Not so lost in Transylvania

Blacksmith shop with industrial strength nails
Blacksmith shop with industrial strength nails
City square Sibiu
City square Sibiu

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
Lutheran church Sibiu with 4 towers
Blacksmithing display
Blacksmithing display
stone masonery
stone masonery

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
Stained glass window Orthodox church Sibiu
Inside Orthodox church Sibiu
Inside Orthodox church Sibiu
Carved entrance door Orthodox church Sibiu
Carved entrance door Orthodox church Sibiu

Orthodox church with exquisite stained glass windows, gold leaf frescoes and intricate wood carving.

Road side stop enroute to Biertan
Road side stop enroute to Biertan
? Magic mushrooms at road side stop enroute to Biertan
? Magic mushrooms at road side stop enroute to Biertan
More magic mushrooms
More magic mushrooms

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
3 walled church in Biertan
Door with many locks (19 altogether)
Door with many locks (19 altogether)
Square and round (improved design) towers Biertan
Square and round (improved design) towers Biertan
Shortbread moulds in museum
Shortbread moulds in museum
Genuine Singer machine for sewing leather
Genuine Singer machine for sewing leather
Grave digger's house biertan
Grave digger’s house Biertan

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
City fortifications Sibiu 1
City fortifications Sibiu 2
City fortifications Sibiu 2

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
Many flights of stairs to climb
View of lower level from top
View of lower level from top

DSC_0178 (Medium)

Upper level walkway
Upper level walkway
Lower level playground
Lower level playground
Lower level playground
Lower level playground
Salt mine walls and ceiling
Salt mine walls and ceiling
Birds eye view of lower level of salt mine
Birds eye view of lower level of salt mine
Salt crystal formations
Salt crystal formations
More salt crystal formations
More salt crystal formations

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
Typical roadside views
Oldest wooden church
Oldest wooden church
Oldest wooden church 2
Oldest wooden church 2
Inside oldest wooden church
Inside oldest wooden church
Inside oldest wooden church 2
Inside oldest wooden church 2
Using a ladder to get into heaven
Using a ladder to get into heaven

4 Replies to “Not so lost in Transylvania”

  1. Love that Salt Mine!!
    and once again – seemingly poorer countries have amazing wealth tied up in their churches!!
    Continue to enjoy the travels.

    1. Thank you Henk. Still haven’t mastered the formatting but I’m hoping people can work their way around the words and pictures.

  2. 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

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