Braşov (Kronstadt, Brassó) - market square

The Council Square (''Piața Sfatului'' in Romanian, former ''Marktplatz'' in German, ''Főtér'' or ''Tanács tér'' in Hungarian) is located in the historic centre of

Brașov Brașov (, , ; german: Kronstadt; hu, Brassó; la, Corona; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the administrative centre of Brașov County. According to the latest Romanian census (2011), Brașov has a popu ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

. It obtained its right to hold markets in 1520, but it has been the place for weekly and annual markets since 1364, being visited by merchants from the country and abroad. It is surrounded by 18th-19th century houses, most of which are historical monuments. A

pillory The pillory is a device made of a wooden or metal framework erected on a post, with holes for securing the head and hands, formerly used for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. The pillory is related to the stocks ...

, in the middle of the square, was used as a means for

public humiliation Public humiliation or public shaming is a form of punishment whose main feature is dishonoring or disgracing a person, usually an offender or a prisoner, especially in a public place. It was regularly used as a form of judicially sanctioned puni ...

, punishment and scorn.

Witch Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...

es were also punished here, but the head of the shoemaker guild, Stefan Stenert, who opposed the entry of the

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n army into

, was also beheaded here in 1688. Until 1892, there were two wells in the square. The most important building in the square is the former Council House (''Casa Sfatului''), which was built in 1420 and is located in the middle of the square. This now houses the

Brașov County Museum of History The Brașov County Museum of History ( ro, Muzeul Județean de Istorie Brașov) is a history museum in Brașov, Romania. The museum, founded in 1950, is housed in the former Council House at the centre of Piața Sfatului, the main historic square ...

. Around the main square is the picturesque pedestrian-only Republicii street, the

Black Church The black church (sometimes termed Black Christianity or African American Christianity) is the faith and body of Christian congregations and denominations in the United States that minister predominantly to African Americans, as well as their ...

, former Council House, indoor and outdoor terraces and restaurants, the Orthodox Church, Casa Mureșenilor museum,

Museum of Urban Civilization The Museum of Urban Civilization (in Romanian language, Romanian: ''Muzeul Civilizației Urbane'') is a museum in Brașov, Romania. The museum is located on the south side of the Piața Sfatului, the main historic square of the city. To the nort ...

, and

Hirscher House Hirscher is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Apollonia Hirscher (died 1547), Transylvanian Saxon merchant * Johann Baptist von Hirscher (1788–1865), German Catholic theologian * Marcel Hirscher Marcel Hirscher (bo ...

. A local tradition holds that the children that the

Pied Piper The Pied Piper of Hamelin (german: der Rattenfänger von Hameln, also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates back to ...

Hamelin Hamelin ( ; german: Hameln ) is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of roughly 57,000. Hamelin is best known for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. H ...

(

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

) sent underground appeared near this Brașov square. In the

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

era, the Council Square was named "Piața 23 August" (23 August Square).

References

External links

* Buildings and structures in Brașov Squares in Romania Tourist attractions in Brașov {{Romania-road-stub

See also

References

External links