Braşov
judetul Braşov
Established on an ancient Dacian site at the beginning of the 13th century, Braşov (Brasov) is today one of Romania's most visited cities. It's a pleasant medieval town reflecting its heritage as a German mercantile colony named, at the time, Kronstadt. The town's central square, Piaţa Sfatului (Council Square), is by all accounts the finest in the country, lined with baroque façades and quaint outdoor cafés.
Braşov's strategic location, at the meeting point of three empires (Austrian Habsburg, Ottoman Turkish, and Russian Romanov), helped it to become a major trading center. The original Saxons who lived there built ornate churches and townhouses, all protected by a massive wall that still remains. The Romanian peasants lived just outside the walls to the southwest at Schei.
During the Stalinist era, the entire Braşov district was renamed "Staline" and the Communist leader's name was carved in bold letters on the side of Mt. Tâmpa (Mount Timpa), to the east of Braşov, now a ski area.
Biserică Neagră
One of the main attractions is the famed Biserică Neagră (Black Church), which claims to be the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul. Looming just south of Piaţa Sfatului, it is still used by German Lutherans today. It's name is a result of its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689.
Construction of the church began in 1383 and ended in 1477. Turkish rugs hang from every balcony. The original exterior statues have been moved to a small museum inside the church at the back. Worshippers routinely drop coins through the wooden grates in the floor.
The church's organ, built in 1839 by Buchholz of Berlin, is believed to be the only Buchholz preserved in its original form. It has 56 keys, 76 stops, and 4000 pipes. Since 1891, organ recitals have been held in the church on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, during July and August.
Equally impressive, the church's bell weighs 7 tons and is said to be the largest of its kind in Romania.
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