Council Tower of Sibiu: the tower that joins the Great and Small Squares
The Council Tower of Sibiu (Turnul Sfatului, Hermannstädter Ratsturm) rises between the Great Square and the Small Square in the historic centre of Sibiu, Transylvania. Begun in the 13th century as a gate, it later housed the town council, and today it holds exhibitions and a viewing level: one of the best things to do in Sibiu.
In February 1585 the upper floors of Sibiu’s Council Tower collapsed and buried a painter who was decorating its vault. The tower was rebuilt within three years and is now the city’s emblem.
The history of the Council Tower of Sibiu
The Council Tower dates from the 13th century. It was built as the entrance gate of the second ring of fortifications of medieval Sibiu, a ring dated to the years 1224–1241. Archaeologists found a coin from the reign of King Andrew II of Hungary (1205–1235) in the defensive ditch of that ring. Right beside the tower stood the building that housed the town hall, which is first documented in 1324.
From the 15th century on, records show how the town council worked, and by then it had moved from its old seat into the tower. As the link between Sibiu’s two main squares, the tower was the more convenient place. The council consisted of a mayor and several councillors. Of the original structure, only the core up to the first floor survives; the tower was raised and rebuilt several times and was eventually absorbed into a group of buildings.
On 17 February 1585 the upper floors of the tower collapsed and buried the painter Johann David, who was working on the painting of the vault. Extensive reconstruction followed between 1586 and 1588. Above the passage between the two squares a stone plaque in Latin still records that the tower was completely finished on 3 August 1588.
The roof changed shape over time. It was a pointed pyramid with four corner turrets, repaired in 1719; in 1750 the town decided to replace it with a cheaper, lower one, and a watercolour of 1789 shows a low pyramid with a break in the slope. Between 1824 and 1826 the last floor was added and the roof received its present onion-shaped form. In 1930 a second vaulted passage was opened beside the first. The tower was fully restored in 1961–1962, and from 1962 to 1998 it housed a medieval section of the Brukenthal Museum. Today it is used for exhibitions and as a viewpoint.
Curiosities about the Council Tower of Sibiu
- When the upper floors collapsed on 17 February 1585, the painter Johann David, who was painting the vault, was buried under the walls.
- A Latin inscription above the passage records that the rebuilt tower was finished on 3 August 1588.
- Two lions carved in relief are set into the buttresses on the south side. They were once thought to belong to the original tower, but they seem to have been carved in the Renaissance, in the last third of the 16th century.
- Over the centuries the tower has been a gate tower, a grain store, a fire lookout, a prison and, around the middle of the 19th century, a natural science museum.
- The tower is considered the most iconic building of Sibiu, which was European Capital of Culture in 2007, and it appears on souvenirs and in advertising for the city.
- A bilingual plaque on the tower marks the visit of heads of state to the South-Eastern European summit held in Bucharest and Sibiu on 7–8 June 2007.
Tours near Council Tower of Sibiu
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Council Tower of Sibiu: what to see
- The vaulted passage on the ground floor, which links the Small Square and the Great Square, is the former gate of the second ring of walls.
- The tower is entered by a small door on the Small Square, and a narrow spiral staircase leads up to the upper floors.
- The clock mechanism is on the sixth floor, with dials on all four sides, and the top floor is a viewing level over the old town and the peaks of the Făgăraș Mountains.
- The Bridge of Lies is right beside the tower, and Roșia fortified church lies about 13 km away.
- Opening arrangements change, so check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Council Tower of Sibiu is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Council Tower of Sibiu
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Questions
Where is the Council Tower of Sibiu?
It stands in the historic centre of Sibiu, Transylvania, between the Great Square (Piața Mare) and the Small Square (Piața Mică), which it links. The Romanian address is Piața Mică no. 1.
When was the Council Tower of Sibiu built?
It was built in the 13th century as a gate in the second ring of fortifications. It was partly destroyed in 1585 and rebuilt in 1586–1588.
What was the Council Tower used for?
It served as a gate tower, a seat of the town council, a grain store, a fire lookout, a prison, a natural science museum and, from 1962 to 1998, part of the Brukenthal Museum. Today it holds exhibitions and a viewpoint.
Can you climb the Council Tower of Sibiu?
Yes: a narrow spiral staircase leads from a small door on the Small Square to the upper floors, where the top level offers a view of the town and the Făgăraș Mountains. Check the current opening hours before you go.
Why is the Council Tower the symbol of Sibiu?
It is regarded as the city’s most iconic building and stands right between its two main squares. It often appears on souvenirs and in publicity for Sibiu.
What else is worth seeing near the Council Tower of Sibiu?
The Bridge of Lies is right next to it. Roșia fortified church is about 13 km away, Cârța Monastery about 32 km and Valea Viilor fortified church about 33 km.
Also nearby
Bridge of Lies
Sibiu · a cast-iron footbridge with a bundle of legends
150 m away
Roșia Fortified Church
Sibiu County · Saxon Romanesque basilica with a Baroque altar
13 km away
Cârța Monastery
Sibiu · medieval Cistercian abbey with a Gothic choir
32 km away
Valea Viilor Fortified Church
Sibiu · Saxon fortified church with a defensive choir tower
33 km away