Transylvania and the Cities Within It Part 9 of 17

This is a series of posts about the cities within Transylvania. Feel free to add you comments about each city. Today is city number 9, so if I haven't gotten to one yet, please tell me which ones you might want to read about. I'll be adding a small comment post, where you can decide what is the next series.

Sibiu (Romanian), Hermannstadt (German), Nagyszeben (Hungarian) is one of the most interesting and unique cities in Transylvania. Once the heart of the Saxons in Transylvania, it was also the seat of the Principality of Transylvania from 1692-1790. The city's rich heritage seems from it ancient fortress.

I've seen many pictures of this beautiful city, and the most striking feature is the church tower that seems to rise above the city. It is home to many first, a pharmacy, a paper mill, a lighting rod installation, the city that became a fixture in the eyes of many.

As the heart of the German population in Transylvania, it didn't lose its larger Saxon population due to growth and migration by the Hungarian and Romanian population until 1941, after this time, it was the Romanian population that grew, but Sibiu retains its German roots. The place still has a number of Germans living within its borders, and oftentimes the signs have the German name to the city on them.

During the Romanian Revolution of 1989, it was the third city to revolt in Romania after two other cities in Transylvania. This caused tension between the city and the capital, but over the years, Sibiu has prospered.

It was in 2007 that it was named, along with Luxembourg as a European capital of culture, due to the restoration of it old fortresses and other buildings.

I hope to see this city since it is so full of history and culture that is recognized the world over.

If you're wondering more about what I'm writing see this blog.


Unknown said…
You know, I never really thought about Germans being a large minority in Transylvania, but it makes a lot of sense.

I bet it is really neat to see the blending of the two different, distinct cultures.