Romania

Sighisoara is an outstanding testimony to the culture of the Transylvanian Saxons, a culture that is coming to a close after 850 years and will continue to exist only through its architectural and urban monuments.

Sighisoara is an outstanding example of a small fortified city in the border region between the Latin-oriented culture of central Europe and the Byzantine-Orthodox culture of south-eastern Europe.

Located on the Tarnava Mare River, the town was built by Saxons between the 12th and 17th centuries. Eleven towers guard Sighisoara's walls, among them Tailors' Tower and Shoemakers" Tower.

The citadel was first attested in a written document in 1280, under the name of Castrum Sex (Fort Six). The name must have existed long before, as the Saxons built their walled town on the ruins of a former Roman fortress...

First mention in documents of the town was made as early as 1280, but there is archeological evidedce of successive settlements for over 4000 years. Dacian, Roman and earky Romanian dwelling places werw in this area.

Nevertheless the town as it is known today was founded by German colonists. Beginning with the second half of the 12th century German settlers were brought to Transylvania by the Hungarian kings. They founded many villages and towns among which Sighisoara is most outstanding.

An early settlement was most likely a village with a fortified refuge on the Castle Hill of today, it was destroyed by a Tatar invasion in 1241, rebuilt, and in 1280 documanted as Castrum Sex. Soon the Dominicans took interest in this place-in 1289 Schespurch (Scassburg) is indicated as seat of their monastery-and later the Franciscans.

The other German settlers to follow in the 14th century are mainly craftsmen and thus in 1367 Sighisoara is already known as town-Civitas de Segusvar. Under the threat of the Otoman invasions the town was fortified wall and towers were raised to sorround the whole town, about the year 1490.

The 15th and 16th century are the time of the town's great prosperity. The craftsmen, well-organized in guilds, and traders, taking advantage of the major commercial routes passing through the town were the agents of this progress. Thus, the number of the crafts (25) equal Sighisoara to the main German towns of the time, and trade contacts went as far as the Netherlands and Persia. This makes Sighisoara to be the first of the settlements in Transylvania to gain the status of a town in 1517, and even legal autonomy.

Besides having a history of their own, the townspeople of Sighisoara were involved in the major events concerning Transylvania and Romania. Thus they gave shelter (1431-1435) and support to Vlad Dracul in his attempt to get to the Romanian throne. It is one of his writings that the Romanian name of Sighisoara was first mentioned. Later the town supports the great Romanian Prince Viteazul (the Brave) to conquer Transylvania.

The citizens of Sighisoara were also involved in the Peasant's Rising of 1514, and in 1849 they are witness of the Hungarian revolutionary army's defeatt in the battle of Albesti, a place in the neighbourhood of the town.

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2006-12-18 20:13:00 created by admin