Located in the central part of Romania, in the Transylvania region, Brasov (German: Kronstadt; Hungarian: Brassó) is one of Transylvania’s most picturesquely situated cities, at the junction of the South- and East-Carpathian Ranges.
Romania’s second largest city after Bucharest, it is traditionally the region’s cultural and commercial centre, with an ever increasing tourist trade in recent times.
At one time Brasov had the highest Saxon population in Transylvania; by today however, their number has dwindled to insignificance.
In the Middle Ages Brasov was surrounded by a protective wall with 28 towers and 7 bastions; some parts of this wall are still standing.
Brasov’s main tourist attraction is the “Black Church” next to the main square, built in the Late-Gothic style between 1385 and 1477. It is Transylvania’s largest church and the eastern-most “large Gothic building” in Europe. It received its name as a result of the damage it suffered during the fire of 1689, when the Austrian Emperor’s General Caraffa set fire to the city because the Saxons refused to let him garrison the city.
The Town-Hall, in the middle of the square, was originally built in the Gothic style –acquiring its present Baroque form in 1770; it is currently a museum.
Those wishing to make an excursion to the top of the 960m high mountain, rising 400m above the city, can do so on foot along a tourist-trail, or in comfort by cable-car.