Sighisoara
Sighisoara is a perfect example of a small, fortified medieval town in Romania. Sighisoara is situated in the central part of the country, in the middle of Transylvania, in the picturesque valley of the Tarnava River. The historic capital city of Bucharest is about four and a half hours away by car or bus. The town is famous for its beautiful medieval citadel, which in 1999 was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Sighisoara was founded during the 12th century by the so-called Transylvanian Saxons, but this place was populated in antiquity by the Romans. Today western architecture and medieval churches with their steeples make beautiful Sighisoara a popular tourist holiday destination.
Every summer there is a Festival of Medieval Arts, during which the town is sounded by medieval music. During the festival you can see the artists and actors dressed as knights and ladies, and various dancers, jugglers and puppeteers. Most of them recreate various scenes from the Middle Ages.
Sighisoara is an attractive tourist destination in Romania, because here is the house of Vlad Tepes (the impaler), better known as Count Dracula. It is this tyrannical ruler inspired Bram Stoker to write the popular novel "Dracula".
A medieval citadel was built in 1360 to protect the main bridge here. Today it is the clock tower, which is one of nine survivors from a total of 14 such towers. The wooden clock is placed on top of the Citadel in 1604 and the two large dials are crafted into two purple pieces – a soldier and an angel, bearing two candles. These are driven by clockworks.
The different towers in Sighisoara are built over two centuries, between 14 and 16 C. They are named after various craft guilds, such as blacksmiths and shoemakers. The streets have kept their old charm, they are small and paved. With them you can see various craft shops and beautiful houses painted in yellow, ocher, green and pink.
If you decide to visit this lovely town, you will surely have to try the local specialty "michi", which is made from minced pork, grilled and served with mustard and bread.
