Last Updated on March 20, 2023 by PowersToTravel
As always, dawn brings a new day, and in Sighisoara, with the bright blue skies, we felt ever so much better than the previous evening.
Our first order of business was a tour of the looming City Hall Clock Tower. From the exterior we watched the chiming of the quarter hour and the movement of the little characters as they popped in and out.
We walked up the clock tower and I was fascinated by its ancient mechanisms. Being the long-long descendent of a famous 18th century Scottish clockmaker, James Kirkwood, I am always engaged by old clock mechanisms.
But James Kirkwood didn’t built them like this, although in 1761 he was paid 15 pounds sterling for REPAIRING the Hawick, Scotland Town Clock.
The view from the clock tower over the modern city below was tremendous
And even better when you looked toward the west with the sun at your back.
Next on our tour agenda was the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler. I had heard of Vlad the Impaler. There, you know now all I knew about him – his name. Well, actually I knew that he was the inspiration behind Dracula.
His house is just a block or two from the clock tower, and a plaque to Vlad Tepes, his real name, commemorates the house.
We stepped into the inn which is now located there, and which depends on Dracula for its trade. Turns out they have a “tour” of Vlad’s bedchamber. “Do you want to go up?” asked Iulian.
“Well, ok, we’re here aren’t we?” and so we walked up the dark stairs. The owners had it outfitted like a haunted house, complete with a “dead body” which rises to life:
It was so hokey. When we descended other people were trying to decide whether to pay to go up. “Pay?” We hadn’t realized that Iulian (and our tour) had paid for this silly event. “It’s not worth it!” we told the people. They went up anyway. Oh well, you only live once, as Greg is always saying.
We continued our tour with a walk around the town along the inside of the city walls. Several of the guard towers have been restored and are quite imposing.
Several alleyways gave really great photography that morning.
We told our guide to do all our education this morning because we wouldn’t want the optional city tour this afternoon. We’d do the morning adventures because we really wanted them (Biertan Fortified Church and a gypsy home visit) but for the afternoon I just wanted to stroll and relax and absorb some more of this intriguing atmosphere in Sighisoara.
Did I remember to tell you that Sighisoara is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? It is indeed, and if you visit you will immediately understand why.
The next step in our Romania Itinerary
Day 9 – The Biertan Fortified Church built by Transylvania Saxons
Check out my key Romania Article
Romania Travel Blog – Itinerary, Planning & Diabetic Travel Tips
Very clever of you to work in a bit of Kirkwood history into Romanian history. Narrow streets made good photography.