Downtown Transylvania

Brasov

Brasov now.  City view with the huge Black Church
and Mt Tampa, black & sultry behind



Brasov then. Great signage of the medieval city
& note the interesting city emblem (top right)



Brasov was settled by Transylvanian Saxons in 1141 who had, by the 13^th c, developed extensive and profitable craft and trade routes rather than scary stories or vampires.  In hindsight, this would have been even more profitable and perhaps helped to keep invaders away. To secure vast fortunes and protect citizens’ livelihoods however, massive city walls, 12m high and 2 m thick, were constructed around the city.  Towers were erected by various craftsman guilds at pre-determined points along this wall.  Craftsman, including weavers & artists, obviously had a secondary career in defence (a challenging thought indeed).  Today, a few remaining elements of this old town exist in complete harmony with a surrounding busy, and rather trendy, modern city. 

There was a little tourist action happening in the town square when we arrived

We tourists were lucky the rain held off until the late afternoon.  This gave us the chance to get into our hotel without getting wet, do the rounds of the old city on a walking tour with Claudia (not wwg – walking with George) and have lunch in the main city square at one of the many open air Saturday market stalls.  We had the local version of hotdogs – wiener rolls, served by a youth who definitely needed to try another industry for work.  After a little rest to let the sausages settle, we did our own walking tour, ending with a quick visit to the Ethnographic Museum.  This small space was packed with a brief overview of traditional textile manufacture methods and stunning embroidered regional costumes.
 

Walking medieval city walls

Catherine's Gate, the only surviving medieval city gate

Aptly named Rope Street - narrowest in Romania

Massive & very Gothic, Black Church

Brasov’s other claim to fame so legend has it (the usual qualifier & not widely discussed), is that THE Pied Piper led captivated Hamlin children here.  Or maybe he didn't.  Fairies, witches, dark woods, wolves…  And you thought it was all mere fable!

Back for a sausage sandwich at the market stalls in the city square