania. 🔍 The exhibition illustrates the evolution of German-language education in Transylvania, of which the Evangelical Church C.A. cared for centuries. 🔍 Among the most spectacular collections is the set of dolls dressed in celebratory Saxon folk clothes. They differ depending on the geographical area, status and age of the wearer.

A symbol of Sibiu Orthodoxy, the Neo-Byzantine exuberance of the Metropolitan Cathedral eclipses any building around it. Inspired by the architecture of the "St. Sofia" Basilica in Constantinople, the church was consecrated on April 30, 1906, being dedicated to the "Holy Trinity". The great Metropolitan Andrei Șaguna himself initiated the construction of the church, gaining the approval and support of the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in the middle of the 19th century. The Metropolitan has advocated for the rights of the Transylvanian Orthodox population. The exterior of the cathedral impresses with its rounded shapes and its dimensions. The dome measures 15 meters in diameter, and the two bell towers measure 45 m in height. Visit the interior! The high vault, the light seeping through the dome windows and the pleasant fragrance of incense will overwhelm you. The iconostasis was made of gilded linden wood. Octavian Smigelschi, an artist from Sibiu County, painted the interior. The painting on the pendant depicts the four evangelists and Jesus the Pantocrator among the angels. Regardless of faith, take advantage of a moment of spiritual tranquility. Maybe you want to follow the example of the Sibians, who light candles in the churchyard, in the memory of their loved ones. Across the street to the main entrance, you will notice the most representative Neo-Brâncovenesc building in Sibiu, the Faculty of Orthodox Theology "Saint Ierarh Andrei Șaguna". After the next house, you can see the building of the Orthodox Metropolitanate, the Archdiocese of Transylvania since 1864. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 The model of the cathedral, made of gilded metal, is placed on the altar table. 🔍 The big bell of the western tower weighs 1345 kg and bears the inscription "Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world". 🔍 Saint Ierarh Andrei Șaguna lived his last years in Rășinari, near Sibiu. At his request, after death, he was buried without pomp in his crypt in the local cemetery.

Continue your walk on Mitropoliei Street, known in the past as the "Butchers’ Alley". Following the Great European Ecumenical Assembly held in Sibiu in 2007, it was symbolically named "The Sibian Ecumenical Street ". On a closer look, you will understand that it deserves this title, due to the churches of different denominations built here. You will pass the Reformed-Calvin Church, whose multicolored tower rises to the sky since the 18th century. After walking about half the street length, you will notice the imposing Orthodox Metropolitan "Holy Trinity" Cathedral. Beyond it, you can see the stylish tower of "St. John" Evangelical Church. Until you reach it, follow the details of the facades, such as the coat of arms of the Tailors' Guild from 1574, visible on the building across the corner from the History Museum. Have you figured the object represented in the coat of arms? Just after the Reformed-Calvin Church, a gangway opens under the house of the Reformed parish, connecting Mitropoliei Street with Nicolae Bălcescu pedestrian Street. Nearby, two Cariatides support the balcony of the "Little Palace". The most famous goldsmith of Sibiu, Sebastian Hann, lived in a house on the site of the present building. Countess Rahel, the widow of Lieutenant Collonel Count Gregorius Bethlen, modified the "Little Palace" in the eighteenth century. A few steps ahead, on the right side of the road, you will see the Central Post Office. Look for the decorative elements of the facade! The solar clock still shows the exact time. An interesting detail is the embossed representation of a person who receives a letter from a pigeon, while using the phone. On the same side, the green building houses the headquarters of the Sibiu branch of the National Bank of Romania, the former headquarters of the Albina bank. 🤔 Did you know? 🔍 In September 2007, a special event took place in Sibiu: The Third Great European Ecumenical Assembly, attended by over 2500 prelates from European churches and episcopal confessions. 🔍 Sebastian Hann (1644 - 1713) is considered the most famous goldsmith of the Romanian area. You can admire some of his cups in the Museum of the Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession in Transylvania, hosted in the Teutsch House. 🔍 In the Reformed-Calvinist church, the liturgies are held in Hungarian, the Reformed being mainly ethnics of the Hungarian community in Sibiu. Since 2007, the church has an art gallery with temporary exhibitions.