Bran Castle – Brasov Tour & Fortresses

The Saxons built the Braşovia fortress, at the bottom of the Tâmpa massif, at the end of the 12th century. An old document named the fortress Corona at the middle of the XIIIth century. Its inhabitants, great householders and craftsmen, have developed the fortress, they fortified it, dug defensive moats and, the further centuries they built high walls, 8 bastions, 32 towers. The Corona fortress became Kronstadt, a prosperous trade town.

A walk through the historic center of Braşov is like a time travel. We shall visit the old defensive walls at the feet of Tâmpa massif, the Weavers’ Bastion, the Graft bastion, the Blacksmiths’ tower the Black and the White Tower, the Ecatherina Gate and the Schei Gate.

Quite impressive is, of course, the Black Church. Bearing a tumultuous history through harsh times, today it is known as the greatest Gothic monument in South-East Transylvania.

But in Braşov there also lived Romanians, Bulgarians, Macedonians and Aromanians… It’s true, they lived outside the fortress, in the area called “Schei”. They contributed at the construction of the fortress and the Black Church, but they were forbidden to live inside the defensive walls. In Schei they built their own church, an Orthodox church and a school…the first Romanian school in Transylvania!

At the beginning of the XIXth century, in Braşov arrived a small group of Jews. Most of them were tradesmen, craftsmen and intellectuals; they built a wonderful synagogue in the town center.

A city rich in history like Braşov has so many legends to reveal; the story of the trumpeter in the watch tower, Apollina Hirscher’s story, the conflicts Vlad Tepeş had with the Saxon tradesmen, the legend of the apprentice from the Black Church… all of them give flavor to our visit in Braşov.

The historic center of Braşov comes into a great contrast with the stores, bookshops, modern terraces, the cosmopolite atmosphere, the modern events and so many foreign tourists. And, Braşov seen from above, up from the Tâmpa Peak, is absolutely delightful!

When it comes to choose sights to visit in these areas, the choice is pretty difficult. Fortified churches, castles, manors, citadels – all of them so different and interesting.

Let us know what you’d like to visit, what your passions and interests are and we can come with some suggestions and try to tailor the perfect tour. Some of the places we could add are:

• The fortified church in Prejmer

It is a UNESCO heritage monument and it has been awarded 3 stars in the Green Michelin Guide Book.

It is said that the church and the citadel that surrounds it have been built by the Teutonic knights somewhere around the 13th century. Being always in the way of the intruders, Sigismund de Luxemburg has ordered its fortification in the 15th century. They built thick walls, bastions, iron gates, mobile bridges and a water ditch. During the time, the church gave birth to many legends, tales about the “death organ” or the stone with an iron ring.

• The fortified church in Hărman
  

The town and the church have been mentioned in documents in 1240. The story of the church in Hărman resembles the one in Prejmer. The Teutonic knights were the ones that put its basis. The church was reinforced in the 15th century and it was transformed into a real citadel with thick walls, towers and bulwarks. It was invincible in front of the attacks of the enemies… just the pests, the fires and floods were stronger

• The fortified church in Viscri

Who hasn’t heard of the fortified church in Viscri? Its German name Weisskirch talks about a “white church”. The tradition has been kept because the walls of the church are still white. The citadel in Viscri is the oldest fortified churches in Transylvania, a UNESCO monument that has been restored by the foundation led by Prince Charles of Wales.

•  The fortress from Râşnov

You will be certainly impressed by the fortress in Râşnov…Built in the 15th century, the fortress resisted so well in front of the enemies. Its 5m tall walls and 8 bastions were unbeatable. Inside the fortress the community was so well organized; there was an inner garden, barns for animals, rooms for people, warehouses and a water well…

• The fortresses from Rupea and Feldioara

Both of them impressive citadels built in order to protect one of the most vulnerable areas in South Transylvania. In the recent years, both of them have been restored and re-opened for tourists. They have interesting exhibitions talking about the local life in these areas and, above all, the view from there, from the top of the hill is simply breathtaking!