City of a Thousand Eyes—Sibiu

145 kilometers west of Brașov lies a beautiful ancient city, which was named the European Capital of Culture in 2007. Here, you can see medieval city walls, battlements, moats, drawbridges, gatehouses, bastions, Baroque and Gothic architecture. This is Sibiu, an ancient city in Romania known as the 'Open-Air Museum'. The houses in Sibiu have distinctive shapes and are highly recognizable. The roofs are almost all orange-red, the walls are colorful, and the attic windows on the slopes resemble human eyes. Especially the tiles at the top of the windows arch upwards, resembling curved upper eyelids, with the windows looking like pupils. Curiously, almost all houses are like this, giving rise to the names 'Eyes of Sibiu' and 'City of a Thousand Eyes'. Sibiu is located at the foot of the Southern Carpathians, in the central region of Transylvania. It was built by German immigrants in the 12th century and was historically known as Cibinium. It is one of the seven famous ancient cities in Romania. In 1241, the city was destroyed by fire due to multiple invasions by the Tatars. However, due to the developed local handicrafts and commerce, the city soon restored its original appearance. In the 14th century, to prevent invasions by the Ottomans, a fortress was built around the city. By the 16th century, Sibiu had become an important center for handicrafts and trade in the region. In 1530, the first printing house in Transylvania was established here, and in 1544, the first Romanian book 'Luther's Proverbs' was published here. From 1703 to 1791 and from 1849 to 1867, it twice served as the capital of the Grand Principality of Transylvania. The long history has left many historical sites, and the medieval city walls and Baroque and Gothic old buildings give the city an ancient charm. Sibiu has a long history, is small and exquisite, and has a strong ancient atmosphere. It needs to be slowly toured and experienced with heart. The old city is divided into upper and lower districts due to the terrain, separated by the Bridge of Lies. The upper district has the Large Square, the Small Square, and Huet Square, where famous historical buildings are located. The lower district is where ordinary people live, full of local life and relatively quiet. Republic Square: Known as the 'Large Square' by the people of Sibiu, it is in the city center and is rectangular in shape. Almost all important events in the city's history are related to this square. The houses around the square are all Gothic buildings, each with a very distinctive large door. The styles of the doors are absolutely different, with semicircular facades, and the doorposts and lintels are carved with various patterns. Some lintels are also engraved with unique emblems, which are the 'family crests' carved by prominent families in the Middle Ages. All buildings are well preserved, with the most representative being the Brukenthal Palace on one side of the square. March 6th Square: Known as the 'Small Square' by the people of Sibiu, it is relatively small compared to Republic Square. The houses around the square are well-preserved ancient buildings. All houses have different styles, with no two buildings looking the same. Even the colors on the walls are varied, giving a very unique feeling. Surprisingly, the buildings now used as shops try to preserve the original items left from the past to attract customers. Visitors are never tired of looking and are reluctant to leave. The most attractive feature is the 'Ferenghi Stairs'. A winding stone staircase leads up to the Old Fortress Street and down to the 'Council Tower'. Climbing the stairs, the ancient cityscape of Sibiu is fully revealed. Modern transportation tools are completely unusable here, as the stairs are the main passage, with many alleys connected to it, forming a deep and quiet labyrinth. Those unfamiliar with the situation may feel like they have entered a 'Bagua Formation'. Near the square is an iron bridge built in 1859, the earliest iron bridge in Romania. The iron railings on both sides of the bridge are cast with circular patterns. Locals jokingly call this bridge the 'Bridge of Lies'. Why this ancient and artistically unique bridge has such an unflattering name remains unknown. Located between the two squares is a bastion built in the 16th century, used as a fortress to defend against foreign enemies. It looks like a pagoda, with a round helmet on top. It is named after its proximity to the Parliament House. In the early 16th century, to resist foreign invasions, various craftsmen in the area funded the construction of walls and fortresses for self-defense, resulting in a series of fortresses such as the 'Weavers' Bastion', 'Blacksmiths' Bastion', 'Masons' Bastion', and 'Red Bastion'. Later, walls were built to connect these fortresses, forming a circle within which people could move freely. The existing city walls were built in the late 16th century and are the third line of defense of the ancient fortress group. Sibiu has well-preserved churches, including the Evangelical Church built in the 14th-15th centuries, a Gothic building, and the Eastern Orthodox Cathedral built in 1850 in a Byzantine style. They are magnificent in appearance and have exquisite interior murals, making them well worth a visit.