Bridge of Lies

Built on the location of a gate tower of the second fortification precincts, the Bridge of Lies that joins the two sectors of the Small Square, thus enabling the connection between the Lower Town and the Upper Town, is, undoubtedly, the place in Sibiu with the richest legend. 

Featuring a true symbol of the city, the Bridge of Lies was rebuilt in 1859, at the factory of Fredericus Hutte, being the first one in Romania and the second one in Europe to be made of cast iron, with fretwork decorations and having two big circles at the ends decorated with the blazon of Sibiu.

Until the construction of this bridge, the access between the two sectors of the square used to be done beneath a conglomerate of buildings, demolished in 1851. The wall supporting the stairs includes a square shaped stone framework, vestige of a medieval building. The Bridge of Lies is considered a romantic place where lovers used to meet, even though at least four legends surround this location...

The most known legend has it that the bridge has ears and an unimaginably great power, therefore, while hearing each lie, it starts groaning at every joint and crashes, bringing the liar with his/her feet on the ground.

According to another legend, in the Small Square of Sibiu there used to be several fairs, and, after arriving home, some shoppers would realize they were cheated. They would return to the square and would get to grips with the lying merchants and, in the crowd’s explosion of laughter, would throw them off the bridge. Thus, while lodging again in Sibiu the merchants were afraid to cheat the locals a second time.

A legend has it that couples of lovers used to walk on the bridge. The young couples would make vows of eternal love and the girls claimed to be virgins. However, after the wedding night, some of the girls would be caught lying. They were dragged to the bridge and thrown off over hand rail.

In Sibiu there used to live many cadets who studied at the Military Academy. They would make a date with the local young ladies on the bridge, they were making many promises and afterwards the girls were left waiting uselessly for the men who would forget about them and their love vows.