Foto: (c) Mihai Dragomir / Asociația județeană de turism Sibiu

“Stațiunea balneoclimaterică Bazna din județul Sibiu este foarte căutată. La Bazna, stațiunea situată la circa 18 kilometri de municipiul Mediaș, accesul se face ușor. Consiliul Județean, împreună cu comuna Bazna, va face eforturi pentru declararea de interes național a stațiunii Bazna și, sigur, acum sunt lucrări în derulare în infrastructura, pentru creșterea calității în stațiune”, a declarat pentru AGERPRES vicepreședintele Consiliului Județean Sibiu, Ioan Banciu.

Stațiunea Bazna este ascunsă între dealuri joase și văi largi, mlăștinoase, ce ascund în subsol zăcăminte de gaz metan și izvoare minerale. Localitatea a apărut devreme în sursele scrise, în secolul al XIII-lea. Izvoarele sărate și minerale, precum și existența gazului metan au fost consemnate încă din veacul al XVII-lea. În perioada modernă, satul s-a dezvoltat împreună cu stațiunea.

Un an important în istoria Baznei este anul 1672. Într-o zi de toamnă târzie, câțiva păstori care își aveau turmele în apropiere de sat și-au aprins focul lângă niște bălți. Mare le-a fost mirarea când bălțile au luat foc și flăcări mari pluteau deasupra, asemeni unor stafii; descoperiseră, fără să știe, gazul metan.

La începutul secolului al XIX-lea, medici și chimiști au sosit tocmai de la Viena pentru a studia efectele sării de la Bazna și climatul de aici. În anul 1843 a fost înființată stațiunea, preluată în 1905 de comunitatea evanghelică, ce a transformat-o într-o stațiune balneară cunoscută în întreaga Transilvanie.

“Apele minerale, nămolul sapropelic, sarea de Bazna, condițiile climatice prielnice, dar și peisajul pitoresc atrag anual turiști la Bazna pentru diverse tratamente. În bazele de tratament se pot trata afecțiuni ale aparatului locomotor, boli și afecțiuni reumatice, afecțiuni ortopedice, boli ginecologice sau boli ale aparatului respirator. Comuna deține o concentrare de resurse culturale recunoscute în patrimoniul cultural național — centrul istoric, bisericile fortificate din localitățile Bazna, Boian și Velț — amplasate într-un cadru natural deosebit, atracții care i-au adus statutul de ‘cel mai frumos sat’ din România în anul 2011”, conform Siminei Manea, director executiv al Asociației Județene de Turism Sibiu (AJTS).

Bazna este o destinație perfectă și pentru cei care doresc să se relaxeze în mijlocul naturii sau pentru amatorii de turism activ ce se pot bucura de drumeții pe jos sau cu bicicleta pe dealurile cu livezi și în pădurile de fag ce înconjoară localitatea.

Potrivit Direcției județene de statistică și datelor primăriilor din zonă, în stațiunea Bazna sunt 11 structuri de cazare, cumulând 367 de locuri (cu 9% mai mult decât în anul 2012), ceea ce reprezintă 3% din capacitatea totală a județului. Încasările din taxa hotelieră au scăzut cu 8% în anul 2013 față de anul 2012.

Prin apele minerale descoperite, stațiunea a atras atenția oamenilor nu numai din Transilvania, ci și din alte locuri. În secolul al XVIII-lea, apele minerale de la Bazna fac obiectul unor lucrări interesante. Rudolf Rothens, în lucrarea “Memorabilae Europae”, amintește de aceste ape (1749), iar dr. Klaus, în studiul “Izvoare tămăduitoare din monarhia austriacă”, se referă la binefacerile apelor din Bazna.

După anul 1752, încep să se facă analize chimice, mai întâi de către farmacistul George Bette din Sibiu și apoi de alți specialiști. Informații bogate și amănunțite au rămas de la Andreas Gaspari, care a lăsat un manuscris cu observații culese între anii 1762 și 1779 despre starea băilor de aici. Autorul amintește despre existența mai multor izvoare minerale: Baia bisericii, Baia cerșetorilor, Fântâna acră și descrie starea lor de atunci.

Anul 1791 este legat de publicarea în “Scrieri transilvănene”, publicație trimestrială, a unui articol intitulat “Ceva despre baia de sulf din Bazna”, în care se confirmă că Andreas Gaspari a lăsat cea mai veridică descriere a începuturilor acestei stațiuni.

În anul 1808 încep să se facă cercetări științifice asupra apelor minerale de către medici și chimiști, care, în 1813, au publicat în “Anuarul medical al statului imperial” un raport favorabil. În luna noiembrie 1814 se hotărăște construirea unui stabiliment balnear, izvoarele de ape minerale de la Bazna trec în proprietatea bisericii evanghelice din localitate, fiind supuse unor analize chimice, făcându-se recomandări științifice.

În 1835, s-au făcut primele amenajării: patru cabine și o instalație de încălzit apa în cazane. Primul stabiliment balnear s-a construit abia în anul 1843 de către o societate pe acțiuni, formată din intelectuali din Mediaș. În 1845 au fost înregistrate 637 persoane venite la tratament.

În 1877, băile trec în posesia bogătașului Brekner din Mediaș, care le arendează pe timp de 70 de ani, acesta construind instalații sistematice care au contribuit la dezvoltarea și modernizarea stațiunii.

În anul 1905 a fost angajat primul medic al stațiunii, s-a înființat o farmacie și a început producția de sare de Bazna, numită “Victoria”. În 1907, geologul Ludovic Mrazec, unul dintre viitorii membri ai Consiliului de Administrație al Sonametan, explică originea apelor minerale și a nămolului.

Ziarul “Românul”, în buletinul său balneoclimateric din 22 iulie 1919, scria că “prețurile sunt reduse, confortul civilizat, muzica, seratele, festivitățile, tenisul, aparatele de gimnastică, ștrandul etc. arcuiesc mușchii bronzați și adăugă un final decisiv la convingerea vizitatorilor asupra climatului de vis și izvoarelor de sănătate ale Baznei”.

În 1949, băile de la Bazna au fost trecute în administrația Ministerului Sănătății, iar din 1950, dacă până atunci au avut caracter sezonier, devin o stațiune cu caracter permanent.

Legată încă de la începuturi de exploatarea gazului metan, apa sărată de Bazna este valorificată începând din 2000 și în cadrul Complexul Balnear Expro al Romgaz.

AGERPRES/(AS — autor: Isabela Paulescu, editor: Ștefan Gabrea)

Foto: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

O altă legendă care circulă, însă, este aceea că în lacurile de la Ocna nu se poate îneca nimeni pentru că, indiferent dacă știi sau nu să înoți, te ține la suprafață datorită concentrației ridicate de sare din apă.

“Lacul fără Fund (Lemnelor) s-a format pe locul salinei ‘Francisc Grube’, părăsită în 1775 din cauza infiltrațiilor de apă. Suprafața oglinzii de apă este de 1.665 metri pătrați, iar adâncimea maximă de 32,0 metri. Salinitatea apei la suprafață este de 96 g/l, iar la 6 metri, la contactul cu masivul de sare, ajunge la 318 g/l”, conform site-ului www.ocna-sibiu.ro.

Foto: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Accesul turiștilor în zonă este interzis, fiind o rezervație protejată.

Turiștii “vânători de mistere” caută Ocna Sibiului pentru a se caza la Vila Mary-Luisa, veche de 101 ani. Legenda spune că aici ar fi îngropată la subsol Luisa, o fată care s-a sinucis din dragoste deoarece tatăl ei nu i-ar fi permis să se mărite cu un fiu de miner. Pentru a elucida misterul morții fetei care a dat numele pensiunii, proprietarul, Ștefan Jung, s-a apucat să sape în subsolul vilei în căutarea osemintelor.

Foto: (c) Isabela PAULESCU / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Dincolo de legende, stațiunea Ocna Sibiului reușește să atragă atât de mulți turiști, încât sibienii au botezat stațiunea “Litoralul Ardealului”.

“Județul Sibiu are multe lucruri deosebite pentru atragerea turiștilor, avem două stațiuni balneoclimaterice, Ocna Sibiului și Bazna. Ocna Sibiului, aflată în apropiere de municipiul reședință de județ, este numită ‘Litoralul Ardealului’. Ce este de remarcat e că și înainte, dar mai ales după ce s-a reabilitat prin finanțare europeană, Ocna Sibiului, localitate cu 4.000 de locuitori, mai ales în week-end-uri, dar îndeosebi pe timpul verii, primește aproape 40.000 de turiști”, a declarat pentru AGERPRES, vicepreședintele Consiliului Județean Sibiu, Ioan Banciu.

Numai anul trecut, peste un sfert de milion de turiști au făcut baie cel puțin o dată în lacurile sărate de la Ocna Sibiului, conform Direcției Județene de Statistică Sibiu.

Foto: (c) Isabela PAULESCU / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

“În anul 2013, complexul de lacuri sărate de la Ocna Sibiului a avut peste 250.000 de vizitatori. Numărul locurilor de cazare în Ocna Sibiului este în creștere de la an la an, cu aproximativ 20 %, ceea ce face că, la sfârșitul anului 2013, s-au înregistrat 550 locuri de cazare în stațiune. Încasările din taxa hotelieră s-au dublat în anul 2013 față de anul 2012”, potrivit Direcției Județene de Statistică Sibiu.

Ocna Sibiului este o destinație promovată constant la târgurile internaționale de turism, de către Asociația Județeană de Turism Sibiu.

Istoria localității se pierde în timp, în epoca romană, când aici se făceau exploatări de sare. Salinele sunt menționate pentru prima dată în anul 1222, printr-un act în care li se permite Cavalerilor Teutoni să transporte sarea extrasă din “salisfodinas que Akana vocantur”. Extracția sării a continuat și în secolele următoare, ultima mină fiind închisă în 1931. Când minele au fost abandonate, cu timpul s-au prăbușit. Umplute cu apa precipitațiilor, formează lacurile “naturale” (semiantropice) de azi. Cel mai adânc este Lacul Avram Iancu (Ocna Pustie) de circa 130 m adâncime, cel mai sărat este lacul Brâncoveanu cu 425 g/ l, iar cel mai cunoscut este rezervația “Lacul fără fund” formată în mina denumită Sf. Francisc, deschisă în anul 1765, care măsoară în realitate 34,5 m adâncime.

Foto: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

“Efectele terapeutice ale apelor de la Ocna Sibiului au fost făcute cunoscute încă din secolul 16. La mijlocul secolului 19, localitatea s-a transformat în stațiune balneo-climaterică, iar la începutul secolului 20 s-a construit Complexul Balnear Ocna Sibiului. Format dintr-un pavilion central executat de meșteri italieni în stil florentin și stabilimentul băilor, executat în stil eclectic de arhitecți vienezi, în prezent este una dintre cele mai vechi și bine conservate clădiri construite în acest stil din România”, a declarat pentru AGERPRES Simina Manea, director al Asociației Județene de Turism Sibiu.

Lacurile cu salinitate diferită reprezintă un magnet pentru vizitatorii de pretutindeni în căutare de relaxare, sănătate și distracție. Sezonul începe în luna mai și durează până toamna, în funcție de oscilațiile temperaturii.

Foto: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Din vechime, aici vin turiști pentru a se trata sau pentru a face o baie. Atestată la 1263, Ocna Sibiului de azi a apărut într-un document al regelui Ungariei, Ștefan. Primul pacient renumit care a dus faima lacurilor sărate de la Ocna Sibiului în lume a fost ambasadorul împăratului Rudolf al II-lea, acreditat pe lângă Mihai Viteazul, care, în drum spre Constantinopol, a poposit aici pentru a face băi și ulterior a consemnat efectul lor terapeutic. Din 1820, se cunoaște oficial, în urma analizei chimice a apei, că lacurile de la Ocna Sibiului vindecă unele boli.

Stațiunea a fost deschisă oficial în 2 septembrie 1846 și, după perioade de înflorire și decădere, complexul balnear a fost redeschis în 2002, mulțumită investiției cu fonduri europene.

Foto: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Începând de anul trecut, la Complexul Balnear Ocna Sibiului nu se mai fac tratamente din cauza problemelor economice cu care se confruntă societatea care îl administrează.

Din cele 14 lacuri sărate existente, șapte se folosesc în cura externă pentru băile reci din sezonul estival, cu efecte favorabile datorită salinității ridicate a apei și caracterului ei helioterm, chiar de la începutul sezonului cald. Aici vin să se trateze pacienții cu probleme de circulație la picioare, sciatică cronică sau afecțiuni ginecologice.

AGERPRES/(AS — autor: Isabela Paulescu, editor: Diana Dumitru)

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

“This year on December 11, the Sibiu Public Bath will celebrate its 110th anniversary. I managed to see not only the designs made by a German architect, as the bath has been built over five years by constructors brought from Vienna, Budapest and Cluj, but also pictures of the initial construction. I found on e-bay an old, foreign newspaper featuring an article about the Sibiu Public Bath and the Munich Public Bath, which described the construction process of the Sibiu bath. We want to provide our clients with high quality services, but also to maintain the specifics of this venue,” Ioana Dancanet said.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

According to her, not only the public bath has been operational since 1904, but also its power plant and a huge steam ironing board, especially made in Vienna. On entering the Sibiu public bath, there is a clock on a wall dating from 1904 showing the hour; the clock has a mechanic, original mechanism, with beats per second. The former water tower can still be found in the yard of the public bath; at the beginning, water was brought with the cistern, from tens of kilometers away, from Sadu, and changed on a weekly basis.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

“The Sibiu public bath welcomes at least 200 clients in each day, most of them children. We have at least 6,500 clients per year, but in the winter, the number can exceed 8,000 visitors,” Dancanat elaborates.

Many children come here to learn how to swim. One of the swimming instructors is Adrian Ganju, who has worked in the United States for ten years.

This place is also frequented by people interested in spa treatments, for example contrast bath therapies, also known as hot/cold immersion therapy that increases the local blood circulation. Also, this is the only spa in Romania equipped for taking Romanian-Irish sauna.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

The Sibiu City Hall continues this year with the series of investments in the local public bath. Revamping works on the sauna are currently underway, this being closed to the public until September. The sauna of the public bath was built 110 years ago, being a Romanian-Irish sauna, unique in Romania. The complex currently undergoing modernization works is made up of a wet sauna, a dry sauna, 32 welding booths, two pools for contrast bathing (one with hot water, 35 degrees temperature and another one with cold water, 10 degrees), showers and massage rooms.

The works under the contract regard plating both pools with glass mosaic, setting up the water filtration and circulation systems for the two pools with quartz sand, installing a heat transfer equipment, automatic heat exchangers and automatic systems to measure and monitor chlorine and pH levels. The value of this contract is 165,000 lei, pre-VAT.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

The hair salon was also modernized, being moved from the ground floor to the first floor. The electricity, water and sewerage systems have been changed, as well as the tiles; a waiting room was also built.

Works on the beauty parlor are also underway. Besides the change of the electricity, water and sewerage systems, new tiles and furniture pieces have been purchased.

Following the modernization works carried out over the past few years, the services provided by the Public Bath became vary varied and improved their quality, and as a result, more and more people choose this place as their holiday destination. Over January-July 2014, the Sibiu Public Bath recorded a total number of 46,017 clients, up 3,000 people compared to the same period of 2013. Even in the summer months, May, June and July, the number of clients has been on the rise, with 18,573 people having visited the bath in the aforementioned period, compared to 14,823 in the similar interval of the previous year.

The largest investment worth over 2 million lei was made by the city hall ten years ago.

The plot of land was initially used for the construction of Transylvania’s first factory producing stearin candles, opened in 1840.

After the factory was moved on the current street Turnului, Franz Fruhbeck Senior opened the first steam public bath in the city in the ’40s of the 19th century.

In 1886, Johann Habermann bought the establishment from Fruhbeck’s descendants. The bath was located at that time on the site of the current pediatrics hospital in the Astra Park.

The idea of building a public bath accessible to everyone in Sibiu in late 19th century belonged to Dr. Carl Wolff. The General Assembly of the Savings Office (Hermannstadter Allgemeinen Sparkassa) provided the financial resources for the construction of this place from its reserve funds.

The construction, designed by Karl Hocheder (1854-1917), architecture professor at the Technical University in Munich, combines various styles, i.e. Baroque elements and Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) art (late 19th century — early 20th century), being the most representative building in the city for this architectural style. Professor Karl Hocheder charged one of his best assistants with supervising the construction works. Hans Heckner together with craftsman Gustav Matz and his team did a brilliant job, being able to inaugurate the public bath on Dec. 11, 1904.

As for the architectonic structure, the Sibiu Public Bath is an almost exact replica of the Muller Bath in Munich, as both are designed by the same architect. At that time, no other city as large as Sibiu in Austria-Hungary had such an institution.

The complex included a swimming pool 21 meters in length, 9 meters in width, covered with sea green coloured tiles; a Romanian-Irish sauna, which consisted of a steam room with 32 booths, wet sauna, dry sauna, two pools for contrast bathing, showers, massage rooms.

The facilities located on the first floor were ten booths with tubs and showers for bathing, and five rooms for spa treatments: treatments with mud brought from Battaglia, Italy, electric light baths or a bathtub for galvanic baths. The majority of these services are still available.

The growing popularity of this establishment convinced Dr. Carl Wolff to take into consideration the idea of providing foreign patients both with therapies and accommodation. Thus, he decided to build a sanatorium. The Stadtpark Sanatorium (inaugurated in 1906) and the Sibiu Public Bath represented a unique spa treatment unit in Transylvania until the First World War. The building of the sanatorium, constructed according to the plans of the same architect, Hocheder, is made up of two halves, one that includes the rooms for patients and the home of the doctor of the institution, and the other composed of rooms available for rent. The dining room and the reading room were located partially in the building body connecting the public bath to the sanatorium. After the opening of the sanatorium, the number of clients rose to an average of 5,000 per year, with patients coming from all corners of the country, as well as from Turkey and Germany.

An interesting fact, during the communist regime, the authorities changed the name of the Sibiu Public Bath into Neptune Public Bath, thinking about God Neptune. Well, a few years ago, trying to find the right logo for its promotion, the incumbent chairwoman consulted an architect, who suggested the swan as the institution’s symbol. What’s interesting is the fact that a swan was already drawn on the building. AGERPRES

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES STREAM

Photo credit: (c) Mihai Dragomir / Sibiu County Tourism Association

“The Bazna spa resort of Sibiu County is in high demand. Located about 18 km northwest of the city of Medias, it is easily accessible. The County Council and the Bazna commune will take steps to have it declared a resort of national interest, and infrastructure works are underway to increase the quality of its amenities,” Sibiu County Council Vice President Ioan Banciu told AGERPRES.

The Bazna resort sits 18 km from the city of Medias, cozily snuggled among low hills and wide swampy valleys that hide deposits of natural gas and mineral springs in the underground. Bazna is mentioned in written sources as early as in the 13th century. Its salty and mineral springs, as well as the existence of methane gas were reported as early as in the 17th century. In modern times, the village and the resort developed concurrently.

A landmark in the history of Bazna is the year 1672. On a late autumn day, a few shepherds who had rounded up their flocks near the village lit a fire near the marshes. To their great surprise the swamps went up in flames that hovered skywards over the water in a ghostly appearance; unbeknownst to them, the shepherds had discovered methane gas.

In the early 19th century, doctors and chemists came from as far as Vienna to study the effects of the Bazna salt and the local microclimate. The resort was founded in 1843 and was taken over in 1905 by the evangelical community that turned it into a spa whose fame spread all over Transylvania.

“The mineral waters, the sapropelic mud, the Bazna salt, the favorable climate conditions and the picturesque landscape draw every year crowds of tourists to Bazna who seek here treatment for various diseases. The treatment facilities are perfect for musculoskeletal impairments, rheumatic diseases and conditions, orthopedic impairments, gynecological or respiratory diseases. The commune is also studded with cultural resources entered in the national heritage — the historic centre, the fortified churches of Bazna, Boian and Velt — all placed in a special natural setting which earned Bazna the status of ‘Romania’s most beautiful village’ in 2011,” said Simina Manea, executive director of the Sibiu County Tourism Association.

Bazna is a perfect destination for those who want to relax in the middle of nature or for active tourism enthusiasts who can enjoy hiking or cycling on the hills covered with orchards and in the beech forests that surround the locality.

According to the County Statistics Directorate and data provided by the mayor’s offices in the area, there are 11 tourist accommodation facilities in the Bazna resort, with a total capacity of 367 (9 percent more than in 2012), accounting for 3 percent of the total capacity of the county. Proceeds from the hotel tax decreased 8 percent in 2013 compared to 2012.

However, Bazna continues to develop and it has obviously come a long way since 1672, when the shepherds who lit a fire to warm themselves came upon the natural gas deposit trapped in Bazna’s underground, informs the website www.bazna.ro. This, and the subsequent discovery of the mineral waters, brought the resort into the people’s attention even beyond the boundaries of Transylvania. In the 18th century Bazna’s mineral waters are the subject of several interesting works. Thus, Rudolf Rothens mentions them in 1749 in his “Memorabilia Europae”, which is a selection of some of the most remarkable European sites a curious traveler should turn his attention to; doctor Klaus, in his study “Healing springs within the boundaries of the Austrian monarchy” also refers to the curative benefits of the Bazna waters.

After the year 1752, chemical analyses are being conducted, at first by pharmacist George Bette from Sibiu, and then by other specialists. Rich and thorough information was passed down by priest Andreas Gaspari, who left a manuscript with observations collected between the years 1762-1779 about the condition of the baths here. The author mentions the existence of several mineral springs: the Church bath, the Beggars bath, the Sour Fountain, complete with a description of their condition.

The year 1791 is related to the publication in the “Transylvanian Writings” quarterly of an article titled “About the Bazna Sulfur Bath” confirming that Andreas Gaspari had left the most accurate description of the beginnings of this resort.

In 1808 doctors and chemists embark on scientifically researching the local mineral waters and a favorable report is published in 1813 in the “Medical Yearbook of the Imperial State.” In November 1814 the decision is reached to build a spa treatment facility and Bazna’s mineral springs are transferred under the ownership of the local Evangelical Church; chemical analyses are performed, based on which scientific recommendations are made.

The year 1835 sees Bazna fitted out with four cabins and a boiler-equipped water heating system. Yet the first balneal facility was built only in 1843 by a joint-stock company made up of Medias highbrows. In 1845, as many as 637 people were registered to have sought treatment here.

In 1877 the baths get into the possession of magnate Iulius Brekner from Medias, who leases them out for 70 years; he also built systematized installations, making a substantial contribution to the development and modernization of the resort.

In 1905 the first physician of the resort was hired, a pharmacy was set up and the production of the Bazna salt kicked off under the commercial name of “Victoria.” In 1907 geologist Louis Mrazec, one of the future members of the Board of Directors of the Sonametan Methane Joint-stock Company, explains the origin of the mineral waters and of the mud.

The “Romanul” newspaper was writing in its balneal bulletin of July 22, 1919 that “prices are low, amenities are civilized, the music, soirees, celebrations, tennis, gymnastics equipment, the Lido, all tone the tanned muscles and conclusively satisfy the visitors that Bazna has a dream climate and springs sparkling with health.”

In 1949 the Bazna baths entered under the management of the Ministry of Health, and in 1950 the resort switches from a seasonal to all-year resort regime.

As of 2000, the healing powers of the Bazna saltwater are put to work in the Romgaz-owned Spa Complex Expro, which also has a hotel with a capacity of 62 guests. AGERPRES

Photo credit (c): SIMION MECHNO / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

‘Sibiu is today a city that impresses through its young spirit, through the fact that this community managed to raise from the level of a medium-sized city in the province in the year 2000 to the level of a European Capital of Culture in 2007 and today to the level of a city the visibility of which has long exceeded Romania’s and even Europe’s borders, both as a tourist destination and as economic location and cultural city. Sibiu has had this young spirit since 1191, when the city was first mentioned in an official document. Sibiu has been a city of firsts ever since. The first hospital, the first library, the first pharmacy and the first school in Romania opened here. The first multistage rocket of the world was first described in writing here. The first museum of Romania and South-Eastern Europe opened in Sibiu and the first zoo of Romania was also set up here. Sibiu continued this path along its history so it became the first city of Romania being granted the status of European Capital of Culture,’ Mayor Klaus Iohannis told AGERPRES.

He is certain that ‘Sibiu will continue on this path thanks to its dynamic and young spirit.’

The history of national firsts of Sibiu began in 1292, when the first hospital on Romanian territory was established here, still standing today as the Home for Elders. In ‘The Chronicle of Sibiu City,’ Emil Sigerus wrote that the Crusader brothers of the Order of the Holy Spirit in 1292 received from the community a house where they established the first Romanian hospital ever.

The first library of Romania was also opened in Sibiu, in 1300, back then known by the German name of ‘Hermannstadt.’ The building was demolished between 1987 and 1988, at the same time with the Franciscan monastery. At present, the inhabitants of Sibiu can boast about one of the most modern and valuable libraries of Romania, ASTRA County Library, which belongs to ASTRA Association, where the first Romanian encyclopedia can be found. ASTRA County Library has two buildings, an old one and a new one. The new one is the most modern of Romania, after the one of the National Library of Bucharest, according to the Sibiu County Council President Ioan Banciu.

Photo credit (c): ROMULUS BRUMA / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

In 1380, the first Romanian school was established in Sibiu, the Brukenthal National College today, one of the best colleges with German language teaching in Romania.

Photo credit (c): CRISTIAN NISTOR /AGERPRES ARCHIVES

In 14th century Sibiu, the first archives in the Romanian space come into view, which were moved with the town hall until the building of the current headquarters of Schiller Square.

The year 1481 marks another national first in Sibiu: the first code of urban laws on Romanian territory, Codex Altemberger, written by Mayor Thomas Altemberger.

Most likely, the first pharmacy of Romania was established in 1494, according to historians, the one existing on the spot of the Tower of the Roman-Catholic Church in the city’s historic centre, and in 1529 the first book with Latin alphabet is printed in Sibiu, ‘The Latin Grammar,’ by Thomas Gemmarius.

The 16th century marks two other firsts in Sibiu: the first school manual and the first scientific book printed on Romanian territory, ‘Treaty on Curing Plague,’ printed by Sebastian Pauschner. In 1544, Filip Moldoveanu managed to issue the first printing in Romanian language recorded in Romania’s history, called ‘The Lutheran Catechism.’

In 1551, Konrad Haas invented the rocket.

In 1544, the first hotel of Romania was established in Sibiu, today’s ‘Imparatul Romanilor’ (The Romans’ Emperor). Subsequently, Sibiu managed the absolute record of tourists, in 2007, the year of its being European Capital of Culture, when it reached one million tourists.

Photo credit (c): CRISTIAN NISTOR /AGERPRES ARCHIVES

In the 18th century, the first newspaper of Romania was published in Sibiu, by Martin Hochmeister. The same Martin Hochmeister opened the first library of Romania in the same century. The term of ‘Romania’ is mentioned as a scientific term for the first time by historian Martin Felmer also in the 18th century.

After the first beer plant opens in Sibiu in 1715 and the first beer brand comes into view, (unfortunately, the plant is currently closed down and put up for sale), in 1782 Franz Joseph Muller discovered tellurium here, in his laboratory on nowadays Mitropoliei Street.

1788 is the year that significantly marked the history of Sibiu and of the entire country: the first theatre of Romania, the current Thalia Hall, was established in Sibiu, built by Hochmeister.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

A pedestrian road is then paved in the Big Square in the city’s historic centre, up to the theatre. After many years, the theatre of Sibiu, which now functions in a different building, manages, through its Director, Constantin Chiriac, to organise the biggest festival of performing arts of Romania, and the third in Europe, the International Theatre Festival of Sibiu. Had it not been for this festival, Sibiu wouldn’t have become the first Romanian city European Capital of Culture in 2007. Moreover, after 2007, Constantin Chiriac has been the first Romanian present in the Commission of the European Union deciding the future European Capitals of Culture. This year, for the first time, the members of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Mass Media of the Deputies’ Chamber held a meeting in Sibiu, where they adopted a Resolution on supporting the cultural act in Romania.

‘In 2007 Romania had the unique chance of joining the European Union and of providing the European Capital of Culture the same year. In 2021, Romania has again the opportunity of hosting one of the two European Capitals of Culture. The powerful cultural identity of Sibiu, its outstanding architectural heritage, as well as the fertile intercultural dialogue the city has been hosting for centuries are well-known. Our Committee acknowledges the example Sibiu can be for the future Romania cities running for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2021,’ the Resolution shows.

Photo credit (c): PAUL BUCIUTA / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

The theatre of Sibiu established the first arts market of Romania and, most important, it produced premiere after premiere over the past years.

Martin Hochmeister’s name is also connected with another first recorded in 1790, when the first Romanian magazine was put in print in Sibiu.

Baron Samuel von Brukenthal in his turn significantly marked Sibiu’s cultural destiny. Therefore, the first public museum on Romanian territory is established in 1817, the third in Europe, currently Brukenthal National Museum, in the space of the Palace of the city centre. Brukenthal Museum was opened in a year when the main issue in the city was famine. A canteen for the needy was then opened, supported with money and food from the citizens.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

Michael Bielz makes the first lithography of Romania in Sibiu, in 1822, and Ion Heliade Radulescu’s first grammar treaty, ‘Gramatica Romaneasca’ (The Romanian Grammar) is published in Sibiu in 1828.

Emperor Franz Joseph I pays a visit to Sibiu in 1852, the year when the first neuropsychiatry hospital of Romania opens, the second in Eastern Europe.

The 19th century brought to Sibiu the first printed Romanian language dictionary, but, at the same time, it recorded the first electrical plant of Romania, founded by Carl Wolff.

The first meteorological station of Romania was built in 1845 in Sibiu and in 1859 Podul Minciunilor (the Bridge of Lies) was inaugurated, the first cast iron bridge of Romania and the second in Europe.

Photo credit (c): CRISTIAN NISTOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

The first Romanian party, the National Romanian Party, was established in 1870, in Sibiu.

This year, Sibiu also marks a first in Romanian politics. For the first time, a German ethnic, National Liberal Party Chairman, announced his candidacy to Romania’s Presidency, in the person of Mayor Klaus Iohannis.

The first Romanian bank, Albina Bank, was established in Sibiu in 1872, and two years later, in 1874, Andreas Rieger establishes the first machinery plant. In 2014, Sibiu boasts one thousand new jobs in the Western Industrial Area, in the auto industry.

When asked by the AGERPRES correspondent if he agreed with Die Welt publication’s German journalists’ statement who said in January that ‘the future of German automobiles is in Romania,’ referring to the auto parts production of Sibiu in particular, Klaus Iohannis said that the trend was practically initiated by Sibiu.

‘In some way, we initiated this trend, in this area of Transylvania, and it was strongly encouraged. It coincided with the stage in which companies in the auto area of Germany looked for areas in the east for new production facilities and things fell into place very well for Sibiu. Indeed, a significant part of the automotive parts production for the German brands comes from Sibiu and its surrounding areas,’ Mayor Iohannis pointed out in the beginning of the year.

If we talk about the passion for speed, Sibiu hosts the most difficult hard enduro rally worldwide, Red Bull Romaniacs, where the best motorcyclists in the world compete.

Photo credit (c): ROMULUS BRUAM / AGERPRES STREAM

The first encyclopaedia of Romanians, the fourth worldwide, is printed in Sibiu in 1904, under the coordination of Cornel Diaconovici.

Sibiu made history in one of the traditional sports of Romania, also. The first handball team is established in Sibiu in 1921 and the first international handball match takes place with the support of Wilhelm Binder.

In 1929, in Dumbrava Forest at the outskirts of the city of Sibiu opens the oldest zoological garden of Romania.

Photo credit (c): ISABELA PAULESCU / AGERPRES ARCHIVES

The year 2007 is the strongest in the memory of the inhabitants of Sibiu, as the year when it was European Capital of Culture and when it hosted the Great Ecumenical Assembly, the first of the kind held in Romania. 2007 did not only mean culture and ecumenism for the inhabitants of Sibiu, but it was the beginning of a well-known success in international tourism.

In spite of the global economic crisis over the past few years, Sibiu manages to maintain an increase in the number of tourists, 60 per cent of them being German-speaking Europeans, due to a by-the-book promotion in the great international tourism fairs.

In figures, Sibiu in 2013 recorded a number of 79 cultural projects, hundreds of events, tourism from March through December, over 6 million lei invested by the City Hall run by Klaus Iohannis in culture alone, plus 62 kilometres of cycle lanes, which significantly contributed to modernising this medieval city of Transilvanya, Sibiu (Hermannstadt), which recommends itself as being ‘young since 1191.’

Sibiu is the only city of Romania which received three stars, the maximum score, in the Michelin Guide, the most prestigious worldwide tourist guide. In May this year, Sibiu was declared best tourist destination of the year in Romania. The Huffington Post US information website in May released a chart of most fascinating cities in Europe, with Sibiu having been nominated among these.

‘We must wonder why Sibiu was the place where all these things happened and not only in a certain period, but over the entire historic existence of the city and of the Romanian space nowadays. I believe Sibiu was, has been and is a melting pot that gathers the prospects for achieving these firsts, be it the openness of the city to novelty or the permanent circulation of people and ideas. Bearing these firsts in mind, Sibiu can be seen as one of Romania’s fundamental cities, namely as one of those cities that laid the foundations of the Romanian society and culture,’ Sibiu County Directorate for Culture Director, historian Razvan Pop, told AGERPRES. AGERPRES

Transalpina (DN 67C) 
Photo credit (c): SIMION MECHNO/AGERPRES ARCHIVES

“The County of Sibiu is crossed by the highest national roads of Romania and the most spectacular we’ve got. It’s about the Transfagarasan, recognized as the utmost spectacular mountain road in Europe, and the Transalpina. Also from the road transport infrastructure we should talk about the A1 speedway, which is going to link the Black Sea (eastern Romania) with the West of Romania and which is operational on 40 km in the Sibiu County (…) the maximum distance from Sibiu to any corner of Romania being of up to 400 km, all this infrastructure will attract investors and develop tourism. The Sibiu County draws most of the tourists of Romania, after Bucharest, all year long, not only seasonally”, the deputy-chairman of the Sibiu County Council Ioan Banciu explained for Agerpres.

According to him, the tourist area of the Fagaras Mts., the one crossed by the Transfagarasan displays a significant development. Here, the Sibiu County Council has invested massively ensuring a modern Salvamont (mountain rescuers) station with permanent patrols and more importantly upgraded access roads to make the connection with the Transfagarasan.

“Our intention is to develop the Fagaras, Balea, Valea Porumbacului northern area. The possibility to place some slopes at 2,000+ metres altitude shows that it will be a zone of future in developing the winter sports “, Ioan Banciu added.

Transfagarasan (DN 7C) 
Photo credit (c): SORIN LUPSA/AGERPRES ARCHIVES

The Transfagarasan, re-discovered by the Romanians especially after the British with the Top Gear have promoted it as the most beautiful road in Europe is full of tourists in this season. This road was built to connect the two historical Romanian provinces, Transylvania and Wallachia, the first crossing of the Fagaras Mt. taking place on September 20, 1974. After a titanic 4-year work, the 5,000 constructors most of them military have succeeded to put into use the road which will be known and well-known by anyone who sees in the photographs or with one’s own eyes the meandering sinuous curves to the steep mountain ridges.

The road also known as the DN 7C (DN means National Road, while 7C is a variant of a communal road) is 151 km long; it starts from Kilometre 0 in Bascov (Arges County) and ends in the Cartisoara commune (Sibiu County), where it unites with DN1 (E68).

Breathtaking landscapes — the serpent-like road, the Balea fall and the glacial lakes — the 2,034m altitude the road is reaching in the proximity of the Balea glacial cirque, the crossing of the longest route tunnel in Romania (887 m) make the Transfagarasan the track preferred by drivers, cyclists, motorists and amateurs of mountain wanderings. Not randomly the Top Gear specialists called it ‘a fabulous road, the most amazing we’ve ever seen!’

Transfagarasan (DN 7C)
Photo credit (c): SORIN LUPSA/AGERPRES ARCHIVES

Capable to be breathtaking even to the most skeptical, the Transfagarasan crosses the Golul alpin Fagaras Mountains National Park and the Fagaras Mountains and the Fagaras Piedmont Natura 2000 sites. With a bit of luck of good weather, one could still spot chamois jumping among the rocks or could admire meadows full of mountain peony crowning in the summer a spectacular flora.

The marked mountain trails’ network eases the access of the mountaineers to the highest peaks of Romania’s Carpathians — Moldoveanu (2,544 m) and Negoiu (2,535 m). Next to wandering, in summer one could practice alpinism, cycling, riding, paragliding, the flying fox, sport fishing or sport hunting.

The various offering of tourist services and amusement are extra reasons to choose this area as a holiday destination. The tourist infrastructure — lodges, hotels and guesthouses — with 900 places and categories of comfort from 1 star to 4 stars/flowers compete in offerings and various services.

Descending the northern side, to the foot of the Fagaras, one could reach the Cartisoara village, one of the ‘most beautiful villages of Romania’, the birthplace of Badea Cartan, the memory of whom operates today the Ethnographic Muzeum with the same name. The locality is proud with its two churches made of stone, erected at the beginning of the 19th century, whose painting bears the signature of the Grecu family of painters, well-known in the entire area for their personal, moralizing way of interpreting the Biblical scenes and the society and transpose them into icons.

The spectacular Transfagarasan annually challenges the professional athletes to test their abilities within the international competitions: the Cycling Tour of Sibiu, Red Bull Romaniacs.

The following events much awaited by the public are the Cuca Festival (August 29-31) and the Cultural Days of the Sibiu County (September 27-28).

“Dear travelers, the alpine road is only opened four months per year from July 1 to October 31. Timer is on. Don’t forget the proper outfit and the cameras. In the country of the clouds you will spend a holiday you will have to tell about”, says Simina Manea, the AJTS manager.

Transfagarasan (DN 7C)
Photo credit (c): MARIOARA PAULESCU/AGERPRES ARCHIVES

According to her, “the official statistical data indicate the doubling of the number of visitors in the first quarter of 2014, as compared to the same period of 2013. The degree of tourist attractiveness of the area is also proven by the increase by 50 pct of the accommodation and by 10 pct of the hotel tax’ receipts.”

Remarkable achievement of the communist era, the Transfagarasan has entered a rehabilitation stage this year, with the intention to exactly could be circulated more months per year. Discovered and rediscovered by the Romanians, and in particular by the foreigners, this road was declared in 2012 the most beautiful road in the world by the CarsRoute magazine. The US-based said publication has carried out a top 15 of the world roads which need to be travelled by any earth inhabitant, the renowned Romanian road being followed by the Stelvio of Italy and the Lysebotn of Norway, according to auto.ro.

In 2009, Top Gear with the BBC has also placed the Transfagarasan on the first place among the most beautiful roads in the entire world.

In competition with the Transfagarasan, the Transalpina crosses the Sibiu County too. Many legends are about the Transalpina. The link with the Transalpina in the Sibiu County is done on a county road modernized by the County Council, its most spectacular segment being Jina — Sugag.

“After modernizing the Jina — Sugag road, many tourists have travelled on this segment. This road offers a great opportunity because it passes through a reputed area, Marginimea Sibiului. Even if it has not an official name, the Cheese Road /Drumul Branzei passes through Marginime, this being the area with the shepherds the most known in Romania. The Sibiu cheese is a national brand, not only local”, Ioan Banciu said.

Transalpina (DN 67C)
Photo credit (c): SIMION MECHNO/AGERPRES ARCHIVES

About Transalpina they say it has been built firstly by the Roman armies themselves on their way to the Sarmizegetusa Regia fortress (the strategic 4th Corridor).

A shepherds road, the Transalpina has been crossed the long of the centuries by the shepherds who took off for transhumance over the mountains, to the Danube’s plains. In the ’30s, after a visit in the region and at the insistence of the locals, King Charles II has had the road paved with stone. Ever since, the road linking the Salistea Sibiului to Novaci (the Gorj County) is called ‘The King’s Road’.

During the WW II the German armies have revamped the road, a strategic access way to and from Transylvania. In the past two years, the Transalpina road (DN 67C, the road that links the Sebes city, Alba County of the Novaci commune, Gorj County on about 130 km) was partially covered with asphalt and opened to the tourist access. Thus, the road crossing six mountain massifs? Cindrel, Sureanu, Lotru, Parang, Latoritei, Capatanii ? has become the highest road in the entire Carpathians.

The King’s Road starts at Saliste, passes through the Tilisca, Poiana Sibiului, Jina shepherds’ villages and descends 7 km till Dobra (the commune of Sugag) where it meets the DN 67C. From here, the road climbs slightly, passes nearby the Tau and Oasa dams in order to reach the Obarsia Lotrului (thye place where the Lotru is springing). The segment between Obarsia Lotrului and the Ranca resort is the most impressive: narrow serpentines are meandering softly in an overwhelming landscape through its spectacular; sheepfolds are gathering spread on both sides of the slopes.

The maximum altitude the road is reaching is 2,145 m in the Urdele Pass. It is the point where one can see the skies mating the earth. The road continues on the ridge of the mountains and slightly descends to the Novaci commune (Gorj County).AGERPRES

Ankole-Watussi
Photo credit: (c) Huc Marian/zoo.sibiu.ro

In 2009, an Iberian wolf jumping over a fence was the protagonist of the year’s photo, which was considered the best wildlife and environment photo in the world. Iberian wolf is a subspecies of gray wolf and it lives in northern Spain.

“Sibiu is the first zoo in the country that bought a pair of zebras in 2010 and the only one in the country that has had Iberian wolves since 2011. Also, Sibiu Zoo is among the few zoos in the country that have, watusii cows, fishing pigs and jaguars, which they managed to reproduce.

Photo credit: (c) CRISTIAN NISTOR/AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Unique among the country’s zoos is also its relief: it is located in Dumbrava Sibiului Forest and has two lakes of 6 ha, one of which being a leisure lake, where tourists can rent boats and pedal boats,’ said Marius Lunca, the Sibiu Zoo director.

After entering Sibiu Zoo, you are greeted by an oak tree which is over six centuries old, a natural monument. The oldest zoo in the country was opened in 1929 and covers 20 ha.

The secular oak
Photo credit: (c) CRISTIAN NISTOR/AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The annual number of tourists increases there. Thus, the number of tourists increased from 80,000 in 2006 to 198,669 in 2013.

“Since the beginning of this year and until now we have had a number of 145,139 visitors, which makes me think that we will exceed 200,000 visitors until the year’s end,” added director Marius Lunca.

The collection of Sibiu Zoo numbers 224 animals of 53 species. As more special species are lions, tigers, jaguars, zebras, camels, yaks and white wolves.

Tigre
Photo credit: (c) Cosmin/Zoo Sibiu/zoo.sibiu.ro

Basically, Sibiu Zoo’s history began with some foxes. In 1929, the first zoo in in Romania was opened in Dumbrava Forest, by the Sibiu Electrical Plant, by the initiative of engineer Szekely who had this idea after finding some foxes while performing some repair works on the Sadu Dam.

After its establishment, the zoo received several animals and birds, such as a wild cat, a she-wolf donated by Obert von Spiess from the King, a wolf donated by the “Soimii” Association, an eagle, a Carpathian deer donated the hunters in Talmacel, boars, etc. In 1930, the Zoo received as donation its first bear.

The Sibiu City Hall invests heavily for the animals at the Zoo to have conditions to European standards. Thus, Piete SA will build shelter for the 15 grazing animals housed by Sibiu Zoo: deer, yaks, sheep, watussi, ponies and white buffaloes. The area for the said animals is 5,480 sqm. In the following 10 months, built on this area there will be five paddocks, each with its shelter of 40 sqm and each with a covered terrace of 25 sqm. Their roofs will be built of wood. The fencing space will consist in some fences of wooden horizontal balls. The contract also provides the building of a rainwater drainage system in this area. The works contract is worth 501,587 lei, VAT excluded.

The upgrading works on the shelter for monkeys is almost completed and it will be populated in October.

Monkeys
Photo credit: (c) Cosmin/Zoo Sibiu/zoo.sibiu.ro

Another finished work refers to the first stage of landscaping the irrigation system of green areas in the Zoo. In this stage, 1,200 meters of pipelines were put into place, the value of these works being 29,523 lei (VAT included). The project will continue with extending the network throughout the area of the Zoo. To save the water needed for this irrigation system, the list of next year’s investment will include the installation of some submersible pumps that will be installed in the lake.

The main tourist attraction of Sibiu Zoo this period is May, a jaguar cub aged over two months, which plays daily in its cage with its best friend, a puppy. The name of May was given by the Zoo staff. Its parents are the two jaguars at Sibiu Zoo (named Mowgly and Nadia). The jaguar cub is a true joy for Sibiu Zoo team because the jaguars’ reproduction in captivity is very rare. AGERPRES

Photo credit: (c) Medias Municipal Hall

‘The inclination is something characteristic to the Trumpeters’ Tower. The cause is the loading of the tower with three extra storeys in 1551 and through this its basis subduing to a too big pressure. Once it started to lean, this inclination became bigger and bigger, so that today the tower is part of the most known inclined towers “, Alina Stefan explained.

The history of the defence walls begins at Medias in 1437. The Turkish incursion in Transylvania in 1437 — 1438 leads to an accentuated decay of the Medias fortress, from the economic and the demographical viewpoint. With the ceaseless Turkish peril there, between the 15th and 16th centuries, the villages and smaller fairs which couldn’t ensure their long-length walls’ defence have resorted to the churches’ fortification. The same is the point with Medias, which in a first stage in the middle of the 14th century erected some walls on a restricted area, strengthened with two towers. Subsequently, after the year 1400, the existing walls are over-raised and is projected the construction of another three towers united in-between with belts, foreseen with water ditches and watch roads, erected to protect the area around the Saint Margaret Evangelical Church. The ensemble of these fortifications will be named Castle (a term derived from the Latin castellum, which means a place reinforced, a redoubt, a fortress), its first documentary attestation dating 1450.

The first documentary mention of the Saint Margaret Church dates 1414. The chronicler Georg Soterius writes that the year 1488 is the year when the construction was finished. The church’s dimensions are huge: it is 20m large, 52m long, its central nave is 350m˛ and 12m in height, with 3,000 people capacity.

The church’s tower was erected in 1550, its current height reaching 68.5m and a deviation of 2.28m from the vertical, inscribing among the 12 first constructions of this kind worldwide. In the castle’s structure are also included the defence towers: The Bells’ Tower, the Taylors’ Tower, the Ropemakers’ Tower and Mary’s Tower.

On the occasion of its over-elevation, the tower’s crest was framed by four corner towers which symbolize the right of the city to pronounce on the capital punishment (jus gladii). The city’s trumpeter used to live in one of the small towers and inform the citizens through his trumpet sounds the enemies’ nearing, the fires’ outburst and the entrance into the city of the prince or of other high dignitaries. The trumpeter is officially mentioned in documents ever since 1508. This how it came to be called the Trumpeters Tower.

The cause of its leaning was the fact that the tower has been over loaded with three extra storeys in 1551 and, by doing this, its basis was subdued to a too much pressure. Once it began to lean, this inclination got more and more accentuated, so that today it is part of the most famous inclined towers. Its leaning has determined the people in charge to take steps to strengthen it. So, an external belt was walled up, including the northern and western sides of the tower, and two buttresses in the northwest and northeast corners and a reinforcement of the foundation inside the tower. Sharpened to its peak like a blade lance, over the clocks measuring for ages the terrestrial time of the people of Medias, the roof’s helmet was framed with other four small towers attesting the fact that the city used to have a court and the city’s right to pronounce the capital punishment.

In Medias, if one was found guilty one could receive a capital punishment through a court sentence. The city used this right among other things to burn at the stake some ‘witches” in the 17th century, the last event attested in this respect being from 1752. During the time, various repairing works were necessary at the Trumpeters Tower. An extreme, yet necessary solution, has been adopted in 1927-1930, when in order to avoid the sharpening leaning of the Trumpeters Tower to the northeast, the tower was embraced both on its interior and on its exterior in an armed concrete belt up to the level of the 3 storeys at rd 14m high. On this occasion, the wooden statue of Turre Pitz (Petrica of the tower) was dethroned, which for three centuries had watched the city and could be admired today at the municipal museum and replaced with another oak wood statue, Roland. The legend says that during the building of the tower a worker fell from the roof. In his memory the statue of Turre Pitz was put in place. Roland was considered the city’s protector. In 1984, Roland was replaced with a copy, manufactured by Kurtfritz Handel.

Photo credit: (c) VIOREL LAZARESCU/AGERPRES ARCHIVE

In the Castel’s composition are also included the defence towers: The Bells’ Tower, the Taylors’ Tower, the Ropemakers’ Tower and Mary’s Tower.

The city’s fortress was built between 1490-1534, after a decree by Matei Corvin Hungarian King in 1486, which compelled the two Saxon Seats of Seica and Medias, respectively, to erect the stone fortifications. They count together for 2,360m total length of the walls, 0.8m in-depth and cca 7m height. There were three main access gates to the fortress strengthened with defence towers: The Steingasser Gate, to the north, the Zeckesch Gate, to the east, and the Forkesch Gate, to the south. The citadel was over-fortified in the next period, its peak being reached in the 18th century when it numbered 19 towers and bastions, the three main gates having been added another four secondary gates to.

Recently, this July, The City Hall of Medias announced that fortress’s towers and walls will be rehabilitated by 26 million lei from the European Union through the 2007-2013 Operational programme, the sustainable Development and tourism promotion.

With this investment 7,736 sqm of fortification walls and three tourist spots will be rehabilitated: the Cutlery Bastion, the Masons’ Tower and the Wheelers’ Tower.

“I wish to stress that the fortress’s towers and walls rehabilitation project is a complex one aiming to carry out works of area’s planning, respectively passers-by alleys, and bicycles’ tracks too, banks, informational poles, as well as parking lots. I find it our duty to rehabilitate, to preserve and to promote Medias tourist spots. We’ve got one single step for this goal come true and I trust that after it is completed, the tourist potential of Medias will soar. At the same time I want to thank the citizens who have understood the significance of this project for Medias and started to disband the garages in the area”, mayor Teodor Neamtu said.

The most leaned tower of Europe is the well-known Pisa Tower, Italy. The tower’s erection began in 1173 and went on (with two big interruptions) during two hundred years, with the goal to observe as much as closely the original project, whose architect is unknown. Besides its beauty, the tower is famous
For its leaning which is increasing with the time, due to the bad quality of the soil. It is 55.86m high on its inclined side, and 56.70m on the other side. Its weight is estimated to 14,500 tonnes. The tower’s leaning as against its vertical axis is 5.5 degrees, which means its body moves its weight centre at the basis level by 4.5m.

Photo credit: (c) Medias Municipal Hall

Because of its importance to the tourism industry of the city of Pisa, the Italian government implicated seriously in the last consolidation works that started in 1990, due to which they hope the life of the historical monument be prolonged by 300 years. The Tower of Pisa stabilization works lasted for 20 years, since 1990 until 2010. AGERPRES

Fotografii: (c) Isabela PAULESCU / AGERPRES FLUX

Dacă anul 2014 și-a luat rămas bun oferindu-le celor de la Bâlea Lac o ultimă zi superbă de iarnă, cu mult soare, fără vânt și dând ocazia tuturor celor din zona turistică Bâlea să urce cu telecabina și să poată sta măcar câteva minute în Hotelul de Gheață, noaptea de Revelion a fost petrecută de privilegiații care au stat cel mai aproape de cer în compania stelelor și, desigur, a focurilor de artificii.

Pentru cineva care nu cunoaște muntele și știe doar că la Bâlea Lac se înregistrează în aceste zile un risc însemnat de producere de avalanșe, de gradul trei pe o scară de la unu la cinci, acest loc poate părea periculos, iar petrecerea Revelionului înconjurat de vârfuri de Carpați ar fi reprezentat curată nebunie. De altfel, emoțiile pentru necunoscători încep încă din clipa în care se despart de Transfăgărășan, de la Bâlea Cascadă, de unde călătoresc suspendați în aer, timp de câteva minute, cu o telecabină pe cabluri, pentru a putea ajunge la destinația de vis, locul numit de mulți “deasupra norilor”. Mulți dintre cei peste 150.000 de turiști din toată lumea au venit special de Sărbători, în ultimul deceniu, la Bâlea Lac, doar pentru a trăi o experiență de călătorie inedită, “înghețată” la propriu.

Barul Hotelului de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

Cât de frig a fost de Revelion în Hotelul de Gheață, cu paturi de gheață, un bar cu mobilier de gheață, unde la cumpăna dintre ani s-a urat noroc ciocnind pahare de gheață? Ei, bine, mult mai cald decât afară! Mult mai cald decât în multe locuri înzăpezite sau încremenite de frig din România. Pare suprinzător, dar odată intrat în Hotelul de Gheață simți nevoia să renunți la mănuși, fular, chiar și la haină după un timp. Și nu doar pentru a-ți fi mai comod, ci pentru că pur și simplu este mai cald ca afară, chiar și cu 15 grade și fără să te “încălzești” cu vreo tărie servită direct în pahare de gheață.

Conform meteorologilor, la Bâlea Lac a fost mult mai cald în noaptea de Revelion, față de alte locuri din România, chiar și față de Sibiu. Dacă la Sibiu mercurul din termometre a coborât până la minus 25 de grade, la Bâlea Lac în cursul nopții s-au înregistrat temperaturi în jurul valorii de minus 19, chiar și minus 11 grade. Ceea ce înseamnă că în Hotelul de Gheață a fost zero grade sau poate chiar un grad, două cu plus. Ultima zi din 2014 a fost mult mai friguroasă la Bâlea Lac, practic, s-a atins minus 23 de grade. Însă, Revelionul a fost mult mai călduros.

Aproape toți turiștii care vin să “înghețe” în cel mai neobișnuit hotel din România nu pleacă răciți. Cei mai experimentați salvamontiști, meteorologi și cabanieri de la Bâlea Lac spun că oamenii nu răcesc aici deloc iarna. Nu e un paradox. Pur și simplu aerul e foarte curat, iar razele soarelui sunt mult mai blânde decât la mare, pe plajă.

Pat în Hotelul de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

Camerele de gheață sunt mai mici decât niște dormitoare de apartament, dar cu toate acestea într-o încăpere obișnuită încape un pat de două persoane, două noptiere, scăunele de gheață și chiar o măsuță. Există curent electric în cameră. Ai o noptieră alături și în mod surprinzător, fiecare cameră, botezată în acest an după câte o zodie, este păzită de câte o sculptură de gheață. Deci, cei din zodia Taurului, au înnoptat de Revelion lângă un taur de gheață. Așa și berbecii. Leii au avut câte doi lei care i-au păzit ș.a.m.d. Paturile sunt de gheață, peste care sunt așezate lemne, deasupra saltele impermeabile, după care câteva straturi de pături călduroase, piei de oi și desigur cearceafuri, pilote, perne. Ca să fie siguri că nu suferă nimeni de frig, proprietarii Hotelului de Gheață pun la dispoziție și câte un sac de dormit, garantat că asigură căldură până la minus 20 de grade. Singura grijă este să îți protejezi fața.

“Senzațional!”, “Incredibil de frumos!”, “Nu credeam că există așa ceva la noi, în România!”, “Foarte impresionant. Nu a fost deloc frig” — sunt impresiile de la câțiva turiști care au înnoptat aici.

Intrarea în Hotelul de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

Primul turist, un britanic, care s-a trezit să surprindă răsăritul soarelui, din fața Hotelului de Gheață, având în față o priveliște de vis, cu coame înzăpezite de munți, pe care, parcă le atingi vârfurile cu mâna, dezvăluie prima impresie din 2015 legată de România și noaptea “înghețată” de Revelion: “A fost foarte bine. Mie nu mi-a fost frig. Am mai dormit în hoteluri de gheață în Europa. Ultima dată am fost într-un asemenea hotel în Norvegia. Dar acest loc este incredibil de frumos. Îmi place mai mult aici. Ați fost la telecabină? Încercați să faceți o poză de acolo! Nu o să uit niciodată această parte din România”.

Telecabina se învecinează cu Hotelul de Gheață. Din telecabină, cea mai spectaculoasă șosea din România și printre cele mai frumoase din lume, Transfăgărășanul apare ca fiind îngropat în zăpadă. Din loc în loc poți vedea stâlpii telecabinei. Însă, când soarele își face loc din spate, de după munte, o mare apare în față. O mare albastră, dincolo de pădurea deasă de brazi. O mare care se întâlnește cu cerul. O linie subțire de lumină desparte Cerul de Pământ. Marea aceea este o parte din județul Sibiu, cu sate, cabane, oameni care încă nici nu s-au trezit după petrecerea de Revelion și dincolo în zare este o bucată din cel mai circulat drum național din România: DN1. Treptat marea de albastru dispare, lăsând loc peisajului. Se disting vag niște lumini. Luminile caselor peste care s-a așternut tăcerea și ninsoarea, de după artificii.

Artificii au fost și la Bâlea Lac. Imaginați-vă că aveți în fața voastră un munte. Vă desparte de el câteva sute de metri. Și stați așezat pe un lac. Înghețat complet. Pe care te poți da cu barca trasă de ATV. La peste 2.000 de metri, cu un cer înstelat spre care se ridică lampioane. Aproape de miezul nopții, focurile de artificii luminează muntele, lacul întins pe 4,6 hectare. Un lac adânc de 11.35 metri, înconjurat de vârfurile Vaiuga (2.443 metri), Iezerul Caprei (2.417 metri), Șaua Caprei (2.315 metri) și Paltinul (2.398 metri).

Deși pare greu de crezut, de Revelion, la Bâlea Lac, prin zăpadă, la ușa restaurantului a venit și o vulpe. Toată lumea o cunoaște. Este “de-a casei”. A fost ospătată și ea și astfel am pășit în Noul An cu amintiri greu de uitat vreodată și de relatat prietenilor.

În timp ce în alte părți petrecăreții de Revelion s-au întrecut în ținute deosebite, în locul zăpezilor și al ghețurilor toată lumea s-a simțit bine în bocanci, pantaloni de iarnă și bluze cât mai călduroase. La Bâlea Lac nu rochiile și costumele au impresionat. Singurul accesoriu nelipsit era paharul cu șampanie, vin, țuică și alte băuturi.

Spre deosebire de românii care obișnuiesc să mănânce și să bea toată noaptea, britanicii veniți la Hotelul de Gheață au servit cina la ora 19,30 pe farfurii de gheață în restaurantul din incinta hotelului, iar aproape de miezul nopții jumătate dintre ei au venit la una din cabanele învecinate să vadă artificiile, iar ceilalți au preferat să închine cupele de șampanie în fața hotelului.

Frapieră de gheață în formă de pantof pentru sticla de șampanie în Restaurantul Hotelului de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

Bâlea Lac este un loc special pentru toate categoriile de turiști: de zi, de week-end, pasionați de munte, practicanți de sporturi de iarnă, iubitori de natură sau pur și simplu care vor să vadă ceva ce nu există în altă parte. La petrecerea de Revelion au fost și turiști care vin de 12 ani la Bâlea Lac.

“Venim aici de 12 ani pentru că e frumos, aici e mai multă zăpadă ca la Sibiu. Aici te poți rupe de cotidian. E mult mai frumoasă priveliștea. Acum zece ani, când s-a construit prima dată hotelul de gheață, ni s-a părut o idee nebunească, dar este unul din cele mai bune branduri din zonă, care atrag turiști de peste tot. Noi nu suntem antrenați să stăm noaptea acolo, dar cred că am putea rezista. Am încercat să bem ceva dintr-un pahar de gheață, iar senzația este excelentă”, a declarat pentru AGERPRES Ioana Crețu, turistă.

Barman în Hotelul de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

A lucra într-un bar de gheață sau într-un hotel înghețat complet este o experiență cel puțin nebunească. Un tânăr din Sibiu își petrece de trei ani ca barman sărbătorile și Revelionul numai la Hotelul de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac. A venit vara la Bâlea Lac să muncească sezonier și s-a decis să continue experiența și iarna. Practic, este cel care a dormit cel mai mult în Hotelul de Gheață, 20 de nopți, din care primele trei le-a petrecut în sacul de dormit, pe patul de gheață.

“De acum trei ani a început nebunia. Înainte să vin să lucrez am mai fost aici cu școala, la Hotelul de Gheață. Atunci nu mă gândeam că o să ajung să dorm aici sau să lucrez. În prima iarnă când am lucrat aici, în primele două zile am resimțit frigul. Eram echipat cu trei perechi de izmene, bluze, ghete, cinci perechi de șosete. Prima săptămână am simțit frigul. Stăteam cel puțin două ore neîntrerupt aici. După prima săptămână m-am obișnuit. Așa am făcut și Crăciunul și Revelionul în Hotelul de Gheață. După Revelion am venit în fiecare week-end la Bâlea Lac, până în aprilie. Eram în clasa a 12-a. Este cel mai interesant lucru care mi s-a întâmplat, să lucrez în Hotelul de Gheață”, povestește Daniel Paul Drăghiță, barmanul de la Hotelul de Gheață.

Cel mai greu i se pare în afara hotelului înghețat, când e ceață și ger. Cărarea pe care o parcurge în 30 de secunde între Hotelul de Gheață și cabană, când e soare, o face în 30 de minute când e ceață și vânt puternic. “Problema e că uneori nu nimerești drumul, când e vremea rea”, recunoaște barmanul.

Românul care a dormit cele mai multe nopți în Hotelul de Gheață de la Bâlea Lac

Daniel Paul Drăghiță a înregistrat și unele recorduri personale, stând ziua nouă ore în hotelul de gheață, fără întrerupere, precum și trei nopți, în care a dormit.

A rezistat doar cu o voință de fier și pasiune pentru munca sa inedită. E singurul barman din Sud-Estul Europei care lucrează cu pahare de gheață, într-un bar de gheață. Clienții săi rezistă cu mult alcool. Norocul lui este că aceștia vin însoțiți de prieteni, care îi așează în pat și îi învelesc. Clienții care nu dorm beți se schimbă în pijamale. “Doi scoțieni au încercat acum doi ani experiența de a veni doar în cunoscutele lor fuste numite kilt la Hotelul de Gheață și așa au dormit”, își amintește barmanul.

Cel mai mic “client” care a dormit în Hotelul de Gheață avea patru luni, fiind copilul unui cuplu de nordici. La Hotelul de Gheață vin mai ales cupluri sau familii. Cei singuratici, mai rar.

Daniel Paul Drăghiță spune că Hotelului de Gheață îi lipsește o baie de gheață. “Asta e ideea mea. Doar de decor”, susține barmanul.

Cea care a învățat să-i servească cu farfurii de gheață pe turiști este Andreea, o fată din Ploiești, care și-a dorit un serviciu despre care să povestească prietenilor. Și, astfel, a ajuns ospătărița din Restaurantul de gheață.

“E primul meu job. Lucrez de două săptămâni. Mai mult de trei ore nu am stat în Hotelul de Gheață. Pe urmă fac o pauză, la cabană. Practic, eu îi cazez pe turiști. Mie nu prea îmi plăcea frigul și nu am crezut că o să ajung să stau atât aici. Dar, îmi place. Îmi place foarte mult și abia aștept să mă întorc”, spune Andreea Voloșenco.

“De când lucrez la Bâlea Lac, frigul e cel mai bun prieten al meu. Am trăit experiența de a dormi pe patul de gheață, în Hotelul de Gheață, de 20 de ori. Aș mai dormi de tot atâtea ori. Pentru mine e cea mai tare experiență, că lucrez aici și stau aici atât de mult, mai ales iarna”, mărturisește, în final, Daniel Paul Drăghiță.

AGERPRES/(A — autor: Isabela Paulescu, editor: Cristian Anghelache)