The Zoo

Not far from Bâlea Lake starts the Transfăgărășan Road, considered one of the world’s most spectacular mountain roads. The Transfăgărășan stretches 151 km and sinuously climbs to an altitude of 2042 m, going through the highest mountains in Romania. It stays open every year from June 30 to November 1st.

Regardless of the season, the mountain trails from the heart of Făgăraș Mountains open up to marvellous vistas. Located at an altitude of 2034 m, Bâlea Lake sits next to Romania’s highest mountaintops. During winter, one of the very few ice castles in Europe is built here at Bâlea Lake to accommodate you.

In the centre of Cârţa village sits the only surviving Cistercian Abbey in Romania and the easternmost in Europe. The legend has it that around 1202, when they built the spectacular monastery, the Cistercian monks made the very Devil green with envy, and he vainly tried to beat their craftsmanship. These ascetic monks, famous for their diligence, erected here an edifice that proved influential for Transylvanian architecture. Originally Romanesque, the abbey was later rebuilt in an Early Gothic style. The rows of columns and vaults, the Gothic rosettes, the ruins with their nostalgic patina give this place an austere, peculiar and magnificent charm. Photo and Text SOURCE: http://www.sibiu-turism.ro/Ce-vizitam-Cultura-si-patrimoniu-Patrimoniu-religios-Biserici-fortificate-Abatia-cisterciana-de-la-Carta.aspx

From Rășinari to Săliște, Poiana Sibiului and Jina, in the Mărginime villages time moves slower and the air smells like freshly mown grass. The natives live by rules unchanged for many generations, leading their flocks of sheep to pasture and doing the daily household chores. The country has thus kept alive its cultural heritage and its identity. For tourists, Mărginime means a foray into a pastoral landscape long since gone in Western Europe. With its farmers’ homes where you can taste exquisite cheese, with its cattle trails and mountain crests that reach to the skies, in Mărginimea Sibiului you literally find yourself near a low foothill, at heaven’s doorsill. Mărginimea Sibiului concentrates most of Romania’s old traditions and authentic spirit. Photo and Text SOURCE: http://www.sibiu-turism.ro/Destinations-Tourist-regions-Marginimea-Sibiului.aspx

Traseu: Muzeul în aer liber ASTRA (Sibiu) - Rășinari - Muzeul în aer liber ASTRA - Sibiu Din 11 octombrie 2014, iubitorii de mişcare în aer liber şi de plimbare cu bicicleta, beneficiază de o pistă de agrement destinată strict acestui scop. Pista care începe în Dumbrava Sibiului (zona Grădinii zoologice) măsoară în totalitate 10.623 metri, fiind structurată pe 3 tronsoane distincte şi este cotată ca grad de dificultate UŞOR. Tronsonul 1: în lungime de 4860 metri, asfaltat integral, se derulează între Dumbrava şi Tropinii Noi, fiind accesibilă tuturor categoriilor de biciclete. Tronsonul 2: în lungime de 4455 metri, care şerpuieşte efectiv prin Pădurea Dumbrava, este alcătuit dintr-o structură stabilizată, accesibilă mai ales bicicletelor de trekking şi mountain bike. Tronsonul 3: care se desfăşoară între Staţia de tratare a apei şi intrarea în Sibiu (Calea Poplăcii) şi flanchează lateralele DJ 106R, măsoară 1308 metri, asfaltaţi integral, fiind accesibil tuturor categoriilor de biciclete. Fiind vorba de o pistă de agrement, viteza de deplasare recomandată este de 10 - 15 km/oră. De asemenea, în scopul evitării accidentărilor este interzis accesul cu mopede, motociclete sau cu oricare alt tip de vehicule şi atelaje. Lungime: 10,6 km Grad de dificultate: ușor Sezonalitate: Accesibil în toate sezoanele. SURSA text si poze: http://www.sibiu-turism.ro/Ce-facem-Activitati--Trasee-de-bicicleta-Pista-de-biciclete-Sibiu-Rasinari.aspx

In the southeastern part of the city, along the defensive wall of the old city, close to the Thalia Hall (Sala Thalia), visitors can enjoy a walk in the first park of Sibiu – The Citadel Park (Parcul Cetății). Here they will find the best preserved section of the fortifications network of the old medieval fortress, since it was reinforced several times over the years, which made the three towers dating from XV-th century to keep in good condition until today: The Gunsmiths Tower (Turnul Archebuzierilor), The Carpenters Tower (Turnul Dulgherilor) and The Potters Tower (Turnul Olarilor). Known in history as the Promenade of the Crippled (Promenada Invalizilor), the name being awarded in memory of veterans wounded in various wars of the Habsburg Empire, the park was arranged for the first time in 1791 instead ditches and lakes in the southern wall of the fortress. The aesthetic design project was coordinated by colonel Johann von Vecsey, leader of the guard regiment “Baron Spleniy No. 31”. In his honor a commemorative plaque was placed in 1829. The statue of Emperor Francisc 1st was made by sculptor Procopius, from the Academy in Vienna, on a project belonging to Franz Neuhauser the Younger. It is the oldest statue of Sibiu. The statue has been removed by the communist regime and then relocated back, in 2007 when the entire complex was restored. The passage and the stairs next to the theater were built in the same period, as well as the second passage, from The Potters Tower, named “The Bedeus Stairs” (“Scara Bedeus”) in memory of Joseph Bedeus von Scharberg, one of the most important architects in Sibiu’s history, A new breakthrough passage was made between the two World Wars, the one starting from “Barracs 90” (Cazarma 90). The last one, which leads to the yard of Thalia Hall (Sala Thalia) appeared during the restoration of the Gros Tower (Turnul Gros), in 2003. Another tourist attraction in the Citadel Park (Parcul Cetății) is the Walk of Fame (Aleea Celebrităților), inaugurated in 2013 during the XX-th Edition of the FITS Anniversary Gala. It is a landmark for all tourists who want to know the names of people who have made an important contribution to the cultural and artistic life of the city. The Walk of Fame project in Sibiu, inspired by the Hollywood model, was initiated by the National Theatre "Radu Stanca" and the Municipality of Sibiu. The alley wears stars named after the most important cultural personalities of Sibiu: Eugenio Barba – director Sasha Waltz – coreographer Declan Donnellan – director George Banu – playwright Nakamura Kanzaburo XVII – Kabuki actor Silviu Purcărete - director Martin Hochmeister – founder of the first public library and the first theater magazine, Radu Stanca - actor, director, poet, essayist and cultural animator, leader of Sibiu Literary Circle, Peter Brook - director Lev Dodin - leader of Saint Petersburg Maly Drama Theater, Peter Stein - director, Krystian Lupa - director, Gigi Căciuleanu - dancer, coreographer, professor, Klaus Maria Brandauer - actor and film director, Eimuntas Nekrosius - director, Joel Pommerat – playwright and director, Neil LaBute - director, screenwriter and playwright, Kazuyoshi Kushida - playwright, director and actor, Victor rebengiuc - Romanian actor of film, radio, theater, television, Evgeny Mironov - Russian actor, Alvis Hermanis - actor, playwright, artistic director, Luk Perceval - director Christoph Marthaler - director, musician, representative of the avant-garde theater style, Thomas Ostermeier - theater director, Tim Robbins - actor, screenwriter, producer.

The Public Bath – the oldest SPA in Sibiu! Since its opening and its more than one hundred years of activity, the Public Bath was known to the inhabitants of Sibiu under several different names.  However, it has always been associated with health, relaxation and physical well-being.

Alipită Bisericii Romano-Catolice Iezuite „Sf. Maria” (1726-1733) clădirea face parte din complexul eclezial ridicat în 1739 pe locul unor clădiri publice demolate, mai puţin subsolurile în care sunt prezente elementele specifice construcţiilor Sibiului gotic. De asemenea, corpul din dreapta din Piaţa Mare păstrează şi parterul vechii clădiri din sec. XV. Clădirea a fost destinată locuirii preoţilor bisericii şi Colegiului Iezuit. Întregul complex a fost edificat în spiritul contrareformei promovate de Casa Habsburg ca suverani ai Imperiului şi principi ai Transilvaniei într-un oraş profund protestant. Ansamblul arhitectonic – biserica, colegiu - este ilustrativ ca citat cultural specific expresiei iluminismului vienez.

Încă din secolul al XV-lea în această casă a funcţionat monetăria Sibiului, a aparţinut iniţial unor bancheri florentini, apoi patricianului Georg Hecht, primar al Sibiului (1493) proprietatea trecând în stăpânirei familiei Wayda timp de 237 de ani când a fost vândută cu 20.000 de guldeni „Universităţii Săseşti”(1821). Construcţia iniţială este edificată în secolul XIV şi modificată în secolul XV, substanţa murală păstrează elemente ale goticului târziu la toate nivelele, bolţi cu nervuri, profilatură, portaluri gotice. Actualul aspect al faţadei a rezultat printr-o „modernizare” din secolul XIX care a modificat complet faţada proprie stilului Renaşterii al faţadei originare. Casa rămâne reprezentativă prin numeroasele elemente gotice şi de renaştere conţinute în interior.