In 2015 I visited Brașov for the first time with some classmates with whom I was involved with in an entrepreneurial project. As we had certain tasks to complete I felt I didn’t have enough time to properly discover the city, even so I fell in love with it.
Few weeks ago and 5 years later, I decided to visit Brașov again and try to discover as much of it as possible. Although it is one of the counties most affected by the pandemic I mostly felt safe, I wore a mask in crowded places and washed and disinfected my hands as frequently as possible. I say I mostly felt safe because Brașov’s Old Town was crowded with tourists which made me feel like there was no pandemic and everything has returned to its normal state.
Being in the Carpathian Mountains, the temperature was perfect, not too hot or humid, which meant I could spend most of the day strolling and visiting without sweating and getting headaches. As the apartment I stayed in was right in the heart of the historical center most of the touristic attractions were close.
Amongst the many historical buildings seen there was the Black Church, which is not only the most important Lutheran place of worship in the region, but it stands as the main Gothic style monument in Romania. The construction of the church began somewhere between 1383 and 1385 and it was completed in the 15th century, but, unfortunately, during a great fire set by Habsburg forces in 1689 it was partially destroyed. Afterwards, because of the damages caused by the fire, it became known as the Black Church.
Close to the Black Church is the Council House built in the main square of the old town in a quite powerful architectural style. The building is well maintained and it looks like a crown in the central plaza with its clock tower.
Tâmpa was another touristic attraction I had on my list and ticked as visited. It’s a mountain part of the Postăvarul Massif entirely surrounded by the city of Brașov. A cable car makes it possible to go to its crest where the view is gorgeous, offering a panoramic of the whole city. There are also numerous routes to the summit, but I decided to buy a ticket for the cable car instead of walking uphill. I followed one of the routes on the way back. It was a bit tiring, but it’s the good type of tiredness I felt, and, of course, because of the physical exertion of walking downhill and the fresh air I had a good night’s sleep.
