Hidden places and secret symbols in Sighisoara

You can call it also Schaessburg (German), or Segesvar(Hungarian), according to your linguistic preferences or friends you might have in the area, but any visitor would rather call it the Museum town! I don't mean hereby the modern town, consisting on blocks of flats, but the old city with a labyrinth of narrow Medieval streets. They are amazingly well preserved, kept and restaured, and seem to host secrets and vampires.

Sighisoara is first unique through this simple fact, in the all Europe is  the first and the last populated medieval citadel! The town of Sighisoara shows its best wealthiest times between the XVth and the XVIIth century, when not less than 20 guilds (aka professional association) were active here. The towers of the citadel reminds each of such a guild (butchers', skinners', tinners', ropers', furriers', taylors', cobblers' etc). Artists from Salzburg, Bohemia or Koenigsberg came and gone, shorter or longer, according to their contracts. Also diplomates, army rulers or princes have played here the usually chess game, balancing between the Romanian States and the Big Empires.

The spectacular Clock Tower from Sighisoara, during one of the local festivals 

One of the important figures saw here in Sighisoara was Dracula's father, namely Vlad Dracul The Devil, who was belonging to the Dragon order (cruciates fighting against the Turks, carrying on their coat the scaring Dragon!). You can still visit Dracula's birthhouse, which is today a restaurant, even a good one, recommended by myself (ask about Mr. Attila)! Visit further the weapon collection and the torture room, whose walls were the silent witnesses of dying whoops. Afterwards, please climb in the Clock Tower, and observe its rudimentary medieval, but still working mechanism. It makes seven characters to rotate. These seven characters represents the days if the week, being actually colored puppets with the signs of the seven planets, known at that time. The Clock Tower is 64 meters high, and was first build exclusively for military purposes.It protected the main gate of the citadel, hosted the treasure and the sessions of the local council. The four little towers surrounding the central structure show the town Sighisoara having special rights (e.g. jus gladii= the landlords right of punishing the outlaws).

During the Medieval festivals from Sighisoara, it is usually to see such fights between the knights, caused by  a beautiful young lady!

Another very interesting target for your trip to Sighisoara is the Hills Church. You can reach it by climbing a covered stairs. It has been build between 1345 and 1525, with a good etnographic museum and sculptures inside. Outside, also to mention, the cemetery. The name of the craftsmen on the tombstones won't tell you anything, but observe the interesting masonry signs, e.g. the square, the divider and the eye. Maybe you are going to like history on this way, but please don't disturb the silence of this place. From the hill you can get also a splendid view of the entire town.

Best times to visit Sighisoara could be during the local festivals (but the town is overcrowded and you need prior reservations!):
-Medieval Art Festival, during the last weekend of July
-Academic Music festival, 1-10 August
-Proetnica Minorities festival, 24-25 August

Posted in: adventure trips in Romania, art collections in Romania, Hills Church in Sighisoara, masonry signs in Sighisoara, Sighisoara, Sighisoara citadel, Sighisoara festivals, Sighisoara restaurants