Sighișoara (; ; ; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Schäsbrich'', ''Šesburχ'', or ''Scheeßprich''; ; or ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

on the Târnava Mare River in

Mureș County Mureș County (, , ) is a county (''județ'') of Romania, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical region of Transylvania, with the administrative centre in Târgu Mureș. The county was established in 1968, after the administrative reor ...

, central

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 ...

. Located in the historic region of

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

, Sighișoara had a population of 23,927 according to the 2021 census. It is a popular tourist destination for its well-preserved

old town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...

, which is listed by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

as a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

since 1999. The town administers seven villages: Angofa, Aurel Vlaicu, Hetiur, Rora, Șoromiclea, Venchi, and Viilor.

History

Starting with the mid 12th century,

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

craftsmen and

merchants A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

known as the

Transylvanian Saxons The Transylvanian Saxons (; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen'' or simply ''Soxen'', singularly ''Sox'' or ''Soax''; Transylvanian Landler dialect, Transylvanian Landler: ''Soxn'' or ''Soxisch''; ; seldom ''sa ...

() were invited to Transylvania by the then

King of Hungary The King of Hungary () was the Monarchy, ruling head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 (or 1001) to 1918. The style of title "Apostolic King of Hungary" (''Magyarország apostoli királya'') was endorsed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 ...

, Géza II, to settle and defend the frontier of his realm and improve the region's economy. The

chronicle A chronicle (, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events ...

r Krauss lists a Saxon settlement in present-day Sighișoara by 1191. A document of 1280 records a town built on the site of a Roman fort as ''Castrum Sex'' or "six-sided camp", referring to the fort's shape of an irregular hexagon.Adrian Room, ''Placenames of the World'', p.347. McFarland, 2006, . Other names recorded include ''Schaäsburg'' (1282), ''Schespurg'' (1298) and ''Segusvar'' (1300).Cristian Tălângă (ed.), ''Transilvania, Maramureș, Bucovina'', p.27. Editura Semne, Bucharest, 2007. By 1337 Sighișoara had become a royal center for the kings, who awarded the settlement urban status in 1367 as the ''Civitas de Segusvar''. The town played an important strategic and commercial role at the edges of

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

for several centuries. Sighișoara became one of the most important urban centres of Transylvania, with artisans from throughout the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

visiting the settlement. The German artisans and craftsmen dominated the urban economy, as well as building the fortifications protecting it. It is estimated that during the 16th and 17th centuries Sighișoara had as many as 15

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular territory. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradespeople belonging to a professional association. They so ...

s and 20

handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

branches. The

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

sculptor Elias Nicolai lived in the town. The

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...

n ''

voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

Vlad Dracul Vlad II (), also known as Vlad Dracul () or Vlad the Dragon (before 1395 – November 1447), was Voivode of Wallachia from 1436 to 1442, and again from 1443 to 1447. He is internationally known as the father of Vlad the Impaler, or Dracula. Bo ...

(father of

Vlad the Impaler Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ) or Vlad Dracula (; ; 1428/31 – 1476/77), was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian hi ...

), who lived in exile in the town, had coins minted in the town (otherwise coinage was the monopoly of the Hungarian kings in the

Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...

) and issued the first document listing the city's Romanian name, ''Sighișoara''. The Romanian name is first attested in 1435, and derives from the Hungarian ''Segesvár'', where ''vár'' is "fort". Old picture of Piata Hermann Oberth

The town was the setting for George I Rákóczi's election as

Prince of Transylvania The Prince of Transylvania (, , , Fallenbüchl 1988, p. 77.) was the head of state of the Principality of Transylvania from the late-16th century until the mid-18th century. John Sigismund Zápolya was the first to adopt the title in 1 ...

and

in 1631. Sighișoara suffered military occupation, fires, and plagues during the 17th and 18th centuries. An important source for the history of 17th-century Transylvania, for the period of 1606–1666, are the records of Georg Kraus, the town's notary. The nearby plain of Albești was the site of the

Battle of Segesvár The Battle of Segesvár (Transylvania, now Sighișoara, Romania), also called the Battle of Albești, Mureș, Fehéregyháza, was a battle in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, fought on 31 July 1849 between the Hungary, Hungarian revolutionary arm ...

, where the

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates for, a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective to describe something producing a major and sudden impact on society. Definition The term—bot ...

Hungarian army led by

Józef Bem Józef Zachariasz Bem (, ; 14 March 1794 – 10 December 1850) was a Polish engineer and general, an Ottoman pasha and a national hero of Poland and Hungary, and a figure intertwined with other European patriotic movements. Like Tadeusz Kościus ...

was defeated by the

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

army led by Lüders on 31 July 1849. A monument was constructed in 1852 to the Russian general Skariatin, who died in the battle. The Hungarian poet

Sándor Petőfi Sándor Petőfi ( []; né Petrovics; ; ; 1 January 1823 – most likely 31 July 1849) was a Hungarian poet and Classical Liberalism, liberal revolutionary. He is considered Hungary's national poet, and was one of the key figures of the Hungari ...

is generally believed to have been killed in the battle, and a monument was constructed in his honor at Albești in 1897. After

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Sighișoara passed with Transylvania from

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

to the

Kingdom of Romania The Kingdom of Romania () was a constitutional monarchy that existed from with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King of Romania, King Carol I of Romania, Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian royal family), until 1947 wit ...

. Central Sighișoara has preserved in an exemplary way the features of a small

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

fortified town. It has been listed by

as a

. Each year, a medieval Festival takes place in the old citadel in July. In Eastern Europe and Southeastern Europe, Sighișoara is one of the few fortified towns that are still inhabited. The town is made up of two parts. The medieval stronghold was built on top of a hill and is known as the Citadel (). The lower town lies in the valley of Târnava Mare river. The houses inside Sighișoara Citadel show the main features of a craftsmen's town. However, there are some houses that belonged to the former patriciate, like the Venetian House and the House with Antlers. Between 2001 and 2003, the construction of a

Dracula ''Dracula'' is an 1897 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. The narrative is Epistolary novel, related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist and opens ...

theme park in the '' Braite'' nature preserve near Sighișoara was considered but ultimately rejected, owing to the strong opposition of local civil society groups and national and international media as well as politically influential persons, as the theme park would have detracted from the medieval style of the city and would have destroyed the nature preserve.

Demographics and name

At the 2011 census, the city had a population of 28,102, of which 75% were

Romanians Romanians (, ; dated Endonym and exonym, exonym ''Vlachs'') are a Romance languages, Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Sharing a Culture of Romania, ...

, 17.6%

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

, 5.3% Roma, and 1.5%

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

(more specifically

). At the 2021 census, Sighișoara had a population of 23,927; of those, 65.69% were Romanians, 12.57% Hungarians, and 2.93% Roma.

Sights

Sighisoara de pe lunca postii by blackasmodeus.jpg, View of Sighișoara from Lunca Poștei

Sighișoara is a popular

tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beau ...

for its well-preserved walled old town, which is also listed by

as a

. The main Citadel's attractions are certainly the towers. The city is also an attraction on the

Via Transilvanica Via Transilvanica 'The Transylvanian Trail' is a hiking trail that crosses the Transylvania, Bukovina and Banat regions of Romania, and is meant to promote their cultural, ethnic, historical and natural diversity. It was built between 2018 and ...

long-distance trail A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, equestrianism or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exc ...

Towers

According to ancient military architectures writings, the defence towers had to be a fortification system for the mutual defense, and, at the same time, each tower was supposed to be an independent

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

: a break at the base of a tower did not mean entering into the city, capturing a tower did not have to lead to the conquest of the city. Most of these towers were hollow and equipped with elevators and underground galleries. * Sighișoara Clock Tower (''Turnul cu Ceas'') – the landmark of the city is a 64 m-high tower built in the 13th century. Today it is a museum of history. * The Tinsmiths' Tower (''Turnul Cositorarilor)'' * The Butchers' Tower (''Turnul Măcelarilor)'' * The Bootmakers' Tower * The Tailors' Tower (''Turnul Croitorilor'') * The Furriers' Tower (''Turnul Cojocarilor'') * The Ironsmiths' Tower (''Turnul Fierarilor'') * The Ropemakers' Tower (''Turnul Frânghierilor'') * The Tanners' Tower (''Turnul Tăbăcarilor'') * The Face Tower – tower on the route to Târgu Mureș, out of the citadel, but still worth visiting thanks to its story.

Churches

* The church on the hill (''Biserica din Deal'') – is undoubtedly one of the most valuable architectural monuments of the city and has been one of the most representative buildings of the gothic site of Romania. * The Monastery Church ('' Biserica Mânăstirii Dominicane'') – is a gothic style architectural monument which is in the neighbourhood of the Clock tower, which was built at the beginning of the 13th century. It is the only church without a bell: the reason is that the Saxons thought that one bell, that of the Church on the hill, was enough for the whole city. *

The Saint Joseph Roman Catholic church ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

* Leprosy Church (''Biserica Leproșilor'') * The Orthodox Cathedral of Sighișoara (Catedrala Ortodoxă) * The old Orthodox church

Civil architecture

Most of the 164 houses in the town having at least 300 years are considered historical monuments, as follows: those in the Town Square (or Citadel Square), with its rectangular plan, was once inhabited by noble families of the town, though it has undergone too many transformations over time. The best houses are the ones that have kept their original shape. * House on the Rock (Casa de pe stâncă) * House with shingles (Evert) – is dedicated to craftsmen for Educational Interethnic Centre for Youth. * Venetian House or Green House (''Casa Venețiană'') * Vlad Dracul's House * Sighișoara City Hall * Sighișoara hotel complex – built between 1886 and 1889 was the seat of city hall. * Indoor wooden staircase or the Scholar's Stairs * School on the Hill * The Stag House (''Casa cu Cerb'') * The Citadel Square (''Piața Cetăți'') * Guilders' Association House (La Perla) * Joseph B. Teusch Building (Hotel Central Park)

Natives

* Johann Michael Ackner, Transylvanian Saxon archaeologist * Doina Cojocaru, handball player * Friedrich Grünanger, architect * Ralph Gunesch, former professional German football player * Adrian Ivanițchi, folk guitarist * Johannes Kelpius, a German intellectual, musician, and mystic who founded a religious community when he immigrated to the American colony of Pennsylvania in the late seventeenth century * Gabriel Mureșan, footballer * Marie Stritt, German feminist and suffragist * Georg Daniel Teutsch, Lutheran bishop *

Vlad III the Impaler Vlad III, commonly known as Vlad the Impaler ( ) or Vlad Dracula (; ; 1428/31 – 1476/77), was List of princes of Wallachia, Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most imp ...

, prince of Wallachia, inspiration for fictional

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead humanoid creatures that often visited loved ones and c ...

Count Dracula Count Dracula () is the title character of Bram Stoker's 1897 gothic horror novel ''Dracula''. He is considered the prototypical and archetypal vampire in subsequent works of fiction. Aspects of the character are believed by some to have been i ...

Radu Voina Radu Voina (born 29 July 1950) is a Romanian former handball player and current head coach. Playing career He competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics, in the 1976 Summer Olympics, and the 1980 Summer Olympics. In 1972, he won the bronze medal wit ...

, former handball player, currently coach

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Sighișoara is twinned with:

Gallery

File:Sighișoara, Romania (Unsplash).jpg, Downtown Sighișoara File:Colegiul National Mircea Eliade - panoramio.jpg, Mircea Eliade National College File:Sighisoara festivala medivala.jpg, Sighișoara medieval festival File:Sighisoara vedere spre cetate de pe podul peste Tarnava.jpg, Downtown Sighișoara by night in winter File:Sighisoara - panoramio.jpg, Downtown Sighișoara by day File:Sighisoara IMG 4711.jpg, The Stag House () in Sighișoara File:Sighisoara, piazza cetatii 01.JPG, The citadel square by night File:Sighisoara, municipio 01.JPG, Sighișoara town hall File:SighisoaraTowerNight.JPG, Tailors' Tower by night File:Sighisoara Liceul J.Haltrich (1).JPG, Joseph Haltrich high school File:Sighisoara._Biserica_din_deal.jpg, Central Sighișoara in the winter File:Sighisoara 1740 reconstituire.PNG, 19th century reenacted drawing of Sighișoara

Notes

The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

''
Images from Sighișoara by Canadian Photographer Carey Nash

(2012) HDR Photos of Sighișoara by Moldavian Photographer Dumitru Brinzan

Tourist informations, photo gallery and webcam from Sighisoara
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sighisoara Cities in Romania Populated places in Mureș County Localities in Transylvania Capitals of former Romanian counties Populated places established in the 12th century Roman auxiliary forts in Romania

History

Demographics and name

Sights

Towers

Churches

Civil architecture

Natives

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Gallery

See also

Notes

External links