Medieval Towns

Transylvania is also home to the exquisite medieval town of Sighisoara, a perfectly intact 15th century gem with nine towers, narrow passageways and cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornate churches.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sighisoara is also the birthplace of Vlad Draculea, nicknamed Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tepes), ruler of Walachia from 1456 to 1462.

It was Vlad who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula. His house is just one of many attractions here. Others include: the Church on the Hill, with its 500-year-old frescoes; the Church of the Dominican Monastery, known for its Transylvanian Renaissance carved altarpiece, baroque painted pulpit, Oriental carpets and 17th century organ; and the Venetian House, built in the 13th century. In the nearby countryside, another UNESCO World Heritage town, 13th century Biertan, stands high on a hill as one of the largest and most impressive medieval strongholds in Transylvania.

entral Romania encompasses what is popularly known as Transylvania – a place that immediately brings to mind the legend of Count Dracula. While the legend is certainly intriguing and a genuine tourist attraction, the region has much more to offer. Some of Europe’s best-preserved medieval towns, most notably Sighisoara, Brasov and Sibiu, are located here.

Visitors can marvel at Transylvania’s unique architectural treasures, such as castles, fortified churches and centuries-old houses, while exploring sites where more than 900 years ago Saxon craftsmen and merchants established powerful and rich citadels.