Culture of Brasov. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Brasov and its surroundings feature a lot of interesting sights, ancient churches, castles and unique natural objects that do not cease to attract travelers with their beauty and uniqueness. Make a half an hour ride from the city and you will reach the famous Bran Castle, which was built in the 15th century. The architectural complex has preserved in a great condition till our days. Now all tourists are cordially welcome to take a walk in mazes of the medieval castle. You can easily get lost in numerous rooms and corridors of the castle, so all excursions are held under a strict guidance of conductors. There is an ancient well that has survived in the courtyard of the castle. According to an ancient legend, the well has once served as an entrance to the underground labyrinth.

Don’t forget to visit Catherine Gates - the most striking medieval monument of the city. The gates are a part of fortifications that surrounded the old city. The gates were built in 1559; they are decorated with graceful towers with high spiers. The center of the gates is decorated with a magnificent ancient coat of arms of Brasov. Strada Sforii is one more interesting attraction of the city. For a long time the street was considered the narrowest street in Europe. Its width varies from 111 to 135 centimeters and the length of the street is about 80 meters. According to historical data, the street was built in the early 16th century and for a long time it was serving as a corridor for firefighters. Ordinary citizens were forbidden to walk on it. Today Strada Sforii is known as one of the most important sights of Brasov. The street was completely restored in 2003.

Among the religious sites of the city we simply cannot fail to mention St. Nicholas Cathedral, which is located in the quarter of Schei. The first church here was erected in the late 13th century. Later it was completely rebuilt in the late 15th century, and the next large-scale reconstruction took place in the 18th century under the leadership of Russian Empress Elizabeth. The walls of the church are decorated with artful painting, and its inner halls are full of ancient jewelry and religious artifacts. You will also find several ancient frescoes that have preserved in the cathedral. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Black Church is a no less mysterious object of excursions. You will surely hear many interesting legends associated with it. The construction of the church was started in the second half of the 14th century. According to one legend, a boy was buried in the walls of the church. This is the reason for the name of the church. Among numerous sights of the city we should definitely mention a huge number of museums and art galleries, which contain priceless collections of art and historical artifacts.

Piata Sfatului is a great place to conduct a walk around the city. Here you will find some very impressive attractions like Casa Sfatului, Cerkiew Zaśnięcia, and around the square, there are shops and restaurants, and everything fits perfectly into the overall picture. Casa Sfatului was previously a watchtower. It was constructed in the year 1420, in order to protect against the Turks. The building then became a town hall, and this happened approximately in 1503. This building was reconstructed several times: in 1608, 1662, and 1689. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was completely destroyed and replaced by a new building. Today the building has a baroque style. Also here is located Muzeul Județean de Istorie, and on the square, you can see another interesting museum – Casa Mureșenilor.

Strolling along Piata Unirii, next to Biserica Sfântul Nicolae, you can discover the treasure of history – Prima Scoala Romaneasca. This is the building where the first Romanian school was based. It is small, and among the exhibits, you can come across here are a printing press, school desks, chairs, and books – for example, the first printed Russian Bible. All the furnishing here is made in the old style. Another historical building is called Cetățuia de pe Strajă. During its time, it played an important role in the defense of the country. It was built in the early 15th century, was destroyed in 1618, but was completely restored a little later. Later, the building served as a warehouse, barracks, prison, and only in 1981 was it restored and became a historical monument.

There is another fortification structure called Bastionul Postăvarilor. The building was constructed in the middle of the 15th century but was damaged in 1522. It was fortified only in 1962 and was restored in 2005. Going down the city, you can come across the Bastionul Funarilor. The bastion was built in 1416, but experienced several fires, and was restored only in 2006. One more fortification can be seen even further down; we are talking about Bastionul Țesă tililor. Its peculiarity is that it was preserved in its original form – it was spared by fires and military operations.

There are other interesting religious landmarks in the city. For instance, the Catedrala Ortodoxa Adormirea Maicii Domnului is of interest from an architectural point of view. The building is renowned for its delightful facade. However, it is a sort of “hidden treasure”, since it is hidden behind the facades of nearby houses, and the location of the church can sometimes only be determined by the bell ringing. Biserica Sfânta Penticostala Treime is fascinating in that it was built in the Baroque style, and that it is beautified outwardly with charming frescoes. Mănăstirea Franciscană Sfânta treime does not captivate your attention at first sight, but inside you can discover a highly decorated altar and a spacious church. In general, people visit this place for the sake of the feeling they get from it – to be precise, harmony and serenity. There is also a synagogue in the city worth visiting.