![Blacksmith shop with industrial strength nails](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0094-Medium-87x130.jpg)
![City square Sibiu](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0148-Medium-1-195x130.jpg)
Arrived safely in Transylvania in the town of Sibiu, only slightly misty and light fog. It is light till fairly late and enjoyed strolling around the city squares and along the old wall. The squares were within the fortified walls and protected the guilds of many crafts. The blacksmith’s shop had a good array of industrial strength fasteners.
![Lutheran church Sibiu with 4 towers](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0103-Medium-e1472187755132-87x130.jpg)
![Blacksmithing display](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0104-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![stone masonery](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0105-Medium-195x130.jpg)
Note the 4 towers on the church, this meant the town had a legal system and justice would be metred out for criminal behaviour. (we escaped Sibiu without penalty)
Climbed the clock tower of the Lutheran church, the clock was very old, but the driving mechanism was very up to date (electronic). Pipe organ inside.
Outside there was a display of blacksmithing and stone masonery
![Stained glass window Orthodox church Sibiu](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0108-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Inside Orthodox church Sibiu](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0109-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Carved entrance door Orthodox church Sibiu](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0110-Medium-e1472187775479-87x130.jpg)
Orthodox church with exquisite stained glass windows, gold leaf frescoes and intricate wood carving.
![Road side stop enroute to Biertan](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0120-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![? Magic mushrooms at road side stop enroute to Biertan](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0116-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![More magic mushrooms](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0118-Medium-195x130.jpg)
Road side stop along the way, a little sample of what we are expecting in the ARDF area. Interesting fungi. Not the edible kind.
![3 walled church in Biertan](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0124-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Door with many locks (19 altogether)](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0137-Medium-1-e1472187804281-87x130.jpg)
![Square and round (improved design) towers Biertan](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0127-Medium-e1472187789906-87x130.jpg)
![Shortbread moulds in museum](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0140-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Genuine Singer machine for sewing leather](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0142-Medium-e1472187817490-87x130.jpg)
![Grave digger's house biertan](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0146-Medium-e1472187837167-87x130.jpg)
At Biertan, fortified church with 3 walls of protection and if that failed there was the room with the door with many locks. The town was settled by German people and hence the buildings have a similar style about them. Many German people left Romania after Ceausescu was deposed, but send their bodies back to be buried in the cemetery here.
Food and hospitality is excellent in Romania. 250 mls of house white of exceptional quality for under $3 and then complimentary palinka and black currant “cordial”. We enjoyed a late evening stroll around the city wall at Sibiu.
![City fortifications Sibiu 1](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0156-Medium-1-e1472187858222-87x130.jpg)
![City fortifications Sibiu 2](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0157-Medium-195x130.jpg)
We thought of you all as we headed off to the salt mine in Turda (this word causes me some grief) today. Salt mining was one of the main industries in Transylvania.
![Many flights of stairs to climb](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0186-Medium-e1472234191814-87x130.jpg)
![View of lower level from top](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0183-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Upper level walkway](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0174-Medium-e1472226966476-87x130.jpg)
![Lower level playground](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0170-Medium-e1472226915152-87x130.jpg)
![Lower level playground](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0177-Medium-1-195x130.jpg)
![Salt mine walls and ceiling](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0169-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Birds eye view of lower level of salt mine](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0167-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Salt crystal formations](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0176-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![More salt crystal formations](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0195-Medium-195x130.jpg)
Many flights of stairs to the bottom, the queues were quite long for the lifts, so we got lots of exercise. To make it entertaining for the families they have installed a children’s playground on the bottom layer. Of course we had to ride on the ferris wheel, but there was also table tennis tables, pool tables, mini golf, even a pond with paddle boats but no coffee!!
Ewen is still puzzling how the walls stay up. If you take a vertical cross section it looks like a conical flask about 90 metres deep, with elevated platform at the neck. Not good if you don’t do heights very well.
Another interesting old wooden church tucked off the road on the way to Maramures. Inside was particularly interesting.
![Typical roadside views](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0197-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Oldest wooden church](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0200-Medium-e1472234287965-87x130.jpg)
![Oldest wooden church 2](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0203-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Inside oldest wooden church](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0209-Medium-195x130.jpg)
![Inside oldest wooden church 2](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0206-195x130.jpg)
![Using a ladder to get into heaven](https://ardf.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0207-Medium-1-195x130.jpg)
Love that Salt Mine!!
and once again – seemingly poorer countries have amazing wealth tied up in their churches!!
Continue to enjoy the travels.
Great photo’s! Lot of history in places we’ve never heard of.
Thank you Henk. Still haven’t mastered the formatting but I’m hoping people can work their way around the words and pictures.
I had forgotten all about the salt mines and the amazing size of the caverns, but we had lifts, back in 1987. Did you go to Sinia. Loved that place and all we got there was dreadful wine