A poit of interest of the Old City of Braşov is the Old City Hall on the Central Square, now Museum of History of the city. On its façade, the arms of coats of the city, a tree-trunk with many roots and a crown on it. The trunk symbolises the city, which consisted of the many villages and the colonists’ families, represented by the many roots. The crown suggestes the German name of the ciy – Kronstadt – as well as on the fact, that the city has been built on royal ground, therefore being a free city.
Also on the Central Square, there is an old manufacturing house, which hosts now a restaurant. In its cellars, traditional barrels of wine are stored, alongside with rooms, where wine-tasting evenings can be organised. The wine is not from the region, as the region is quite cool, but from the Târnave region in Transilvania, or from Odobeşti in Southern Moldova, just to name a few of the most famous Romanian wine-regions. After the tasting, the dinner is served in another room, where folklore programmes are also offered.
Of central interest in the Old City is the protestant Church, which became known as the Black Church, following the big fire which caught the whole city in the 17th century. The church, however, dates from the 12th century, and, as all German churches of Transilvania, the Black Church was until the 16th century catholic, and thereafter it turned protestatnt (after Luther). Some very nice wall-paintings have been discovered. What is unique of the Black Church, however, is its rich collection of oriental (islamic) carpets. Those have been brought by the merchants of Braşov from the Far East and donated them to the Church to thank God for their earnings and for the fortunate travel.
The old city was little, and had strong fortified walls, which, in part can be still seen. In the South-East of the city there was the village of Şchei, which was inhabited by Romanians. Nowadays it is part of Braşov. On its central square, there is an orthodox church, which reminds of the Russian churches, because its many towers. Fact is, that a part of the money comes from the Russian Tsarin Katharina 2nd, who supported the Orthodox in Transilvania, hoping toextend the Russian influence on the inhabited by many Romanians. It came, however, not to the hoped end.
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