BRASOV-THE COUNCIL SQUARE

The Council Square (Piata Sfatului), known to the Saxon population as the Marktplatz, is the heart of the old medieval Brasov. Lined with beautiful red-roofed merchant houses, the square is one of the finest in the country. The buildings recall the region's German heritage.

In the center of the square lies the Council House, built in 1420 The tower,called the Trumpets Tower, is in fact much older, and was once a watchtower for approaching barbarians before being incorporated into the main building. It was the place where an alarm was sounded when danger menaced the city. What you see today is largely the result of an 81-year renovation after the great fire of 1689. Then, the pile was restored and completed with the Renaissance loggia dominated by the baroque facade bearing the coats of arms of the town. The tower is 58 meters high. The Council House was the decision-making center of the important businesses of the city, where outstanding notables of the time were welcomed. Nowadays the building hosts the History Museum of Brasov County with rare exhibits and collections.

Around the square you'll find some of the smaller landmarks: the Renaissance style Hirscher House or Merchant's House (now the "Cerbul carpatin" restaurant), the beautiful entrance to the Orthodox cathedral or the museum dedicated to the Muresianu family out of which came the first editor of "Gazeta de Transilvania", a political newspaper published in the 19th century. One of the square's corners is dominated by the town's most famous landmark, the Black Church.