Sibiu or Cibinium (the first Latin name, as it first appears attested in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries) is the heart of Germanic Transylvania and was one of the largest medieval cities in the geographical area composing today’s Romania. During the Habsburg occupation, Sibiu was the second most important city after Vienna, due to its position near the “gates of the Orient”, close to the border of the Ottoman Empire, which occupied the region of Moldova for several centuries.
The citadel of Sibiu was fortified over three centuries, being known as the “Red City”, due to the numerous brick fortifications, bastions and stone towers, which could be seen from afar. Today, Citadel Street is one of the most visited areas in Sibiu, as it still preserves the medieval air of the old fortress, with fortification walls, high towers and defense bastions.
Two of the walls and four of the towers can be admired today on the southern side: the Tower of the Potters, the Tower of the Archbishops (later called Tower of the Blaizemen), the Tower of the Carpenters and the old Thick Tower.
The Haller Bastion, built in the second half of the 16th century. can still be seen today, at the south-eastern end of the fortifications. On the northern side of the fortress, the Stairs Passage, built in the 14th century, as part of the third belt of fortifications of the Sibiu fortress, stands out. This stone and brick passage connects the Upper Town and the Lower Town and was known as the “Needle Wall”.
The Upper Town was a medieval neighborhood largely inhabited by wealthy families; here was the Civic Center of the city (the Grand Square) and the Shopping Center (the Small Square). The Upper Town was completely fortified between 1330 and 1366.
The Lower Town is the oldest part of the city and was documented in 1191 under the name of Villa Cibiniensi. This area was inhabited mainly by craftsmen, therefore many of the streets here are named after crafts. The Lower Town has been fortified since the 15th century; the oldest square of the medieval fortress of Sibiu, Dragoner Square, can be found in the Lower Town, at the intersection of two trade routes.
