
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 (, , ; , also ''Brasau''; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the county seat (i.e. administrative centre) of Brașov County.
According to the 2021 Romanian census, ...
,
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
.
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, used during the medieval and renaissance periods for punishment by public humiliation and often further physical abuse. ...
, 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 is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...
es were also punished here, but the head of the shoemaker guild, Stefan Stenert, who opposed the entry of the
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
n army into
Brașov
Brașov (, , ; , also ''Brasau''; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Kruhnen'') is a city in Transylvania, Romania and the county seat (i.e. administrative centre) of Brașov County.
According to the 2021 Romanian census, ...
, 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.
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 denominations and congregations in the United States that predominantly minister to, and are led by, African Americans, ...
, 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: ''Muzeul Civilizației Urbane'') is a museum in Brașov, Romania.
The museum is located on the south side of Piața Sfatului ('Town Square'), the main historical square of the city. To the north, at ...
, 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 (b ...
.
A local tradition holds that the children that the
Pied Piper
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (, 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 the Middle Ages. The earliest refere ...
of
Hamelin
Hameln ( ; ) is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hameln-Pyrmont and has a population of roughly 57,000. Hamelin is best known for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
History
Hameln ...
(
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
) sent underground appeared near this Brașov square.
In the
communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
era, the Council Square was named "Piața 23 August" (23 August Square).
See also
*
Brașov County Museum of History
References
External links
*
Buildings and structures in Brașov
Squares in Romania
Tourist attractions in Brașov
{{Romania-road-stub