Walking Tour highlights in Sighişoara: Free Sightseeing and Attractions

We spent two nights in Sighişoara and spent a lot of time walking around. Sighişoara has many sights and historical buildings in the city and its very easy to reach them on foot.

Here are highlights of the sights and attractions we found during our city walk tour in Sighisoara.

About Sighişoara

Sighişoara is a municipality in Mureş County, central Romania, with a population of about 24,000 (2021). It was the site of a medieval fortified city, and many architectural monuments from that time remain. Its old town was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Saxon merchants and craftsmen of German origin settled in the area from the mid-12th century onwards. They dominated the economy of Sighişoara, which became an important centre in Transylvania, and built a fortress. The towers built by the guilds, which are said to have numbered 15 at their peak, are still well preserved today.

The old town, with its historic buildings from the Middle Ages, is situated on a hill. The main attractions are concentrated in this area, although the streets are hilly and cobbled. It is possible to stay within the old town as there are restaurants, cafés and accommodation. We stayed in a guesthouse just down the hill near the railway station and went sightseeing on foot in the old town.

The Butchers’ Tower

Access to the old town is via a gentle slope with several ways up, but we entered next to a relatively large car park on the side of the hill. The first thing we saw was this ‘Butchers’ Tower’.

The tower was built in the late 15th century. Originally octagonal, it was rebuilt hexagonal in the 16th century. It is connected to the high ramparts and looks very powerful.

Furriers Tower (Turnul Cojocarilor)

Located right next to the butcher’s tower it is a smaller, square tower, and its simple design suggests that it was built in the early 14th century. It is continuous with the fortification wall with arch gates.

Tailor’s tower (Turnul Croitorilor)

Built in the 14th century. It is the largest of the Sighişoara fortress towers and has a strong presence. Located close to the Clock Tower, it is a simple but impressive tower. It faces the central area and is relatively busy with traffic. The foot gate has two arches and is thick and powerful.

Shoemaker’s tower (Turnul Cizmarilor)

Located in the north-west corner of the fortress town, this tower is thought to have been first built in the 14th century. At that time, it was smaller and more rectangular in design than it is today. The hexagonal tower seen today was rebuilt between the end of the 16th and 17th centuries.

It has an attractive shape, with small balconies on the roof. The tower is also beautiful when seen from near the St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church up the hill.

St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church

Unlike other churches in Sighişoara, which were built by Transylvanian Saxons, this church was built by Hungarians.

Built in 1896, it was restored the following year after a fire in 1983. Unlike the Orthodox churches, the interior is simple, but beautiful.

Sighișoara City Hall

Sighișoara City Hall was built in 1888. Its size and splendour make it an eye-catcher. Behind the building is a well-kept garden, and the observation promenade overlooks the city of Sighișoara.

Monastery Church (Biserica Mânăstirii)

Built in the 13th century and with a simple white façade. Admission is 10 lei per person.

The Clock Tower

Located near the Tailor’s Tower, the construction of this 64 m high clock tower was begun in the 13th century and completed in the 14th century. It’s believed that it used to be similar in shape to the Tailor’s Tower at the time. The arched aisle at the foot of the tower is a preserved part from the 14th century; the old roof was replaced in the 16th century and the tower was rebuilt after a fire in 1676.

The towers in the fortress of Sighişoara were managed by the various guilds, but the clock tower was public property. The clock tower is unique in the country, with a doll installed next to the clock face. The decorative roof is a landmark of Sighişoara, visible from all angles.

The Ironsmiths’ Tower

This tower is located behind the Monastery Church. It was built in 1631 on the foundations of the original barber’s tower. It appears larger from the outside of the fortress than from the inside.

The Tinsmiths’ Tower

When we visited, the site was locked and we were unable to approach the tower. The image was taken from outside the fortress walls.

It appeared to be one of the most intricately designed of the Sighişoara fortress towers. It is 25 m high and the atmosphere of the continuous fortification walls is also photogenic.

Scholars’ Stairs (The Covered Stairway)

This wooden-roofed stairway leads to the upper part of the fortified town. They were built in 1642 to make it easier to get to the schools and churches above in the winter snow. Initially there were 300 steps, but today only 176 remain.

Joseph Haltrich High School

One of the oldest Transylvanian schools, located at the top of the scholars’ stairway.

Church on the hill (Biserica din Deal)

Located right next to Josef Hartrich High School, it was built in the 13th century and has been extended and rebuilt several times since. The church has a linear, simple design. Admission is 10 lei per person. There is a cemetery nearby and it is easier to see the entire church facade from the cemetery grounds.

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (Biserica Sfânta Treime)

Located in a north-easterly direction from the fortified town of Sighişoara, the church stands out for its sheer size and beauty when looking down on the city from the hill. It was designed in the neo-Byzantine style and completed in 1937.

At the time of our visit, renovation work appeared to be underway. As a result, the entrance was roped off, but we were able to enter the church with the help of a worker.

Accommodation in Sighişoara

We stayed at Venesis House in Sighişoara. The room was clean, the staff was friendly and the WiFi worked well.

The courtyard is a restaurant-bar, which made it a little noisy when there were guests, but overall very comfortable. There is a shared kitchen, and coffee and espresso are provided 24 hours a day. We booked a double room online and it was reasonably priced at 161 lei per room per night.