Brasov county

BRASOV (Kronstadt)

Landmarks

Capital city of the Brasov county; located in the Bârsa Depression, at the foot of the Tâmpa Mount; 650 m high; the town's fortifications were raised by the Saxons between the 14th-17th centuries in order to defend it against the Turks' and the Tartars' raids; the 17th c. saw the unprecedented development of crafts and trade as favoured by the town's position at the crossroads between western Europe and the Orient; 322,977 inhabitants (1995); at present, the 2nd industrial centre after Bucharest and one of the main university, historic and tourist cities in Romania; at 13 km away, the renowned mountain and holiday resort Poiana Brasov Access by train - Bucharest (166 km), Sighisoara (128 km), Cluj-Napoca (274 km), Arad (418 km), Sibiu (145 km); by road - Bucharest (E60), Sighisoara (E60), Cluj-Napoca (E60), Sibiu (E66), Arad (E66);

Highlights

Medieval fortifications Weavers' Bastion (15th-16th centuries) the largest medieval bastion in Romania and the best preserved among Brasov's 7 bastions; at present, it houses the Museum of the Brasov Citadel and of the Fortifications in the Bârsa Country Religious monuments Black Church (14th-15th centuries) the largest Gothic church in Romania and within the territory between Vienna and Istanbul; it owes its name to its walls blackened by a fire set by the Austrians in 1689; it exhibits the heaviest mobile bell in Romania (6 t), murals in the Italian Renaissance style, a valuable collection of Anatolian carpets from the 17th-18th centuries, an organon dated 1839 with 4000 pipes; on its outside - statue of Johannes Honterus, a salient humanist who reformed the Saxon church in Transylvania in the 16th c.; Orthodox Church "St Nicholas" of Schei (13th-16th centuries) valuable collection of icons from the 16th c.; St Bartholomew Church (13th-15th centuries) the oldest edifice in Brasov; early Gothic style; altarpiece in the classical baroque style (18th c.) Stately buildings Town Hall (15th c.) - at present, Museum of History and Archaeology built in the late Renaissance style combined with Transylvanian baroque elements; its front side displays the town's armorial bearings; 48 m high clock-tower erected in the 16th c.; Hirscher / Merchants' House (16th c.) former residence of mayor Lukes Hirscher; Renaissance style; at present, Cerbul Carpatin restaurant.

Lodging and Meals

Hotels Aro Business 4*; Capitol 3*, Coroana 2*, Tampa 2* Traditional cuisine restaurants Cerbul Carpatin, Cetatea Other options for meals many restaurants, cafés and bars in Piata Sfatului; also Intim, Olimpia, Roata Norocului, Taverna etc. Agrotourism pensions in the villages of Bran, Fundata, Moeciu, Poiana Marului, Sirnea, Zarnesti etc.