Sighișoara is a city on the Târnava Mare River in Mureș County, Romania. Located in the historic region of Transylvania, Sighișoara has a population of 28,102 according to the 2011 census. It is a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved walled old town, which is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The city administers seven villages: Angofa, Aurel Vlaicu, Hetiur, Rora, Șoromiclea, Venchi, and Viilor.
Sights
Sighișoara is a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved walled old town, which is also listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The main Citadel’s attractions are certainly the towers.
Towers
According to ancient military architectures writings, the defence towers had to be a fortification system for the mutual defense, and, at the same time, each tower was supposed to be an independent fortress: a break at the base of a tower did not mean entering into the city, capturing a tower did not have to lead to the conquest of the city. Most of these towers were hollow and equipped with elevators and underground galleries.
- Sighișoara Clock Tower (Turnul cu Ceas) – the landmark of the city is a 64 m-high tower built in the 13th century.[5] Today it is a museum of history.
- The Tinsmiths’ Tower (Turnul Cositorarilor)
- The Butchers’ Tower (Turnul Măcelarilor)
- The Bootmakers’ Tower
- The Tailors’ Tower (Turnul Croitorilor)
- The Furriers’ Tower (Turnul Cojocarilor)
- The Ironsmiths’ Tower (Turnul Fierarilor)
- The Ropemakers’ Tower (Turnul Frânghierilor)
- The Tanners’ Tower (Turnul Tăbăcarilor)
- The Face Tower – tower on the route to Târgu Mureș, out of the citadel, but still worth visiting thanks to its story.
Churches
- The church on the hill (Biserica din Deal) – is undoubtedly one of the most valuable architectural monuments of the city and has been one of the most representative buildings of the gothic site of Romania.
- The Monastery Church (Biserica Mânăstirii Dominicane) – is a gothic style architectural monument which is placed in the neighbourhood of the Clock tower and it was built at the beginning of the 13th century. It is the only church without a bell: the reason is basically that the Saxons weren’t great spenders and thought that one bell, the one of the Church on the hill, was enough for the whole city.
- The Saint Joseph Roman Catholic church
- Leprosy Church (Biserica Leproșilor)
- The Orthodox Cathedral of Sighișoara (Catedrala Ortodoxă)
- The old Orthodox church
Civil architecture
Most of the 164 houses in the city having at least 300 years old, are considered historical monuments : the City Square, with its rectangular plan, was once inhabited by noble families of the city, though it has undergone to many transformations over time. The best houses are the ones that have kept their original shape.Strada 1 Decembrie 1918 during the 20th century
- House on the Rock (Casa de pe stâncă)
- House with shingles (Evert) – is dedicated to craftsmen for Educational Interethnic Centre for Youth.
- Venetian House or Green House (Casa Venețiană)
- Vlad Dracul’s House
- Sighișoara City Hall
- Sighișoara hotel complex – built between 1886 and 1889 was the seat of city hall.
- Indoor wooden staircase or the Scholar’s Stairs
- School on the Hill
- The Stag House (Casa cu Cerb)
- The Citadel Square (Piața Cetăți)
- Casa Asociatiei Mestesugaresti (La Perla)
- Joseph B. Teusch Building (Hotel Central Park)
