Sighisoara (Schäßburg or Segesvár), a medieval city in Transilvania

Founded by Transylvanian Saxons during the 12th century, Sighisoara still stands as one of the most beautiful and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this perfectly intact 16th century gem with nine towers, cobbled streets, burgher houses and ornate churches rivals the historic streets of Old Prague or Vienna for atmospheric magic. It is also the birthplace of Vlad Dracula, also known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), ruler of the province of Walachia from 1456 to 1462. It was he who inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional creation, Count Dracula.

Sighisoara is the venue for Romania’s most remarkable street festivals: The Festival of Medieval Arts and Crafts. Re-creating a medieval atmosphere, complete with troubadour music and costume parades, street entertainers and handicraft displays, open air night concerts and medieval ceremonies, this event will allow you to immerse yourself in the lore and legends of medieval Transylvania. For a unique experience have lunch in the house where Vlad Tepes (the real Dracula) was born.

So, at the end of July, I was at the 15th Medieval Sighisoara Festival and I made many panoramas. I will present you the images in a series of posts…

I’ll show you now a couple of panos made in the city, next to Tarnava river. The big white church is the orthodox cathedral, and on the other side the historical center of the city, with it’s specific architecture.