The Citadel in a bull leather
A lot of nice stories can be told about Sibiu, a city that has preserved until nowadays its authenticity, history and legends.
‘We ask for as much land to build our citadel as a bull leather can grasp’. These were the words of the founder of this city.
Better let us take you on the thread of our story:
It is said that when the Saxons came to colonize this city, they found that the land was very fertile and rich. Then, with a strong hope for a better life, they began to build a small village under the command of Hermann, a very good leader and a skilled craftsman. During his visit around these places, the Hungarian King, under whose dominion Transylvania was at that times, wanted to see how the newcomers managed to accommodate with the places. Herman, then, asked the king for permission to build a strong citadel, where not even the king himself could not enter without authorization. The citadel was to be built on a land as large as a bull leather can grasp. King agreed upon Herman’s request, thinking that, on such a small plot of land, one could not build a real citadel. To the King’s big surprise, Herman came with the leather and started to cut very thin strips that were knotted together to form a very long strap. He went then onto the hill on south of his village and surrounded quite a large part of this hill with the strap that was, not long ago, the bull’s skin. Stunned by Herman’s mastery and cleverness, the King signed the agreement and the Saxons built the Citadel of Sibiu which is standing until nowadays.
And so, the present blends with the past, the legend turns into truth and this medieval citadel managed to get through its almost 900 years old history, to the delight of our eyes and soul.
This is the legacy that we are nowadays proud of and which we invite you to visit. Do not forget to see, during your visit, the towers named after the guilds of Sibiu: Council Tower, The Small Square, The Big Square, The Bridge of Liars. Also, a must see of Sibiu are The Brukenthal Museum, The ‘Radu Stanca’ National Theatre, Sibiu State Philharmonic and Ballet Theatre of Sibiu.
Each building, each tower has a story as beautiful as the story of the founding of this city.
Please check our blog posts to find out more about the history behind each sightseeing.
For arrangements to visit the City, feel free to Contact us. We recommend groups of 10 to 16 persons.