Medieval means astonishingNever-ending surprisesWalking into the past

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content CULTURE

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Time for relaxationSmall houses famous history

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LEISURE SPORT

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“Casa Sfatului” or Rathaus as it was formerly called was built in 1420 and was to become the City Hall. In 1950 it was turned into the History Museum. The permanent exhibition displays over 3000 exhibits which illustrate the history, the culture and the civilization of Brasov.

The Black Church was erected between the 14th and 15th centuries and is the greatest gothic-style building in Romania. Periodically you can enjoy organ concerts, the most famous takes place at Christmas time.

The Weavers’ Bastion was built in the 15th century by the weavers’ guild. The building still has its original form, its architecture being unique in the south-east of Europe. Inside it there is the “Museum of the Barsa Land” which exhibits a replica of the old Fortress of Brasov and objects belonging to the weavers’ guild.

The Muresenilor house is a museum where you can find the lodging and the archives of the Muresanu family; they owned the newspaper “Gazeta Transilvaniei” for more than half a century. It is a valuable family archives, with more than 25000 documents, pieces of furniture, paintings and sculptures.

Brasov is a medieval city that amazes you at a glance. I didn’t expect this because I’ve been working as an architect for 12 years and in the meantime I’ve developed a critical eye. Even my husband, who is more interested in people than in places, was astonished by what Brasov still preserves from the past; imagine that: instead of joining me to see the Dome in Milan on a business trip, he preferred to make an ethnographic research in Sicily.

After checking in at the hotel we went straight to the old centre of the city, since we like to be where the action goes. The Town Square, in the middle of which lies the History Museum (formerly the City Hall) witnessed most of the events of the old burg. How many things must have happened here and how many would I have liked to witness? I ask myself this question whenever I reach a new place. Centuries ago, in 1390, a master mason looked up and down the scaffolding around the Black Church, while standing on the same stone slabs on which I’m walking now. I can’t help being nostalgic about a remote past. I felt carefree among the pigeons that flew over the square, among smiling faces and buildings that reflected the past.

I enjoy seeing the perfect combination between the three styles to be found in the old parts of the town: Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau. For me, an architect who works in a secluded place at the 23rd floor and who designs partially mobile glass and steel buildings, it was as if I had escaped from the Zoo. Besides, it is details which please the professional eye. In Schei, an old district situated beyond the walls of the city, I was thoroughly studying the traditional gates, still well-preserved. On those gates I saw the snake- like hammers, made by the old locksmiths and I could hardly refrain from trying their sounds.

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5The circular White Tower and the square Black Tower were formerly key points of the defence of the ancient burgh. Nowadays the two towers are linked by a walk and display an almost complete panorama of the historic centre.

The Fortress of BrasovInitially built in 1494, the “Cetatuia” was used as a prison for quite a long time; afterwards it became a temporary shelter for the people sick with plague, a refuge place for the inhabitants of Brasov. Nowadays it is a restaurant.

never-endingSURPRISES

The first school in Romania: This building is the place where there were held the first lessons in Romanian. In the classrooms of the old school you can find proofs of the work of Deacon Coresi, the most important 16th century Romanian scholar and printer.

The “Schei Gate” is a Brandenburg style building, erected in order to facilitate the access of the inhabitants of Schei into the burg. The Latin inscription, visible even today, indicates the moment the gate was built, following the visit of Emperor Francis I in Brasov.

Catherine’s Gate was built on the place of an ancient 14th century gate, in order to facilitate the access of the inhabitants of Schei in Brasov. The dome of the tower displays Renaissance paintings and its architecture is unique in the world. It is considered an exquisite artistic jewel.

St Nicholas Church: This 14th century church has a rich library and archives consisting of old official papers and books, thousands of documents letters and records that make up a real thesaurus for the history of the inhabitants of Brasov and others.

The old center hides so many surprises that you need several days to discover them all. Since Nigel works through holidays too, and he didn’t want to return without having written a study on the Eastern European medieval culture for his students, we reached the “First Romanian School”. Of course, Nigel went on talking with the museum keeper, so I continued to explore by myself. In the same court-yard, the “St. Nicholas” Church has been standing erect ever since the 15th century, displaying both a Gothic and a Baroque style, whose photos I took all back to England on my SD card in the camera. I did the same with the other beauties of the city because you simply must take them with you in one way or another. I also fulfilled my professional goal, by taking photos of the old houses on Balcescu and Postavaru streets, as I wanted to suggest something similar to one of my clients.

After the history lesson from the “First Romanian School” we decided to have a taste of the traditional food, hoping it would resemble the features of the town: simplicity, elegance and efficiency. However, I stopped my starving husband at Catherine’s Gate. I didn’t want to put off the pleasure of seeing the dome painted in the most genuine Renaissance style and a tower with an unique architecture. Lunch could wait as architects are known to have strong stomach. That’s what I was thinking of before tasting the “goodies” of Brasov: the chicken soup, the Saxons soup, the smoked pork bone, the noodle pudding with cheese and raisins or baked flat loaf and cheese, accompanied by “tuica” (fire-water); all of them rounded off the sweet taste I have already had on our arrival in Brasov.

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7The Museum of Etnography displays a relatively small but delightful collection of popular costumes, fabrics, weaving looms and objects connected to the rural activities which were carried in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century.

walkingintoTHEPASTI knew that the “White Church” in Viscri was on the list of the UNESCO monuments ever since I took part in the restore works of the Schoenbrunn Castle in Austria. I really wanted to see not only the monument but also the Saxon community living in the village who had kept most of its traditions. I rented a car and set off. Nigel stayed in Brasov since he met an old friend who settled down there and opened a pub. Well, you know what happens when two British friends have a chat at a table full of gin and beer.

Here I came across a fortified peasants’ fortress still very well preserved; within its walls you can see one of the few 13th century hall-like Romanic churches. However, I did more than just visit the old houses and the church, I bought some handicraft souvenirs made by the locals for whom these meant, in fact, earning their living; I also enjoyed the genuine Saxon hospitality and traditional food.

I very much regret that I couldn’t go to Prejmer, where there is another UNESCO monument.

Unfortunately our holiday was too short to be able to see all we wanted. But Nigel, overwhelmed by an excess of spirituality wanted to visit the Brancoveanu Monastry in Sambata de Sus. Even though we rushed through the complex I succeeded in throwing a glance and understanding a little bit of what the elaborate “Brancoveanu” style means.

Brasov isn’t a city of speed, it doesn’t have alert rhythms which should make tourists rush through it and live the frenzy of a new place. You need time to visit Brasov. I think that more than simply visiting it, you have to explore it, you have to go through its documents, to admire the steeples of its churches, to make friends with its inhabitants. Only in this way will your experience be complete.

Jane & Nigel

The fortified White Church from Viscri has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage monument, for its style and age, and it has been watching the village since the XIIIth century. The saxon community from Viscri and its traditional way of living are making this area a charming touristic experience.

The Bran castle is a medieval fortification converted after The First World War into a modern residence by Queen Mary Of Romania. During the Middle Ages, the citadel had control on the Bran Pass, representing the main transylvanian south gate.

The Prejmer fortified church:The citadel surrounding the church has been restored between 1960-1970, and since then it has been included in the UNESCO world heritage. The church has the oldest altar in Transylvania.

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You can find various places of accommodation in Brasov county, most of them open all around the year; from villas and pensions to rural farms, inns, school camps and camping places.

The places in Brasov county are suitable both for leisure tourism and eco tourism, sports tourism or cultural tourism. Due to their geographical locations, the resorts Predeal, Poiana Brasov, Paraul Rece can offer accommodation and facilities meant to please even the most demanding tourists who come here for ski or relaxation.

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RELAXATION

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You can find various places of accommodation in Brasov county, most of them open all around the year; from villas and pensions to rural farms, inns, school camps and camping places.

The places in Brasov county are suitable both for leisure tourism and eco tourism, sports tourism or cultural tourism. Due to their geographical locations, the resorts Predeal, Poiana Brasov, Paraul Rece can offer accommodation and facilities meant to please even the most demanding tourists who come here for ski or relaxation.

In Brasov a double-decker for sightseeing tours takes you to the historic centre of the city, continuing towards Belvedere, Poiana Brasov, the Rasnov Fortress, the Bran Castle and the Prejmer Fortress. You can admire The Black Church, The Schei Gate, The Town Square and on the road to Poiana Brasov, you can stop to have a splendid panorama of the city.

The “Golden Stag” is a music festival that is held in the “Town Square” of Brasov, in August. It was first organized in 1968 and over the years it has welcomed on stage both local young singers and famous international stars.

We have chosen Romania because my husband Antonio and I wanted to find a quiet place where we could rest after a hard year. The first stop was Predeal, a mountain resort, 142 km away from Bucharest. We found a nice, very cozy, rustic chalet. Our son Luca was fascinated by a bear fur hanged over the entrance wall, so he had gazed upon it for a long time. As we were in a peaceful area, we could relax and enjoy the fresh air and the sights of the place.

We took several hikes and as we were no longer in our 20s, like Luca, we chose easier routes. Of course, there were several other reasons for us to laze actively. In other words, most of the times we enjoyed the shade of the trees or the light of a clearing, looking at the sky or enjoying the silence around. Our son made new friends with whom he went exploring the surroundings, looking for adventure. When he returned, he was very enthusiastic about his encounters with bear tracks, trees about to fall, precipices and narrow paths, things which our little escapades could not match.

After several days we went to Brasov, a city about 30 km away from Predeal. Here, we spent three days in which we took delightful walks, we attended an organ concert held at the “Black Church”, we went up the “Tampa” hill by cabin, where we enjoyed a splendid city panorama. In the evening we bought some souvenirs and gifts on “Republicii” street, which is the main commercial walk in the old part of the town, filled with shops and terraces where you can relax after a long shopping day.

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The open air Ethnographical Museum set up in the park next to the Bran Castle displays some of the oldest and most typical buildings in the area, more than 14 peasants households. Opened to the public in 1961. This is outstanding by its architecture and by the basic activities from the past: cattle raising, wool manufacturing and wood carving.

One day we went to “Poiana Brasov”, a mountain resort, 15 km away from the city center; there we rowed on the lake and had a delicious meal at one of the traditional Romanian restaurants. By “traditional” I mean both the food and the interior design of this place: hand made, traditional table cloths, animal furs pinned on the walls, maize and other dry vegetables hung everywhere. Next to the entrance there was a pantry where I saw various ready-made dishes you could try out : pickles in huge glasses, dried meat and wine barrels. So we ordered something from each plate, like a special type of Romanian sheep cheese, beans soup with onion and the famous “Brasov” pancakes at the end. Thus our lunch turned into a feast that lasted for more than three hours.

Even though Dracula and the whole legend around him was not one of our favorites, we headed towards Bran, because Luca was anxious to see the place where the myth begun. The castle itself is amazing, even left without the legends

it gave birth to. Lying on a rock, surrounded by walls, it is highly impressive at first sight. The Ethnographical Museum in the park of the castle seemed even more interesting. We walked amazed through the peasants’ households and we felt as if we had entered another world: small rooms, wooden furniture, they made me think of the past. We turned down the guide’s offer to help and tried to understand all by ourselves the mechanism and the use of all the tools that were shown there.

Though the vacation was short, we managed to relax in a serene place, to enjoy the traditions and the history of the area. Luca had a nice holiday too, and he became quite upset when we had to leave. Something tells me he got very fond of these places.

Giulia, Antonio & Luca

smallhousesFAMOUSHISTORY

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goWILD

Bon jour mes amis!. My name is Manu, I’m 29 years old and my friends keep saying that I’m crazy, this being the reason they call me “Le Malade”. The truth is we are all a little bit crazy, but in my case it’s more than that. I love the adrenaline pumping through my veins so I tried just about everything so far: snowboard, sky diving, bungee-jumping...well, you know how they are saying, the more you do, the better you feel. Brasov is a place where you can do just everything in this regard, and, besides that, you can see new things and meet new people. I don’t know much about Transylvania, but a good friend of mine, Patrick, who came here on an Erasmus grant, one year ago, dragged me along with him. So, I came across an interesting place, right at the heart of the mountains, with very cool people, in deep contrast with those I am used to back in France. C’etait super!

While having a glass of Servoise in a pub whose owner was, imagine, French, I found out pretty much about what we could do here. Neither I, nor Patrick could decide what to start with. We rolled the dice and it was gliding. We rented the equipment and started from Poiana Brasov, we climbed to Postavaru, the nearest peak. We didn’t need any flying licence, although we came prepared . It was a cool flight, the air flows were rising us up to the skies, so we could float for some time. While we were landing, Patrick wasn’t so lucky because his hand-glider fell right over a cow and before the fabric was completely torn, the animal carried him over the lawn and left him with some bruises.

Poiana Brasov is not a resort for winter sports only. During the summer you can practice hand-gliding, horse-riding, mountain climbing and take hikes in the “Postavaru” and “Cristianu Mare” mountains

“Solomon’s Rocks” lie in the Schei district and is the favorite place of those who practice rock climbing and downhill. You can also hike on routes taking you to Poiana Brasov and the “Postavaru” Mountain.

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Anyway, this was piece of cake compared to what we did in the Fagaras Mountains. We took the helicopter from the lake Balea and before you know it, you are doing heli-skiing. I called the office and asked for my money in advance because heli-skiing was worth every cent. Imagine, it was April and the slopes were still covered with snow. We bumped into a chalet and since we were starving, we had a traditional “thing” called “tochitura” and drank something strong made by the locals, called “tuica”.

We were not the only crazy guys around: we met a couple of nutty bikers who were carrying stretchers from the mountain rescue team. Well, the idea of using them as sledges looked like fun. I bumped my head against a rock, thank God it’s tough, while the others broke a finger or two…you know, the usual stuff.

The next day we left along with the bikers. An off-road adventure was the right thing to do. The guys were kind enough to let us ride their bikes, a Transalp for me and a Suzuki DR for Patrick. We reached a village called Magura, the starting point of several routes taking you to the Piatra Craiului Mountains. Seven hours later, we were almost at the top. We were already making plans of bungee-jumping in the Rasnoavei Gorges for the next day, but after all, we needed some time to rest.

Manu & Patrick

extremeFRIENDSHIP

Zarnesti, Rasnov, Moieciu or Sambata are excellent off-road routes for ATVs and motorcycles. In the precipices of Zarnesti you can climb rocks take hikes on routes to the “Piatra Mare” mountains or the “La Om” peak.

In Zarnesti you can practice motocross on the only standardized route in the country; the Balkan Motocross Championship is also organized here.

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info

How to get hereBy cardriving 160 km from Bucharest on the National Road 1 towards Ploiesti and then to Brasov

By trainfrom Bucharest North Railway Station, close to Victoriei Square, you can get here by Intercity train(faster) or you can take an Experss train.

The trip should take about 3 hours. Infos about timetables are available on www.infofer.ro

Holidays:Brasov Days - AnnualJazz and Blues Festival - AnnualThe International Chamber Music Festival - AnnualThe Modern Theatre Festival - AnnualThe International Chaber Music Festival - AnnualThe International Festival of opera, operetta and ballet - AnnualEtnovember - AnnualBlack Church harmonica concerts - WeeklyAurora beer Festival - AnnualHarvesting Day - AnnualThe International Music Festival “Cerbul de Aur”- AnnualCorona Folk Festival - Annual

Sport and leisure activities:SoccerTennisCyclingGlidingSkiingSkatingClimbing

UsefulUnique emergency call (police, ambulance, fire brigade) Brasov City Police DepartmentMountain RescueRomanian Rail Road infoBrasov City Travel AgencyInternational traffic informationLocal traffic informationCounty hospitalTAROM AgencyPharmacy

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BowlingSwimmingPaintballBasketballHorse ridingVolleyballSPA

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