Top 9 Castles in Sibiu

The fortified church of Michelsberg (Cisnădioara) is one of the oldest Romanesque basilicas in Transylvania and, according to legend, has a very charming tradition. The Legend of the Wedding Stones To prove their endurance and ensure the castle's supply of defense material, young men wishing to marry had the following custom: on the night before the wedding, they had to roll a large, round river stone up the steep castle hill. These stones were stored on the ring wall to serve as projectiles in case of siege or simply to let them roll down the hill onto the castle's attackers. Even today, some of these mighty stones can be found in the castle courtyard, and in a modified form, the custom lives on to this day: when the bride is abducted during a wedding celebration, the newly married husbands often have to symbolically drag a stone up to the castle to buy her back.

The Historical Museum is located in the Altemberger-Pempfflinger House at No. 2 Fleischergasse, which served as Sibiu's town hall between 1545 and 1948. The ten buildings and the fortified tower represent the most impressive example of civilian Gothic architecture in Romania and Southeast Europe. The permanent exhibition covers the settlement history of southern Transylvania from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. Admission (permanent exhibition): Adults 12 Lei; Children, students, seniors 4 Lei.

The ensemble is also known as the "Old Town Hall". The complex is one of the most important architectural monuments of the late Gothic period and the largest Gothic residential ensemble in Romania. It was built mainly between 1475 and 1485. In the middle of the 16th century, the ensemble became the town hall. Today, the Historical Museum is located here. It documents the settlement history of southern Transylvania from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.

A very beautiful old church fortress. It is estimated that it was built around 1400. You can visit it, but when I was there it was locked with a padlock.

The bastion to the west of the inner ring of walls, the Town Hall Tower, takes its name from the town hall, which was formerly located here. Its tower is located close to the church. Its upper floor is accessible through a small door at ground level from the inner ring of walls. This is where the elaborately decorated council chamber is located. The foundations of the three-story gate tower connect the middle and inner ring walls. Together with the gate tower to the south, the Town Hall Tower formerly formed the entrance to the middle castle courtyard. The sliding stones for the portcullis can still be seen on the south side. Source: Wikipedia

The Michael Church was built shortly after 1200 and is therefore the oldest Romanesque church in Transylvania. In the period from 1204 to 1233, the area around the Michelsberg with the associated church was handed over by the Probstei Hermannstadt (Sibiu) in exchange for the area of Probstdorf (Stejeris) to King Andreas II. He gave the newly acquired land including the church to the Walloon clergyman Magister Gocelinus. This in turn left the area in 1223 to the Abbey of Kerz (Carta). The place Michelsberg was first mentioned in 1322, the church in 1223. The construction of the castle began around 1200 and ended in 1280. A square residential tower stood free in the east, the foundations of which were uncovered in 1964 and 1966. Around 1450 the castle was strengthened and a new gate tower was built. In 1850 there were still large, round stones on the ring wall, which used to be rolled down on attackers.

Admission costs a bit, but it's definitely worth it. As already described, you have a great view of Michelsberg and Heltau. In addition, there are now "hearing boards" where you can listen to/read information about the church and the surrounding area.

The German Church in Boian is in the center of the village and looks very impressive. Unfortunately, there are no more trade fairs there because parts inside are in danger of collapsing. The last fairs took place at the end of the 1980s. These types of castle churches are not uncommon in central Romania and can be found in almost every village. One more impressive than the other. They were mostly built by the German population of Romania, the Transylvanian Saxons. Not many of whom currently live in Romania.