P Vlad Dracul’s House

Str Cositorarilor 5. Tel (265) 771

596. 
     

     10am–11pm daily.

     
     

     Despite its name, there is no
     historical evi dence linking this
     building (Casa Vlad Dracul)
     to Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad
     Țepeş, the Wallachian ruler

     
     

586 SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp596–7 and pp598–9

Perched high on a hill above the Târnava Mare river,
Sighişoara was founded in the 12th century by German
mer chants and craftsmen who had been invited by the
king of Hungary to set tle in the region and defend its
borders. The settlement grew into a major Transylvanian
town but was almost abandoned following a devas ta ting
fire in 1676. Most of the buildings today date from the
town’s subsequent rebuild. The Old Town is one of
Europe’s few remaining inhabited medi eval citadels, and
is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Studded around
it are a number of towers, many of which belonged
to the town guilds; of the 14 towers originally built,
only 9 have survived. Clustered behind the forti fied
walls is an ensem ble of 17th-century build ings whose
fading façades enhance the citadel’s period charm.

Sighişoara 8

P Clock Tower
Piața Muzeului 1. Tel (265) 771 108.

15 May–15 Sep: 10am–5:30pm

Tue– Sun; 16 Sep–14 May: 9am–
3:30pm Tue–Fri, 10am–3:30pm
Sat & Sun. =
Built over the main gate in the
13th century, the Clock Tower
(Turnul cu Ceas) is the domi-
nant feature of the citadel.
Designed as a defen sive
structure, its thick lower stone
walls made it difficult for
enemies to attack. It housed
the town council offices until

1550. The fifth and sixth floors,
      as well as the clock, were
      added at the begin ning of
      the 17th century. At mid night
      every day one of seven
      wooden figures, sym bolizing
      day and night, emerges from
      the clock to face the town. The
      tower was destroyed by the
      Great Fire of 1676 and rebuilt
      in subse quent years. Today, it
      is occupied by the History
      Museum and a small Museum

R Monastery Church

Piața Muzeului. # 8am–7pm

daily.

Originally part of a

13th-century Dominican

mon as tery, this Gothic

church (Biserica Manastirii

Dominicane) has been

Lutheran since 1556. Its

present appear ance dates

back to the late 17th cen-

tury, when it was rebuilt

following the Great Fire;

the Baroque organ was

installed in 1680. Its interior

walls are decorated with

300-year-old Anatolian rugs.

Symbolic wooden figures on the
13th-century Clock Tower

Sighişoara Monastery Church seen across a cluster of rooftops

P Venetian House

Piața Muzeului.

Located on the corner

of Museum Square

(Piața Muzeului), the

Venetian House (Casa

Venetian) was once a

mayoral resi dence. Built in

the 16th century, it is named

for its Venetian Gothic stone

win dow frames, which were

added during renovations in

the 19th century. Today, the

house is used by the German

Evangelical parish and the

German Democratic Forum,

founded in 1989, which

represent the town’s remain-

ing German residents.

who was notorious for his

methods of punish ment.

However, some of the murals

inside the house, discovered

during renova tions, depict a

figure bearing some resem-

blance to the infamous ruler.

The ground floor is now a

medieval-themed restau rant

while the first floor is

home to the Museum

of Weapons.

The Gothic Venetian House, at the

corner of Museum Square

Sign outside

Dracul’s House

of Torture, which includes

among its exhibits a lad der that

was used to roast people alive.