1. The Original Name

Originally Sighisoara had the name “Castro Sex”, which could be understood as the sixth Citadel from the region of the seven big castles, which are: Sebes, Miercurea, Orastie, Nocrich, Rupea, Sighisoara and Cincu

2. The Real Saxons

The Name Saxon comes from the Knights who were guiding the settlers from Germany to Transylvania. They came from the area of the “real” Saxons in southeast Germany.
Whenever the settlers took a break and came into contact with people in the different towns along their way, the knights were usually the first ones to introduce themselves. Being Saxons, the people thought that not only the guards, but the settlers also came from Saxon. That’s why the name spread and all of the settlers became known as Saxons.

3. A European record

The 15th and 16th century are the time of the town's great prosperity. In the 14th Century the Saxon hand crafts were already highly developed. The craftsmen formed so named guilds - professionally organized groups which existed for almost each trade and in which the work of the different craftsmen was coordinated.
At its peak Sighisoara had more than 20 guilds in which 25 different professions were organized. This was a European record for that time. The town had more guilds than Vienna or any other big city in Western Europe.
All but one - of the 14 defensive towers - have the names of craft professions because they belonged in former times to the so named GUILDS of the town - the Butcher's Tower, Locksmith’s Tower, Fisherman’s Tower, Shoemaker’s Tower, Tailors tower, Rope makers' Tower, Goldsmiths' Tower , Tinsmiths' Tower, Curriers' Tower

4. Top heavy

At 64 meters in height The Tower Clock is one of Transylvania's biggest monuments. From the ground up to the viewing point it measures exactly 30 meters. The roof including the iron weathercock (showing the wind direction) has a height of 34 meters. Thus, the roof section is even 4 meters larger than the body of the tower.

5. Gods and Goddesses

Every 24 hours the tower clock shows a specific figure for the day. The figures represent gods and goddesses of Greek and Roman mythology.

6. Everything Old Is New Again

The Blacksmiths' Tower is one of the 14 defending towers protecting the medieval town. It has now been re-furbished and converted into a theatre, but you can see the shooting windows on the upper part of the tower

7. Another Birck in the Wall

In April 2006 a section of 35 meters from the wall of the Sighisoara Medieval Citadel collapsed entirely as a result of the precipitations. The wall has since been repaired, but unfortunately it has been done with cement instead of the original materials and river stones that the citadel was built from.

8. The Roman Catholic Church

When seen from above, the shape of this Church looks like a Latin cross.

9. Dragons scales

Many of the tiles on the roofs around the citadel look like dragon scales.

10. River Stones

The stairs up to the citadel have only existed since the middle of the 20th Century. In the years before the passage was built, the road under the tower was still paved with slippery river stones.

Would you like to Advertise here? Contact us today to to be featured on this map