Do you know where is Sibiu? Sibiu is a small town located in Romania, in the Transylvania region, and is the country's cultural and religious center. Besides, Sibiu is considered a transport hub in the center of Romania. In 2007, the town, together with Luxembourg, was chosen as the cultural capital of Europe. The Romanian town is full of unusual architectural buildings, historical monuments, and Instagrammable corners of nature.
Today, the city of Sibiu is just as charming and still considered one of the most beautiful Instagrammable places in the world. There are many different plants, pretty boulevards, charming parks, and gardens. In the spring, the most beautiful chestnuts on the planet bloom in the town, and in the summer, a large number of festivals are organized. So the title of the cultural capital of Romania, Sibiu is well deserved.
The city of Sibiu, in particular, is considered one of the most important spiritual places in the world. The combination of all this has made the city particularly attractive to tourists.
The first Romanian-language book's birthplace is the cultural capital of Romania, Sibiu, which was printed here in 1544. The oldest museum in Romania (Brukenthal National Museum), opened in 1817, is also located in this unique town.
Sibiu is the best powerful and cultural capital of Europe. The city's central part is divided into the Upper City, where the historical places to visit in Sibiu are located, and the Lower City is considered a quarter of artisans and surrounded by huge city walls with towers for defense. It is a fortress settlement that the Germans built. Unique buildings of the Middle Ages include more than a dozen towers. Namely, there are thirty-nine towers for defense and five bastions, four gates, and five artillery batteries.
Sibiu in winter is a time when frosts come, and the most Instagrammable snowfalls, which makes the small town just lovely. Therefore, a visit to Sibiu in winter is also quite a good idea.
If you plan a vacation in the city of Sibiu, you have definitely heard about it. However, even after that, you may still have some doubts, so we, in turn, will give you 12 Instagrammable places of Sibiu that will not leave you indifferent. However, all the listed places are also attractions that you can see when searching for "what to see in Sibiu", "Instagrammable places of Sibiu" and "places to visit in Sibiu".
1. Brukenthal National Museum
If you decide to visit one of the famous Instagrammable places of the town, then head to the central part of it, where the world-famous Brukenthal National Museum is located. It is the first European cultural institution that has survived to this day. The museum was established in 1817. The foundation of the museum's collection is the collection of the Saxon baron Samuel von Brukenthal, who was governor of the Transylvanian region in 1777. The Romanian sovereign attached great importance to painting. The ruler's legacy is of considerable importance in the circles of representatives of painting and connoisseurs of this direction. The Brukenthal National Museum is a repository of more than a million original exhibits. In addition to paintings, it is a place of storage of ancient artifacts found during the excavations of archaeologists, the oldest sculptures, precious creations, ceramics, and various engravings. Besides, there are the oldest manuscripts, which are about three hundred and fifty pieces. Such a rich collection did not fit into a single museum, so today, travelers are opening not just one museum but a whole museum complex, which does not consist of one historic building.
2. Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary
The main holy place of the city is the Cathedral of St. Mary (Sibiu). In the modern era, the Lutheran church, visited only by Saxon descendants, is functioning. The holy place was built in the XIV century. Before that, there was a basilica, which was built in the XIII century. According to official data, the new church's construction was completed in 1520, although it opened a little earlier. At the end of the XIV century, the first organ was placed in the cathedral. The building is built in the style of classical Gothic. The seventy-meter tower is a symbol of Sibiu and a landmark for visitors to Sibiu. The Cathedral of St. Mary (Sibiu) looks great against the background of the magnificent local Sibiu landscapes. Together with the XIII century's staircase street, the impression of a fabulous giant that rose above the town is formed. The interior of the temple is decorated with many frescoes dating back to the XV century. The main treasure of antiquity in the shrine is the font created from a bronze cannon, which in ancient times served as a weapon of struggle among the Turks. Memorial plaques were installed to perpetuate the memory of the outstanding personalities of Sibiu history. The pride of the temple is considered to be two organs located here.
3. Astra open-air museum
Near the town, about three kilometers away, there is an open-air Ethnomuseum called Astra. Here the life and life of the artisans and peasants of the country is demonstrated. The museum consists of 300 buildings, and all of them are located in a delightful place with a charming Instagrammable view of the magnificent Fagarash Mountains.
4. Bridge of Lies
The Bridge of Liars is a pedestrian bridge that connects the two parts of the Small Square and at the same time serves as a passage to Albert Square. The street under the bridge leads to the Lower Town. Previously, this entire structure was part of the second defensive belt of the city. Still, in the middle of the XIX century, there was no one to protect this square from, so the entire structure was dismantled, and in 1859 a fairly beautiful cast-iron bridge with four arches was built. The name of the Sibiu attraction is associated with the Middle Ages. According to legend, visitors to the city were forced to pay a certain tax, which did not exist. According to another variant, the bridge will collapse under the liar.
5. Holy Trinity Cathedral
Other religious sites are the Holy Trinity Church of 1733 and the former Jesuit monastery dating back to 1739. They are built in the Viennese Early Baroque style. Until the XVII century, Transylvania was Protestant, but later, Catholics began to gather in Sibiu, and they needed their church. The modern cathedral, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was consecrated in 1733, and the tower was completed in 1838. The cathedral divides a large and a small square. It is a curious fact that the Catholic church was returned here only after the counter-Reformation and was an alienated component in the town for most Romanian Orthodox Christians and German Protestants. The temple was visited only by representatives of the local Hungarian community, which was not numerous.
6. The Large Square
If you are planning a holiday in the cultural capital of Romania, Sibiu, be sure to make time to visit the local Philharmonic Hall, which was restored twice after the fires and the synagogue. It was designed by architect Ferenc in the neo-Gothic style. The Large Square had existed since 1366 when its center was once again redeveloped due to the construction of the subsequent belt of fortifications. From the south-west, it is accessed by the pedestrian street Nicolae Balcescu, from the north-west, the square is united with two other squares of the center of Sibiu, and it is separated from the Small One by the Catholic Cathedral. In the central part of the square, there is a fountain. The square is a magnificent Baroque ensemble that would not be lost in Austria or the Czech Republic. Especially picturesque is the western part, where the Bruckenthal Palace and the Blue House are located.
7. Eyes of Sibiu
One of the features of the old small houses in Romania is their rather bright color, which creates a fabulous aura when visiting the country. Besides, almost all the roofs of these houses have "eyes". Such "eyes" can be found in other Transylvania cities, but they are often found in Sibiu. Therefore, walking around the town, you may get the impression that someone is constantly watching you. These "eyes" on the roof are just ventilation windows that are used to ventilate the attic. In a word, be sure to pay attention to Sibiu at home with eyes.
8. Sibiu City Hall
The Sibiu City Hall is an eclectic building dating back to 1906. The style has elements of Art Nouveau and Greco-Roman motifs, which are successfully combined with the Catholic cathedral. The bank was located in the building for a very long time, and in 2006 the city hall was moved here.
9. Blue House
Behind the blue Baroque facade, there is a large courtyard inside. The landmark has been known since 1672, but it is named after Baron Lambert, who bought the house in 1734 and rebuilt it in the 1760s. For many years, there was a theater troupe in the building, which staged productions here. In 1810, the magistrate purchased the house, and in 1819, its second floor was completed and the entire building was repainted in blue. Today, the building is dedicated to the Brukenthal Museum, and at the same time, there is a gallery of Romanian art.
10. Albert Huet Square
Albert Huet Square is one of the central squares, famous since 1191. In its central part, there is a Lutheran church, against which other buildings are lost. In any case, do not fall for deception and look at the other structures located here. For example, the Bridge of Liars or the Tower of Stairs. It also houses a library built by Albert Huet, whose name the square bears.
11. Council Tower
The last place in the list of "places to visit in Sibiu" is occupied by the Council Tower, which is quite famous among visitors to the country. Although it was built in the XIII century, it was reconstructed more than once. There was also an additional completion in 1829, as a result of which the tower became one level higher. However, the general original appearance is still preserved. The tower has only seven floors. The last one has an observation deck. The gate located under the tower connects the Large and Small Squares. At various stages of its existence, it was both a prison, a warehouse, and a meeting place.
