Downtown Sibiu

We had some great views of Sibiu today – both from above and from street level. We climbed up the Council Tower, which dates back to the 1400’s. The winding staircase had several landings, with art displays and old maps. So we stopped at each level to take a closer look (read: take a breath). The picture below shows the Council tower as seen from Liars’ Bridge.

There were windows on four sides at the top, so we had great views of the city. There are clay tiled roofs in the old core area, and more modern buildings in the area outside the walled city.

We strolled over to Liars’ Bridge, named after the unscrupulous merchants who used to hold trade there and also after star-crossed lovers who declared their “undying” love for each other! It is a very short bridge, so it must have been quite crowded.

The old city has retained its charm and character. You can see old buildings with paint peeling off, bricks crumbling, roofs sagging, and yet it looks right. Some of the older buildings have been restored with steel beams and braces to hold up the old wood ones, but it is done discreetly so it is still the old look that comes through.

After all this walking around, we sat at a street cafe and had some cappuccino/tea/ice cream and just people watched. It was a relaxing way to end our trip into town. You can guess who had which refreshment!

NM