Brașov – The Gateway to Transylvania
Sitting at the southern tier of Transylvania, hugging the Carpathian mountain on all sides, Brasov is surrounded by a sea of green hills. The city is located between Bucharest (along with the pleasant mountain retreat of Sinaia) and the Transylvanian Hinterland. For many, this will be their first (and sadly, only) stop in the province of Vlad Dracul! As such, the city presents itself to the traveller as the unofficial capital of Transylvania!
Table of Contents
Geography
Brasov is a city that stands at the crossroads of trading networks. The city is located at the northern end of a mountain pass linking Wallachia to the South to Transylvania, as such it has always attracted the eye of many would be conquerors.
During the 12th century, the Hungarian Crown invited Saxon Settlers (Germans) to help populate and defend their territories. To compensate them for their efforts they were afforded generous tax exemptions. Transylvania was named Siebenbürgen, German for the “The Seven Citadels”. These cities were: Bistriţa (Bistritz), Braşov (Kronstadt), Cluj (Klausenburg), Mediaş (Mediasch), Sebes (Mühlbach), Sibiu (Hermannstadt) and Sighişoara (Schassburg).
History
Dacio-Roman Antiquity
Brasov has been occupied since the Stone Age and evidence supports the occupation of the land by both Dacian and Roman people before and after the conquest Dacia by emperor Trajan in 106A.D. Like the rest of Transylvania the area was ravaged by invading Barbarian Tribes.
Medieval Ages and Saxon Settlement
One of the invading Barbarian Tribes, the Magyars settled in Transylvania during the 9th century. Ancestors to the Hungarians, they would eventually convert to Christianity. At the behest of King Andrew II of Hungary, the Teutonic Knights were invited to settle in Burzenland, a region of South Eastern Transylvania, in to help repel to the Cumans, a turkic people advancing into Hungary. The city they founded was called Kronstadt – the City of the Crown – and the future town now called Brasov. In 1225 the Order was forcibly expelled from Hungary after seeking independence from the Hungarian Crown by means of papal interference. Although the order was now gone, the Saxon civilian population they brought with them stayed and became part of the wider Transylvanian Saxon culture that already existed in many parts of Hungary.
The Saxons were adept in the trades and crafts. They shrewdly used the geographic position of the town to leverage trade between the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe. With the wealth derived from these exchanges they built grand guild houses and continued to expand the city fortifications, each guild responsible for a section of the city walls.
A Note on the Teutonic Knights
The Teutonic Knights were a crusading monastic order, of Germanic decent. The order was at first headquartered in Acre, a crusader port in the Holy land, today northern Israel. The order is best known for their endeavours in both Prussia and the Baltic region from their headquarters in Marienburg (Malkbork, Poland), but their first assignment outside of Acre was a short stint in Transylvania (1211-1215).
Principality of Transylvania and Austrian Rule
After the defeat of Hungary at the hands of the the Ottoman Empire, Transylvania limped on as a Hungarian breakaway state called the Principality of Transylvania. Both Austria and the Ottomans laid claim to Transylvania and the Principality saw much meddling between Wallachian (Romanian) Boyards, Austrian Emperors and the Sublime Porte of the Ottoman Empire. The town was an ethnic mix of Hungarian, Romanian and Saxons with the latter counting for the majority. The Saxons lived withing the confines and safety of the city walls. Romanians were discriminated against and had to live outside of the defences.
In 1689 a fire destroyed most of the old town and the city had to be rebuilt. The 19th century saw the city become a battleground for the emancipation and civil rights of the Romanian people.
World Wars, Communism and the Modern Era
During the First World War, Romania joined the side of France and Great Britain against Germany and Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1916, in an attempt to claim Transylvania (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), the Romanian army advanced across the Carpathian Mountains. They were met with a fierce counter attack by a combined Austrian and German command during the Battle of Transylvania. Brasov was one of the first cities to be captured by the Romanian army at the start of the battle, yet it was recaptured by Austria after the Battle of Brassó only a few months later. At the end of the war in 1918, Transylvania was absorbed into Romania, a move that was, rather surprisingly, supported by a large section of the Saxon population but vehemently opposed by the ethnic Hungarians. The inter-war period was a time of great economic development in Romania and Brasov benefited greatly from this.
During the Second World War Romania fell to a fascist regime joined the Axis. King Michael led a resistance movement and was reinstated. After the coup of King Michael, many Jews were rescued from labor camps and brought to Brasov. Romania switched sides only to be invaded by Soviet Russia. The Saxons either fled or were forcibly deported to the gulag and little remains of them in Brasov. In 1948 the country officially became a communist dictatorship and mass industrialization took place. In 1987 a workers strike was brutally crushed but it was an event leading to the revolution of 1989 when the communist regime fell.
Further Reading
After the Battle of Transylvania, the Germans pushed south towards Bucharest through the Mountain Pass. They were stopped at the Battle of Predeal Pass by Romanian National Hero Alexandru Averescu as part of the Battle of the Southern Carpathians. The name of the German general always makes me laugh, he name was Hermann von Staabs!
What to do in Brasov!
Old Town, Council Square and the Black Church
The area outside the Black Church (Biserica Neagră), the religious heart of Saxon Brasov, is called Corona. The church, sits juts outside the main square, built around the Council House, once the City Hall of Brasov. The church is the symbol of the city and still dominates the skyline of Brasov to this day. The name “Black Church” derives from the color of the stone, permanently charred after the great fire of 1689. The damage was so severe that the city had to bring in craftsman from Danzig (Gdansk), Poland to repair the vaults. The Church was built in the 14th century on the site of a previous church but stalled. Efforts resumed with a cold hard cash injection by benefactors such as Hungarian King Matthias Corvinus and his father nobleman John Hunyadi. The Gothic masterpiece was completed in the late 15th century as a Catholic place of worship but was soon after converted to a Lutheran church during the protestant reformation. The inside of the church contains an impressive organ. There are legends and ghost stories associated with the decor and sculptures both inside and out of the church. Be sure to ask questions or to inform yourself on the history of the building ahead of time to fully take it all in.
The square contains an array of fine and colorful buildings typical of the late Saxon era (18th and 19th century). From the square you can see Mount Tampa in the backdrop, with its famous white lettered Brasov sign (like Hollywood’s!). This view is especially striking when looking at the Black Church in the foreground. The square includes a fountain, many art galleries, museums, the council house and, of course, a KFC! In 1520, the city of Brasov gained the right to hold a market and this took place in the center of the square – although smaller seasonal markets have been hosted here temporarily since early in the 14th century. The public space was not just a collection of pretty buildings but served an essential function in Saxon society… the administration of law and order. As part of this judicial mandate a pillory, a wooden hand restraint, was installed in the square. This contraption was used to display criminals so they could be scorned by the general population as part of their punishment. The Council building sometimes served as a courthouse and the square also saw it fair share of public executions, beheadings and witch trials.
One of my favorite buildings is tucked in near the KFC, lining the square. It can be recognized by its is a distinctive oriental styled dome. It is the Sfânta Adormire a Maicii Domnului church. Although the facade presents itself like a regular storefront, the religious structure is tucked behind the square level portico.
The Council House (City Hall) for its part was constructed in 1420 and now houses the municipal history museum. Part of the council building was once used as a torture and execution center.
Eastward from the square, the Strada Republicii, extends. This main pedestrian boulevard has many great pubs and restaurants including Bibliotheque Pub, a library themed bar!
Other attractions include taking a walking tour or heading to Rope Alley, the narrowest alley in Europe and possibly the most overrated thing to do in Brasov (or anywhere for that matter). Instead I recommend a visit to the Beth Israel Synagogue, to get a portrait of the once thriving community of Jews that populated Brasov.
Apart from these activities enjoy walking the atmospheric old town with its charming buildings and cozy eateries.
Saxon Fortifications and Mt. Tâmpa
Although much of the original fortifications have been replaced, there are still traces of what once was. Take for example Catherine’s gate heading east towards the Șcheii Brașovului (Romanian town outside the walls). It was built by the Tailors guild in 1526 and is the last remaining original gate to the city (the other gates were built in subsequent years). The turrets on each of the four corners indicate the medieval right to enforce capital punishment, a sign of the towns judicial independence. Ethnic Romanians could only enter the gates at certain times and had to pay a toll.
From a decaying bastion on the south side you will have access to a funicular heading up mount Tampa for an overhead view of the city. On the north side you will find the Turnul Negru and the Alb, also known as Tlthe Black and the White towers. These bastions have been transformed into observation decks and offer pretty views of the old town. To get to these towers you must pass by the Graft Bastion, a gatehouse that crosses the stream surrounding the northern edge of old town outside of the city walls. Another impressive defensive construction is the Bastionul Țesătorilor, now a medieval museum. Outside of these major elements, you will find many sections of the original defensive towers along the perimeter of the old town.
Outside the City Walls
Șcheii Brașovului
To the west of the city, though Catherine’s gate you will find the Șcheii Brașovului. This is the traditional neighborhood of both the Romanian and Bulgarian populations who were not allowed within the city walls. Immediately after entering Piața Unirii (Union Square) you will notice a change in the architecture. The churches are built in Neo-Byzantine and a mishmash of Wallachian motifs can be detected on the building facades. At the center of the cobblestone square is the Troița lui Ilie Birt, an old and quite small chapel that you can peer inside. You can also find a memorial to the unknown Romanian soldiers of WW1. The Bulgarian population was eventually assimilated into the Romanian culture.
To the south of the square you will find the Biserica Sfântul Nicolae, a Romanian church dedicated to St. Nicholas. It was established in 1292 and rebuilt in 1495. It looks to be a hybrid of Gothic and Wallachian styles.
The area around the church serves as an open air museum on the subject of Romanian history, with traditional Romanian architecture on display, as well as a well maintained cemetery. You can also visit the First Romanian School Museum, the first place of Romanian language instruction within the present borders of Romania (1583).
East Brasov
On the eastern side of Brasov, past the old town, you will find many fine government buildings near the Parcul Nicolae Titulescu. These former Austrian era buildings area very pretty yet distinct from the Saxon structures found in the old town. Above the park on citadel hill is Cetățuia de pe Strajă, a 16th century fort from the era of the Principality of Transylvania.
Day Trips
Bran Castle
A castle that once housed the infamous Vlad Tepes better known as “Dracula”, it is often called Dracula’s Castle. Although it is often mistaken as the home of Bram Stokers Dracula’s there is no evidence that Bram visited the site or that it was the home of Drac. Its beautiful, yet stark, in a stroke of genius Bram must have transmitted our own beliefs on where Dracula should live onto the castle. To learn more about the castle of the Queen of Hearts click here.
Rasnov Castle
The citadel of Rasnov was once fortified by the Teutonic Knights and looms menacingly over the town below. To learn more about this gentle giant click here.
Harman and Prejmer Fortified Church
These very impressive Saxon structures will give you an insight on how the Saxons defended their towns and villages throughout the Romanian countryside. The Gothic churches are pretty yet practical. Built with thick walls and arrow slits they are practically little castles. True German ingenuity!
Conclusion
Brasov is a beautiful city and well worth at least a few days of exploring. Just ensure that the city is the just the start of your Transylvanian experience, and not the end, as the Transylvanian countryside is too spectacular to do without. Brasov is the pretty veneer that draws you in but don’t let it captivate you for too long. Brasov may want you to stay, enticing you with its charm and elegance but remember there is lots to do outside of the city, so get out there and explore!
