Easy hikes and walks in Piatra Mare

The Johann Kessler Fountain on the Town Hall Square in the heart of Brașov impresses with its intricate details, reflecting the craftsmanship of its time. Equipped with eight drinking water dispensers, the fountain is dedicated to the Transylvanian writer Johann Samuel Keßler (1771 to 1796).

Next to the Black Church stands the statue of Johannes Honterus, a work by the Berlin sculptor Haro Magnussen, which was unveiled on August 21, 1898. The bronze bas-reliefs on the pedestal depict the humanist in his printing shop, where the first prints were made in 1539, and administering communion to a sick person. Born in 1498, Honterus was a Transylvanian-Saxon humanist scholar, religious reformer, and founder of the Saxon Gymnasium in Kronstadt. He died in 1549.

The Old Town Hall, located on Town Hall Square in the historic center, is Brașov's most important secular monument. The town hall was originally a watchtower, the foundations of which lay on those of the present tower. The adjacent building was constructed later, with construction work beginning on December 23, 1420. The Turkish invasion of 1421 and the resulting destruction, as well as the arrest of the city judge, delayed construction. The building was only later converted into the town hall. It was first mentioned in 1503, when it appears as the "Praetorium," the seat of the city administration. From 1950 onward, the Old Town Hall housed the Brașov State Museum, which later became the Brașov County History Museum.

The large fountain on the town hall square offers welcome refreshment in the summer.

The rectory of the Black Church, built from 1383 onward, was completed in 1477. The historic building is closely connected to the Protestant congregation and the Black Church itself. Located in the immediate vicinity of the church, it is an integral part of the ensemble that defines the townscape.

The White Tower is a fortress built between 1460 and 1494, which still impresses today with its massiveness and sleek lines. The semicircular building, with its four-meter-thick walls, stands over thirty meters above the old city walls. The tower has ramparts, tar holes, and balconies supported by stone consoles. The White Tower was located 59 meters in front of the fortress wall, and a drawbridge connected it to the Graft Bastion. With its five floors, it was the highest point of the Brașov Fortress. The Tinsmiths' Guild was responsible for its defense. During the great fire of April 21, 1689, the fire, carried by a strong wind, also engulfed the White Tower, which burned down and was not renovated until 1723.

From the Black Tower, you have a wonderful view of the Old Town, the Black Church, and the Old Town Hall. The steep climb through the shady park is worth it.

The Catherine Gate, located in the southwest of the medieval city, provided passage through the double fortress wall and was the city's only gate toward Şchei for almost three centuries. Today, only the tower of the outer gate remains, probably built in the 15th century and first mentioned in documents in 1517. Defended by the Tailors' Guild, the gate was destroyed by storm and flood in 1526 and then rebuilt. Because it was located at the end of Catherine Street, which took its name from the former nunnery, the gate was called "Catherine's Gate." The building is square and extends over three levels. The upper part features four towers, a sign that the city had the right to impose death sentences. Above the gate on the first floor is a plaque bearing the coat of arms of Brașov.