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Sighisoara citadel is one of seven Saxon walled cities in Romania built by the Saxons in the 12th-century. Romania is home to many beautiful medieval towns, like Brasov, Cluj, Târgu Mures, and Sibiu. But perhaps the most charming one of them is the citadel of Sighisoara, a perfectly intact 16th century gem with plenty of things to see and do.

A Brief History of the Citadel of Sighisoara, Romania

The origin of Sighisoara citadel goes back to Roman times. During the 1st Century AD, the Dacians (a population that Romanians consider their ancestors) built here a fortification called Sandava. 

During the 12th century King Béla IV of Hungary invited the Saxons –a Germanic people– to settle in Transylvania and defend the frontier of his realm. The Transylvanian Saxons built a new settlement on the ruins of the former fortress and named it Schäßburg (Sighisoara, in Romanian.)

Things to do in Sighisoara
The Tower Clock in Sighisoara Citadel

The construction of the citadel of Sighisoara began in the 1100s and continued through the 1500s. Because of its strategical position – up on the City Hill – Sighisoara acted as protection against Tatars and other invaders. The citadel was a strong defensive construction, with towers, bastions and guns overlooking the valley and controlling the main gateway to the town. 

7 Amusing Things to Do in the Sighisoara Citadel

Visiting the Sighisoara citadel is one of the best things to do in Transylvania, Romania. It’s not difficult to fall in love with this medieval town. Its old strategic towers, cobbled streets, colorful buildings and ornate churches look like from the pages of story book. 

Medieval street in the old town
Medieval street in Old Town Sighisoara

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1. Stroll the Streets of the Historic Town

One of the most fun thinks to do in Sighisoara is walking through the historic town. This charming place will take your imagination back to the Middle Ages.

The historic center of Sighisoara still maintains its original medieval layout, with narrow streets and closely aligned rows of houses. Most of the houses are simple homes of craftsmen, built from stone or brick, covered in colored plaster and topped with tiled roofs.

The citadel itself is tiny, just a handful of streets with a very authentic atmosphere, somewhat reminiscent of Bratislava, in Slovakia.

Street in the Old town Sighisoara Citadel
Street in Historic Center of Sighisoara Citadel

The lovely citadel square that seems so peaceful today, used to be the place where they had trials and public executions in the old times.

2. Visit the Defense Walls and Guild Towers

The Transylvanian Saxons who erected the citadel of Sighisoara were craftsmen and merchants. They organized themselves in powerful guilds and each guild was responsible for the construction of a tower and its defense. 

The Rope-maker tower in the Citadel of Sighisoara
The Rope-maker Tower in the Citadel of Sighisoara

The towers were named after the crafts, like the Tailor’s Tower, or the Boot-maker’s Tower. Out of the 14 original towers only 9 survive, along with 2 bastions.

Of the 9 towers that survived, only one is still inhabited today – the Rope-maker’s Tower.

3. Climb Atop the Clock Tower

The most impressive of all towers in the citadel is the Clock Tower, which dominates the three squares of the historic center. The sixty four meters tall building was once the meeting place of the town’s council.

the wooden figurines of the dial clock in Sighisoara
Clock dial and wooden figurines

The clock has two big dials (one on each facade of the tower). Each dial has a group of wooden figurines that move with the clock’s mechanism.

As you spiral up the clock tower’s steep staircase, you’ll come across various displays with interesting exhibits belonging to the Sighisoara History Museum. As you climb further you’ll see the clock mechanisms as well as the tower’s famous figurines. 

Today the tower plays a special role as the symbol of Sighisoara.

4. Visit the Birth Place of Vlad the Impaler

An important attraction Sighisoara is the house of Vlad Dracul, the father of Vlad Tepes (also known as Vlad the Impaler), ruler of the province of Walachia from 1456 to 1462.  Vlad Dracul was a knight of the Order of the Dragon, thus being given the name Dracul (which means “Devil” in Romanian).

Today, as you walk by the house, you can still see the dragon (symbol of the Order of the Dragon) hanging above the house entrance. Allegedly in this house Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) was born. 

The House of Vlad Dracul in the Citadel of Sighisoara, Romania
The House of Vlad Dracul in the Citadel of Sighisoara, Romania

The house, now hosting a restaurant and a small museum, is located in the Citadel Square, close to the Clock Tower.

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5. Climb the Covered Scholars’ Stairs

I found particularly interesting the long covered wooden staircase that leads up to the Church on the Hill. The Scholars’ Stairs, as it is also called, was built to cover schoolchildren and churchgoers from the rain. The staircase has 175 steps.

Covered staircase in Sighisoara Citadel
Covered staircase in Sighisoara citadel

6. Visit the Torture Museum

There are a few really good museums related to the town’s history. Those include the museum in the Clock Tower and the Torture Museum, right next to it.

displays in the. Torture Museum
The Torture Museum in the historic center

Before visiting this place, I have not fully realised the degree of cruelty people excercised against each other in the medieval times. Just seeing the stiff armchair padded with sharp nails and a few other pain-inflicting gadgets gave me the chills!

7. Visit the Church on the Hill

As you climb up the covered Scholars’ Stairs towards the School Hill, don’t miss visiting evocative Church on the Hill. This late-Gothic, triple-naved church was originally a 13th-century Romanesque basilica, later restored in Gothic style.

Sighisoara still stands today as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. In 1999 the town became part of the UNESCO world heritage.

Cultural Events Hosted in the Sighisoara Citadel

All throughout the year, the citadel hosts numerous art festivals. Such events include:
March: International Blues Festival;
May: International Arts and Film Festival with vampire themes;
July: Sighisoara Medieval Festival, an event reenacting medieval battles;
November / December: Night of Lights (Lanternennacht), a German-inspired festival.

How to Get to Sighisoara Citadel

Sighisoara is a small city in the region of Transylvania which is easily accessible both by train and by bus from many cities in Romania. For instance, Sighisoara is within 2 hours distance from cities like Cluj, Tirgu Mures, Sibiu and Brasov.

Sighisoara can also be reached from Bucharest, but it takes a little longer (about 4.5 hours by car).

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The clock tower in the historic center

Taking a trip to Romania? You may be interested in these articles:

10 Castles and Fortresses in Romania to Add to Your Bucket List
Bucharest Village Museum – an Insight Into Romania’s Rural Life
What You Should Know About Romanians Before You Travel to Romania
10 Reasons to Visit Romania
The Citadel of Alba Iulia – a Romanian Landmark Reborn From Its Ashes
7 Traditional Dishes You Should Try in Romania

About Anda

Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ana

    Lovely photos, Anda. Sighisoara is one of my favorite city in Romania. I hope to visit it again this summer on my way to Transfagarasan.

    Reply

  2. Vinodh

    Anda,
    Great post, lovely photos. This will definitely will be on my itinerary next year. Did you visit or will you be visiting the painted monasteries of Bucovina and the wooden churches of Maramures? Heard that they are really worth seeing.

    Reply

  4. antonio nenni

    Your photos look amazing. I would love to go here after reading your post. Thanks for some great tips on where to go

    Reply

  5. Emese

    Your photos of Sighisoara are absolutely stunning, Anda! I love that you included lesser-known places, like the Rope Maker’s Tower and the Covered Bridge. I haven’t seen those in ages, though we stop in Sighisoara every time we visit Romania. But we seem to always be in transit, so we tend to stop only in the center and visit the clock tower and walk in its vicinity. Sighisoara is my husband’s favorite town in Romania, I’ll need to take him around more next time. Thanks for reminding me of all the beautiful sites in town.

    Reply

      • Emese

        You fly into Bucharest and make your way from there? Are you from Tirgu Mures, Anda? I used to work there, took the train every day from Ludus, for a year. We fly to Budapest, since one of my brothers lives there, and make our way eventually to Brasov to visit my other brother, and we always stop in Sighisoara, too. But lately, we haven’t spent enough time there, sort of in a rush every time. I hope to have a longer visit next time.

        Reply

        • Anda Galffy

          My husband is Hungarian and he was born in Oradea. My in-laws used to live in Tg. Mures, but they passed away. We still visit the city when we go to Romania and always start in Bucharest because my relatives live there.

          Reply

  8. Rebekah

    I did a semester of college in Sighisoara. I used to run up to the citadel every morning. It was an intense work out. God I would love to go back to that city… I still miss the goat cheese and the zacusca

    Reply

  9. Mary {The World Is A Book}

    I have never heard of Sighisoara before but what an absolutely stunning place. I love all the colors here on your beautiful photos. It has so many interesting things too including its history. Medieval towns like these are such a joy to visit and photograph. Thanks for the awesome virtual tour.

    Reply

  12. Vlad

    I’ve been wanting to visit Sighisoara for a while now, the last time I was there I was a kid and I found it boring then, but I would love to visit it now, with the eyes of a grown up. However, 7 hours by train is A LOT, it was faster to go to Oslo….

    Reply

  19. Corinne

    Anda, These are gorgeous shots. Romania is on my list for soon to get theres, but I’m afraid that it would take at least a few weeks to do it right…I think maybe I’ll plan a trip for next summer. Any hints?

    Reply

    • Anda Galffy

      Thank you Corinne. Your best bet would be Transylvania, if you plan to visit Romania. It has some very well preserved medieval towns worth visiting (like Sibiu, or Tirgu Mures for instance). Bucharest may be worth a trip too, but not for more the 2-3 days.

      Reply

  21. Rosemary K

    Another place to put on my list! Thank you. Very interesting to see a Romanian mediaeval town, particularly one connected with Dracula. I recently read and enjoyed The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova which is a sort of modern literary thriller about Dracula.

    Reply

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