Sibiu, also known by its German name Hermannstadt, is one of the most representative cities in Romania, both in terms of tourism, culture, and economy. It is home to the most important center of the German minority in Transylvania, as well as other minorities such as Hungarians, Roma, Slovaks, and Ukrainians. The population of Romanian origin represents over 95% of the total, managing to preserve and blend the other cultures harmoniously.
Sibiu is currently an important tourist and commercial center, considered a true tourist and cultural capital in the heart of the country. The city continues to attract visitors with its unique charm, well-preserved tradition, and exceptional natural and historical heritage. The European routes E68 (Arad – Sibiu – Brașov) and E81 (Cluj – Sibiu – Pitești – Bucharest) traverse Sibiu, and it serves as an important railway hub and has an international airport with regular flights to Germany and Italy.
The city of Sibiu ranks among the most important cities in Transylvania, having a remarkable potential for economic development, benefiting from its location on the Pan-European Corridor IV and the presence of a modern International Airport.
The Big Square
The Big Square in Sibiu is the undisputed center of the city, with a history dating back to 1366 when the third ring of fortifications of the city was completed. Also known as Maior Circulus vulgariter Kornmargt (“The Great Ring, the grain market”) in a document from 1408, where Mathias Baldi is mentioned, who acquired and restored a stone house from Pipo de Timiș.
In another document from 1411, the sale of a stone house by Mathias Tromenauer to Nicolaus Jenkowicz is mentioned, also in the same location. The Big Square is the largest public square in the old town and witnessed the intense economic activities of Saxon merchants. Citizens’ assemblies, markets, and even executions took place here. In 1703, Johann Sachs von Harteneck, the count of the Saxons from 1691 to 1703, was beheaded in this square.