Sighisoara – Schässburg

Town in Siebenbürgen Romania

Tuesday, 30.04.19, Sighișoara – Brasov (Kronstadt) – Sinaia

Franz Hartinger

Day 8 for the records. Smooth ride to Brasov, after a short search found parking near historic center. Light but stubborn rain. But there were meters which only took coins, no cards. Did not have any Lei yet. Asked in the hotel lobby. No currency exchange. Pointed me to up the road. Hoped not to get a ticket in the meantime, found ING DIBA Bank, but only ATM. So drew money in local currency, 200 Lei, cost me 45,2 Euro. Asked in the hotel lobby again, but even no till, no cash, no splitting of the 10 Lei note. Funny enough, the money collectors from the parking meters came just then and changed the note for me. As in Timisoara I walked slowly in the rain to town enjoying low level of actions all around.

  • Main square in light drizzle
  • Watch more lines..
  • No photos allowed in Black Church
  • Famous wall carpets
  • Black Church
The town hall is in the center of the square, quite unusual they say..
  • No day without coffee and croissant
  • Town Hall again
  • This where the battle for coins happened in the morning.
    Of course the rain had subsided when I finished my tour.

My aim was actually to go now to Sinaia for Peles Castle and then carry on to Curtea Arges for the Monastery with the King’s tombs.
Other then I was caught in (Orthodox) Easter traffic and at some stage did 20 km in 2 hours. That just led me to Saina where I was welcomed with a hefty thunderstorm. Luckily I found a spot at a Penny parking lot and could relax and even have my home cooked supper. There was no thinking of visiting the castle that afternoon any more.

Later I had the desire to still find a coffee shop with Wifi to do some postings. For that I drove to town which was up about 50 m higher and crowded with Easter holidaymakers and their cars. At the end of the main road I turned right even further up in a steep and winding road. What do you do here Hartinger was a valid question! Only to find a negative one way street ending in a bend I just accessed. I turned around and parked there reversing into the space. A few steps further were the stairs leading back to the main road and across the road was the coffee shop with Wifi and excellent products and very friendly staff.

  • Just as I imagined.

When I finished my postings I returned back to the Penny ground and had a peaceful nights rest.

Monday, 29.04.19, Hermannstadt, Biertan, Schässburg

Franz Hartinger

Day 7 for the records. Had a quiet night at the parking lot and did not bother for a breakfast at home but speculated with the usual a bit later. To start the cycling there is a procedure: unlock the wire lock, unlock the rack fasteners, lift down the bike, loosen the handlebar bolts, turn the handlebar 90 degrees, tighten the bolts, put lock and key into bar-bag, mount speedometer, mount head- and tail-light. In reverse when I come back. So it is a very important decision whether you go for the bike or go for a walk.
Here in Hermannstadt I went for the bike, which was perfect.
As most of the time I did not look into a map, followed my nose, the crowd and my instinct and found enough points of interest.

  • Main square with town hall which looks like a church, they say.
  • The “Lie-Bridge”. When a liar crosses over, the bridge will collapse, the legend says. Imagine….
Again I attended the service in the Orthodox Church for a short while enjoying the singing (from the others) and the relaxed spirit. Cannot remember being in Church so frequently. Why there are so well visited services is because it is the Orthodox Easter Weekend.
One of seven defense towers and the city wall on the right. The Siebenbürger came from Germany and knew how to organize life and protect their place.
  • Street back to the center

Although I had my relaxed coffee time I finished my excursion in about two hours. So I found it was time to move on. I had studied my Marco Polo in the morning and found a recommended “adventure tour” to the north towards Schässburg. I followed it step by step on this friendly sunny day.

  • The whole area is famous amongst other things for their fortified churches. This one is in Schechen. As typical for the Germans, int times of trouble these fortresses could shelter all the villagers including life stock. Climbed up a shortcut through the bushes.
  • Current
  • Churches
  • Medias
  • City wall

Birtan, surely the best kept fortress of all. What a presence. Another one, top right.

I reached Schässburg about 16h and hoped for a parking near the historic city. Turned to Penny parking lot and started on foot. 500 m later was the staircase to the hill.

  • Now in Schässburg (Sighisoara). View from the hill of the historic city.
  • Central Clock Tower
  • Center
  • The lovely main square with outside tables and chairs to dine and wine is posh.

Looking at all the stops and paces I had an unbelievable day of beauty. Needless to say I walked 10.000 steps plus, no bike after Hermannstadt at all. Remember the procedure. Another gift from the heavens was finally a camping ground in town. In the planning with Google Maps I found only one out of town in a hotel garden.
This time Garmin made its point and directed me to Aquaris Hotel and Camping.
Could even maintain my motorhome for water and sanitation.

  • Aquaris Camping with a view.