Brasov old town. Brasov - city - disappointment
When at the Serbian-Romanian border the border guard interrogated us with passion, one of the last questions was: “Where are you going in Romania?” Of course, I could have answered that we were going to the gypsies and stayed at the border for a deeper inspection. Therefore, after thinking a little, he said: “To Brasov.” At this point the conversation ended and we were released. Brasov is the place in Romania where everyone goes. Even in the capital of the country, Bucharest, according to locals, there is absolutely nothing to do. But in Brasov it’s a different matter; it’s like Sochi, the center of resort tourism in summer and ski tourism in winter.
Rasnov
We decided to spend the night in Brasov, having arrived there from Bran and seen another town along the way, worthy of attention- Ryshnov. The most interesting thing in Rasnov is on the hill. There is medieval fortress, built by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1215. One of Ryshnov’s urban legends tells that during one particularly long siege, the city’s residents really lacked drinking water. Tormented by thirst, they captured two Turkish prisoners and forced them to dig a well in the center of the fortress. In order to somehow motivate them to work actively, they promised to grant them freedom as soon as the task was completed. The Turks completed the task in just 17 years, but they were still killed. Apparently, all acceptable deadlines have been exceeded. This well is still there today, its depth is 62 meters. When excavations were recently carried out there, the bones of two people were found at the bottom.
Hostel
When we arrived in Brasov, it was already dark. In "Hostelworld" we found the "Rolling Stone Hostel", not far from the city center, and rented a separate two-room apartment without windows for 60 lei (1000 rubles). A pleasant girl-administrator gave us a tour of the hostel, told us where to go in the city, what to see and where we could go tomorrow, recommending a visit to Sinaia.
We had a quick snack. that we bought in advance from Lidl. Still a handy thing, a multitool. I usually have two tools with me when I travel - a “rat” (a very sharp folding knife) for complex work and this one multitool Expedition for everyday use. Here you will find pliers, a corkscrew, a beer opener, scissors, and a bunch of other things.
Night Brasov
And we set off to wander around Brasov at night.
In the old days, Brasov was called Kronstadt and Oraşul-Stalin. It is also called the Romanian Salzburg because of the Gothic quarters of the old city. The city was founded by the same Teutonic knights. And in 1987, Brasov became the first city to rebel against the Ceausescu regime. And the first book in Romanian was also published, guess where.
Church (Orthodox) of St. Nicholas:
The Black Church, also known as the Church (Lutheran) of St. Mary. According to one good urban legend, during construction one boy pestered the workers, repeating that one of the walls was uneven. Then the builder threw the child from the tower and then walled up his corpse to hide his crime. Organ concerts are also held here.
Daytime Brasov
The next morning we decided to walk around the city again and see it in daylight.
Brasov turned out to be a really very beautiful city.
A black church is not so black during the day. And if you don’t know the legend about the boy killed by a construction worker, it’s even very cute.
Town Square:
Some Romanian cities in the Carpathian region are "signed" on the adjacent hills. The same inscription was seen in Rasnov. You can climb the hills by cable car. From there it opens good view to the city.
We limited ourselves to a panorama of the square (clickable) :)
Severe Romanian Louboutins:
Yards
But this is all a cover and showcase of the city. It is worth looking into any courtyard facing the polished central street, and there you can see the real state of affairs in the country.
Grandfather.
I love mailboxes.
Graffiti. The inscription in Romanian: “The devil knows what?”
Palm Sunday
In Romania worship crosses found everywhere. This Palm Sunday morning they had a particularly large crowd.
Orthodox Romanians go to church.
Instead of willow branches, Romanians have willow branches, symbolizing palm branches.
Brasov Park, where interesting mosaics are displayed along the alley.
Rome
The Capitoline she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. The name of the country Romania comes from the word “Roman” - from the time of the conquest of these lands by the Romans. Gold mining took place here, and colonists moved here.
With the next part I will complete the story about the beautiful country of Romania: there will be several photographs of the poorest region of the country - Wallachia and the gypsy village of Glod, where the film "Borat" was filmed.
More stories about this trip:
Excursions here
If you want a city tour, here is a selection of the most popular ones. Some are now at a discount - hurry to book!
Historical city center
Among the attractions of Brasov, one can note the historical center of the city itself, the Black Church.
The houses of the city are said to be very similar to Salzburg, but I cannot confirm this since I have not been there. In general, the atmosphere of such a Middle Ages with modern splendor has been well preserved here. Judge for yourself:
Myself old center mostly pedestrian, with a couple of large highways. Full complex big enough. It takes about 3 hours to see the main thing and 6 hours to walk around it completely (this includes observation platforms and the fortress wall).
The city of Brasov was originally called Kronstadt. Who borrowed the name from whom is a question. After all, in Russia, off the coast northern capital There is also the island of Kronstadt of the same name. The city was founded by the Teutonic Order. Here's what Wikipedia says about this:
Woof informs: The Kronstadt fortress was founded in 1211 by the Teutonic Order. It was first mentioned as Brasov in 1251. In medieval documents the city was called Brasco, Brasso, Stephanopolis, Kronstadt and Brasov.
Brasov is one of the main cultural and historical centers Transylvanian Saxons. Thanks to the successful geographical location and trade relations with Moldova and Wallachia, the city became one of the most important economic centers of Transylvania.
Johannes Honterus, leader of the Transylvanian Protestants, was born and died in Brasov. It was here that he organized the first printing house in Transylvania (in 1535), and it was here that the first printed book in the Romanian language was published. Already in 1559 there was a Romanian-language school here - probably the first in the country.
In 1987, the people of Brasov rose up against the Ceausescu regime. These events went down in history as the Brasov uprising.
You can eat here in Brasov. Here a large number of cozy and cute cafes where you can sit. The average bill is 40-60 lei. A cozy atmosphere, delicious food and polite waitresses are guaranteed.
Central Square and Black Church
The central dominant of the old town is the old square. This is where the town hall stands (probably an attribute of any ancient city) and a well where everyone throws coins for good luck.
The “Black Church” is very close. An old Gothic temple with interesting tiles. Considered the most big monument gothic architecture Romania. Probably everyone has a question, why “Black”? In fact, this is the Church of St. Mary, built in the 1380s!!!
Woof informs: During the Great Turkish War, Austrian troops burned the city. And the church too. It was all charred and smoked, and turned black. That’s what everyone began to call it – the Black Church. It was from this popular name that the name later came.
And now there is an entrance fee...
The cost of visiting the Black Church is 8 lei, for students – 5 lei.
Now the church has been cleaned and made quite newfangled. However, in my opinion, the restoration did not go unnoticed. Moreover, there was a fee to enter the church. 8 lei, 5 – for students. There's nothing to see inside. In the same gothic cathedral Alba Iulia is much cooler, so I didn’t focus on this church. But for the sake of completeness, you can stop by for a while.
Nitochka Street
Another attraction of this city is Nitochka Street. A very narrow small street, which is considered one of the narrowest in Europe.
Walk along it and you will feel like you are in the Middle Ages. Although it won't work. In the Middle Ages, another tub of poop was poured on top. This won’t happen here, you can be happy. 🙂
Brasov in Hollywood style
What is the hallmark of Romanian cities? You won't guess. These are awesome big letters on the hills with Hollywood style. Moreover, they are found almost everywhere. I myself saw them in Diva, in Rasnov. They are also in Brasov. By the way, you can climb up to them. There is a lift there that offers a great view of the Old city.
From above you can see that the entire city is surrounded almost everywhere by an old fortress wall.
And where it is not fenced, there are works of architecture - administrative buildings and banks:
Viewpoints in Brasov
It costs 16 lei to go up the funicular, 8 lei for a child. Open until 17.00
There are two of them in Brasov. One is located on the mountain, where the letters of the same name stand, the other can be reached on foot.
To climb the mountain there is a funicular that runs back and forth every half hour. It costs 16 lei per person, 8 lei per child. Open until 5 pm (we didn’t have time – sorry). See the location on the map below. Unfortunately, I didn’t get there, so I went to another site.
You can reach it with your paws. In fact, this is a watchtower of the old city, which stands somewhere on the side. See the map below for its location. Let me show you!
Black church and inscription on the mountain
To summarize, I would like to note that you can see the city of Brasov, wander through the old streets, get imbued with, so to speak, medieval culture, feel it. It's quite cozy and interesting here. Here, for example, is the old gate to the city:
The guys apparently loved Disney :) Or has Disney ever been here? Who knows?)))
Well, how can we do without “Ainanane, take a ride on a luxurious carriage?” There are gypsies in Brasov, and there are also a lot of people on horses and carts. But this does not at all prevent you from enjoying the ancient streets. On the contrary, it adds color.
Why is Brasov a city with a “male face”?
Well, now the most important thing. Why is Brasov a city with a masculine “face”, you ask, but the answer is already nearby. I don’t know who this brilliant designer is, but associatively... In general, you understand why:
Nothing like that, just a tree in a crown 😉
Woof informs: The city's location is at the crossroads of trade routes linking the Ottoman Empire and Western Europe, together with exemption from some taxes, allowed Saxon merchants to acquire impressive wealth and exert strong political influence in this region. This is reflected in the German name of the city of Kronstadt, as well as in its Latin name - Corona, which means Crowned City. Hence the city’s coat of arms, which depicts a crown with oak roots).
This is where my trip to Brasov ended. And I invite you to visit with me the next attraction, which is just around the corner. This - . Well, let's go look for vampires?
And of course, in Gavrezyum there is a map.
- The cost of a trip from Sinaia to Brasov is 17.5 lei. The entire journey is approximately 50 km or 45 hours of your time. The trains run different. There is also comfort, there are also our electric trains. I advise you to travel in comfort, there is a lot of ainanane on the road. Tickets online or in terminals are cheaper.
- The cost of entry to the Black Church is 8 lei, for students – 5 lei.
- I would allocate 2 days to Brasov. Very colorful streets, medieval romanticism. Be sure to climb observation deck(Cost 16 lei for adults, 8 lei for children. It goes every half hour, runs until 5 hours. Although there is a free option)
- You can eat in the city center. There are a lot of cafes in the old square. On average – 20-50 lei per person. I recommend the Transylvania cafe. Very tasty and at reasonable prices.
Cool
More wonderful travel reviews!
June 24th, 2011
Brasov greeted us with tranquility and many umbrella cafes and restaurants. Each umbrella proudly but modestly declared: "Brasov - Probably the Best City in the World", "Brasso - Probably the Best City in the World", "Krondstadt - Probably the Best City in the World". This "probably" so successfully expresses doubts about its wonderfulness :) Brasso is the Hungarian name for Brasov, Krondstadt is the German name of Brasov.
Brasov proudly announces itself from afar - the city's name is placed high on the mountain, in Hollywood style. It must be said that not only these letters were displayed at this place. Not to mention the fact that Brasov itself has three names: the Romanian Brașov, the Hungarian Brassó and the German Kronstadt, it also shared the fate of many Soviet cities. From 1950 to 1960 the city was called Oraşul Stalin, and the corresponding letters looked down on the city from the mountain.
Brasov is nestled in a valley between Carpathian Mountains. One of the main ski resorts, Poiana Brasov, is located just 12 km from the city. The centuries-old history of Brasov has connected Romanians, Hungarians and Germans. Until now, many signs in the city are in two languages (Romanian and German, the Hungarian community is apparently not so influential). The center of Brasov is perfectly preserved, although many houses could use restoration. The proximity to the Carpathian Mountains, as well as to tourist sites such as Bran Castle and Rasnov, makes Brasov one of the most visited cities in Romania.
Brasov was founded in the 13th century in what was then Dacia. The Saxons settled in Brasov and built a fortified city, securely hidden behind a wall and guarded by fortified towers, which traditionally belonged to the various guilds of the city. At that time, Brasov, strategically located at the crossroads of major trade routes, had enormous influence over the entire region. It was not for nothing that the Saxons called it Kronstadt - Crown City.
Most of the fortifications were built between 1400 and 1650: internal and outer wall, towers and gates. Parts of the fortress wall and several towers still remind of the military past of the old city. In Brasov, a small, not very remarkable citadel has also been preserved, in which, according to the guidebook, there is a restaurant and a night club.
Strada Dupa Ziduri (Beyond the Wall Street) takes you along one of the remaining parts of the 15th-century fortress wall, past the Black and White Tower.
The Black Tower (Turnul Negru) was also built in 1494. Now the tower looks completely white, but once upon a time it was, in fact, black - from another fire caused by lightning. Now the Black Tower houses a small military museum. And then the guidebook promises great views to the city.
The second surviving fragment of the city wall is located at the foot of Mount Tampa. This tower is impressive in size - it now houses a military historical Museum
Climbing or using the cable car to Mount Tampa should probably be a mandatory part of your stay in Brasov, but we were unlucky - the only full day we spent in Brasov fell on Monday. On Monday, both the funicular and the city's museums are closed. We did not visit Mount Tampa, although you can climb there on foot (the climb takes about an hour), we limited ourselves to just a walk at its foot. Even from the foot of the mountain there is a very nice view of the city
It's nice to walk along the city wall in the shade of huge chestnut trees, but the main square of the city - Piata Sfatului - is a pleasant place to relax at any time of the day. And in the morning, during the day, and in the evening, life buzzes in the cafes of the square, at the fountain, where children and teenagers strive to jump under the streams of water, and in the square itself, where flocks of pigeons are waiting for their next feeding.
The square is surrounded by houses, looking at the passing life with their tiled eyes, and in the middle of the square rises the medieval town hall (1420), which now houses a historical museum and tourist office. The town hall tower, bearing the romantic name Trumpeters' Tower, was once used as a lookout - it provided a good view of the surrounding area. In the evening the town hall looks especially romantic...
If you find yourself in the square on Saturday, the guidebook promises you a line of newlyweds who will get married on Orthodox church, located among the houses framing the square. The Romanian Orthodox Cathedral was built at the end of the 19th century in the Byzantine style, they say that the interior of the cathedral is impressive, but we did not look.
We were lucky, we also found a festive concert square - on the day of arrival we grabbed the final piece of the fatzaDa art festival (by the way, the title photo is one of the festival works of graffiti artists). However, Brasov is better known for the annual music festival Cerbul de Aur (Golden Deer), which has been held in the city since 1968.
This little girl in her mother’s backpack attracted me with her unusual headdress. A couple of hours later we saw her mom on stage :)
She ran out to sing along with this American comrade (Mike Dena & the Bodhi Tribe). He funny started the concert by saying: “I do not speak Serbian, so my friend here will translate for me” (I don’t speak Serbian, so my friend will translate). After the concert, they sat down in a cafe on the square, at the next table from us, and drank palinka from plastic bottles :)
Already from Piata Sfatului you can see the only tower of the Black Church (it was planned to build two towers, but there was neither strength nor money for the second).
The Black Church (Biserica Neagra or Marienkirche) is the largest Gothic church in Romania, built in 1385-1477 on the site of an earlier church destroyed by the Mongols back in the 13th century.
Under the tower there is a monument to Johannes Honterus, who in the mid-16th century led Lutheranism in Brasov and organized the first gymnasium in the city, as well as a printing workshop. He brought knowledge to people, published books, including his own scientific works.
The Black Church received its name after a fire in 1689, when the walls of the church turned black from fire and smoke. Restoration work took almost 100 years. Inside the church is well preserved and for a small fee you can look at the paintings of the benches, the Gothic altar, the largest organ in Eastern Europe and the vast collection of oriental carpets that merchants gave to the church as offerings. In the summer, organ concerts are held at the Black Church three times a week.
Another attraction of the city begins from Piata Sfatului Square - the pedestrian street Republicii, which in the summer turns into one large restaurant terrace.
Republicii Street leads from the old main square to the new main square (Boulevard Eroilor), and is full of restaurants, cafes and shops for every taste. Don't forget to raise your head and look up - the architecture deserves attention
Some houses still need restoration
Some people need a street for walking, and some people need a TV :)
Brasov claims to have the narrowest street in Europe. I'm not sure about the narrowest one, but perhaps this street is the longest. narrow streets that I happened to see in Europe. The street is called Strada Sforii (Rope or Rope Street).
The width of the street ranges from 111 to 135 mm, and the length is 80 meters. It is believed that Strada Sforii was made for fire safety purposes so that the fire brigade could easily move from one street to another.
Someone's windows look directly onto this narrow street
In old Brasov (from the 13th to the 17th century), only Saxons lived inside the fortress walls; Romanians were allowed to settle outside the wall. This is how the Schei district was formed, in which the artful interweaving of streets contrasts sharply with the orderly streets of Saxon Brasov. Romanians could only enter the city at certain times and had to pay for a trading permit.
In the Schei area there is Orthodox Church St. Nicholas (Biserica Sfantul Nicolae) and there, very close to the church, there is a museum of the first Romanian school. Unfortunately, the museum was closed; we only managed to look into the beautifully painted church. You can't take pictures inside, so I can't show you the interior decoration. The church began to be built in 1392, completed in 1495 and rebuilt in the 18th century, mixing Byzantine style with Baroque and Gothic. Look how completely atypical the castle tower of this Orthodox church is.
Apparently, earlier the Church of St. Nicholas was painted on the outside. A small section of the surviving painting can still be seen today.
One of the Orthodox churches of the city, which is not mentioned in the guidebooks, but which we wandered into is the Church of Sfânta Paraschiva (St. Paraskeva Friday) at the local cemetery. She gives a good idea about interior decoration. In the Church of St. Nicholas, everything is done on a grand scale, but the style is approximately the same.
Brasov in the center has been well cleaned up, but take a step to the side and everything is not so polished. You can see this too
It can be seen that the house is divided into two parts. The right one, with geraniums, looks more well-groomed.
The shabby condition can easily be attributed to the venerable age of the house.
In conclusion, about food:) If in Bran we discovered tube pies, then in Brasov we discovered kovrigi and kovridog (hot dog in gingerbread dough). I think the Saxons call kovrigs pretzels :) There are many shops in the city where you can buy kovrigs. In the most authentic ones they are strung on a string.
Also in Brasov we tried “Moldavian stew”; we later saw the same dish under the name “Transylvanian stew” - a spicy stew of sausages and smoked meats, hominy and scrambled eggs on top. Simple folk food.
Brasov is one of the most beautiful and at the same time mysterious places Romania. Without exaggeration, this city can be called the highlight of Transylvania with its Gothic-style buildings, majestic churches and castles. Brasco, Kronstadt, Brasso and even Coroana - the city managed to change all these names over the many years since its founding in the 13th century. Today it is big developing city and at the same time attracts tourists with architectural and cultural monuments of the Middle Ages or simply stunning landscapes around. Where is the city?
What is the best way to get to Brasov
There is no airport in Brasov, so the most convenient way is to get first to Bucharest, for example, by plane, and from there directly to Brasov. Many trains depart from the capital of Romania every day. There are also excellent connections between Brasov and the airport in Sibiu and major cities nearest countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, etc.
If desired, tourists have a large selection of rental cars at airports. In this case, in addition to the convenience of organizing a holiday, you still have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful views of Romania. Travel time from Bucharest in this case is about 3 hours. Visit
Prices in Brasov
The city offers tourists hotels of various levels of comfort (from 2-star to 5-star), and, accordingly, pricing policies.
The best is considered to be Aro Palace (5 stars), which is located opposite Central Park cities. In addition to the fact that the hotel provides all the conditions for living, it is famous for its beautiful views of the ancient part of the city. The cost of living in this hotel is estimated at 90 euros and more per night.
2-4* hotels offer rooms for 40-60 euros per night.
Family-type boarding houses and mini-hotels are very popular in Brasov. There is a very large selection, and therefore you can choose something according to your budget (accommodation options for 20 euros are possible) and needs.
Brief information about the city
Brasov is a city in the central part of Romania with a total area of 267 sq. km. This area was inhabited back in the 100th century BC, but now the city has about 300 thousand inhabitants. The country's currency is the Romanian leu.
The climate is generally mild, the average summer temperature is +25 degrees, in winter it usually does not fall below +3 degrees Celsius in the city and about -15 degrees in the mountains.
The city is located at the base of Mount Tympa.
Brasov has a well-developed transport infrastructure represented by buses, trolleybuses, taxis.
In terms of security, the city can be called calm.
Brasov historical and modern
In ancient times, Brasov was one of 7 fortresses founded by the Saxons back in the 12th century. Rapid development the city was favored by its location: the main trade routes in Transylvania. It was here that the first printing house in Transylvania was opened in 1535 and the first book was published in Romania. The country's first Romanian-language school was also founded here. All possible styles of the Middle Ages are found in the architecture of the city.
Today's Brasov is the second largest industrial city in Romania. There are many factories and factories here. At the same time, the city has retained its medieval charm, which attracts tourists and even film directors.
The most beautiful and interesting places in Brasov
The most visited by tourists is the Black Church, also known as the Church of St. Mary. Despite the mysterious name, it is not associated with any mysticism and is called so only because of its color: it was significantly damaged during a fire during the Turkish War, and although it was partially reconstructed afterwards, it still stands out in color among the other buildings around. The church is an impressive structure, 89 meters long and made in the Gothic style.
An attraction that cannot be missed when visiting Brasov is Bran Castle, 30 km from the city. Its fame as "Dracula's Palace" attracts a huge number of tourists. And although the castle hardly lives up to such rumors, one cannot deny its certain fabulousness and mystery.
Another ancient building in the area is the fortress of the Teutonic knights Rasnov, which is 15 km from Brasov.
Also worth a visit is the Church of St. Bartholomew, built back in 1223; Church of St. Nicholas; The White and Black Towers, erected in the 15th century to strengthen the city. Brasov has a huge number of museums. Also popular with tourists is the Strada Sforia street, notable for its width of only 135 cm.
Leisure for vacationers
In addition to cultural events, Brasov offers tourists the opportunity to spend leisure on ski resort not far from the city. There are excellent slopes here, there is a ski school and equipment rental.
Within the city itself there is an Olympic skating rink, swimming pools, mini-golf courses and other facilities for sports fans.
Children can have fun in the city's Children's Center with many playrooms and even slides specially prepared for sledding.
Shopping lovers should visit main street city Republicii. The main array of boutiques and souvenir shops is located here.
Also, do not ignore the market, where a large assortment of souvenirs on the main theme of the city is presented - Dracula and everything connected with it. You can also buy inexpensive products and things there. At the same time, no one will judge you if you haggle a little with the seller.
Tips for city guests and some features of the local population
In Brasov, it is not customary to leave a tip either in restaurants and cafes, or in taxis. The only thing that is welcome is the rounding of the check amount to the nearest 500 lei, which will be your gratitude.
In Brasov, there are quite large fines for those who violate the rules of order: be it simply indecent behavior on the street or driving while drunk.
To travel around the city and its environs, it is very convenient to use the services of taxi drivers, and the prices are quite inexpensive.
When visiting nightclubs in Brasov, do not forget your identification document, because... Without it, you may simply not be allowed through. Face control is also in effect.
In many stores, Saturday and Sunday are days off, so plan all your necessary purchases during the week so as not to end up at a loss later.
A good time to visit the city is May, because at this time the Daffodil Festival opens here, a very beautiful event.
How to get from Bucharest to Brasov and back by train, bus and minibus. Where is the best place to buy tickets and their cost?
Train Bucharest - Brasov
The train between these two cities is the fastest and most cheap way get there except for various promotions and buy tickets before the train departs. In Bucharest, trains depart from Bucuresti Nord Station and arrive at Central station Brasov.
On this site railway There are two classes of trains IR (InterRegio) and R (Regio). The fastest journeys are IR trains, starting from 2.5 hours, and the slowest, R trains, starting from 3.5 hours. The cost of tickets depends only on the class of train. Tickets for IR cost about 40-50 Lei (8.5-10€), and for R the ticket price is 24 Lei (5€).
It's cheaper to buy tickets online. When purchased on the website, tickets are 5% cheaper, and when purchased in advance, the discount reaches 20%.
The trains on this section are comfortable and are no longer as scary and murderous as according to reviews many years ago.
Bus Bucharest - Brasov
There are much fewer buses than trains between Bucharest and Brasov, but if you go directly from Bucharest airport, you have much more choice. Current schedule Online .
There are two companies traveling from Bucharest to Brasov: Fany and Mementobus. Fany is a passing bus and it is not possible to buy tickets for it in advance. Mementobus sells tickets on the official website, both from the city and from the airport. The ticket price is 8.9€ from the city and 9.5€ from the airport.
In addition to Mementobus, the Direct company travels from Bucharest Airport to Brasov, which has 12 flights daily. Ticket price is 60-80 Lei (13-17€), tickets are on sale.
There are also a large number of illegal minibuses leaving from the airport. Perhaps their cost is lower, but departure occurs as the minibus fills up. The spontaneous parking of these minibuses is located behind the parking lot near the exit from the arrivals area.
