lutheran evangelical cathedral & tower

This church with its adjoining plaza is a beautiful spot to visit in Sibiu. On the hour you can visit the top of the tower with fantastic views of the town, but unfortunately you can"t open the windows.

You will climb lots of steel stairs placed in the middle of the tower, being able to see 360 degrees around them, inside the tower, up and down, with wind blowing from all the sides. However, the thrilling experience will be when you get to the top of the tower, under the pointy roof. There you hear the wind blowing strong through the tiles, it is also a bit dark in there and when you look up you see that the pointy roof goes up a lot! Also, you can see the city through the 4 corners of the tower.

Beautiful Gothic architecture, I only got the chance to see it from outside, but very interesting details.

Situated in Huet Square, this beautiful Gothic cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary.Built in 1371 on the site of a 12th century Roman Basilica, it is home to Romania's largest organ and a number of beautiful frescoes.The views from the tower are equaled only by the ones from the The Tower of the Council (Turnul Sfatului).

I loved the arhitecture, the church is very large. Unfortunately when I was visiting it was under renovation and I could't get inside. Near the cathedral is a very nice terrace.

The exterior of the church is especially overwhelming, but the interior could be better. The church tower offers a very nice view of Sibiu.

A nice young guy guided me and told about the church and the tower, this was very good. You can visit the tower at, how do you say, for example at 2 o'clock or 3 o'clock etc., not on anytime you like or not on half past 2 or 3, because they need people to gather. If you have shopping bags or other things with you, prefer visiting the tower another time. If you manage to reach the top, the view is really beautiful. But on the way, do not forget to have a look around, look at the walls, the construction, the bells, everything. The cathedral is also nice. Worth visiting.

If you are one of those people who hates toured guides because they don't let you linger around, this is a great place to see. The cathedral is still in use and services are still officiated, as far as I can tell -- but more importantly, the restoration has been exemplary and most of the historical elements -- even the scary stairs in the tower -- have been very well preserved.The place has the unmistakeable air of a church that is still a church, not just a tourist attraction. Organ concerts are still performed every once in a while, too -- and it's an experience you shouldn't miss, because the place has very good acoustics and a good organ, too. We didn't stay for a concert (though I do remember one from when I was a kid) but we caught some of what seemed like a rehearsal of one of the organists, and the interpretation was great.Climbing up in the tower is an experience I certainly recommend, as long as you are good at overtaking your fear of heights, because you'll *need* to do that. The thought of going back down did cross my mind more than once, but I insisted to keep going because there doesn't seem to be a single piece of modern technology in there (maybe save for the metallic structure of the stairway, but even that doesn't look out of place). Not even electrical lighting, which is why visiting is done only until 15:00 or so during wintertime. It was very cold (partly because it was -20 deg Celsius outside, too!) and windy, but certainly worth it. The tower offers a great panorama of the city, too.The ferula is also interesting: it was separated from the rest of the church (not unheard of, but fairly uncommon) and it hosts several beautifully-sculpted tombstones dating between the 15th and early 19th century (church burials were forbidden started with 1796 I think, but an exception was made for Samuel von Brukenthal). The old puplit, beautifully sculpted out of stone around 1500, is also kept there.If you're a casual visitor, you can expect to spend at least 30-45 minutes just strolling around and climbing up the tower. If you're passionate about history, you'll need at least an hour to go through everything, maybe more if you're taking pictures. I didn't take any of the interior because I have a strict policy of not doing that in churches and cathedrals that are still used for cult, but I'm pretty sure it's allowed. Taking pictures up in the tower is both allowed and certainly recommended; I tried hard not to, but I couldn't help it :-).

the view from the tower is really amazing!! if you're not afraid of climbing a lot of stairs, it's the right place from taking breathless pics

Impressive view of the old city and the surrounding mountains from the tower. The cathedral itself is one of the most beautiful gothic buildings in Transylvania and Eastern-Europe. I wish our guide had told us the history and the details of the cathedral, not just showing the way up in the tower. (for example, the city was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1191 AD, or in 1544 AD here was printed the first book in Romanian language - a lutheran churchbook, or in 1717 AD in this city was founded the first beer factory in Transylvania) You know, there is a reason why there are for little towers on the top of the tower: it shows that in the Middle Age the city had right to condemn to death a wrongdoer (it was a privilege accorded by the King).

Even though is still under renovation (as far as i know), it's as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, and they're doing a great job with the restoration project. It's also a place of serenity at night.

This is a must see in Sibiu it's unique style and surroundings are something to behold. It is basically massive, huge though delicate and detailed. I think it is emblematic for the city itself.

Located in the Huet Square, this cathedral is one of the best places to see the city from above.Despite it is costly, it worst a visit.Enjoy!

The Gothic church, a Lutheran Cathedral, is one of the most impressive sights in Sibiu. The old Romanesque church of St. Mary was extended by the Saxon population from 1325. Its 73 metres high tower, the highest in Sibiu, was finished in 1494. The tower has 4 turrets, indicating that the town had “ius gladiator:” i.e., it could execute criminals. Construction of the cathedral lasted until 1520.The church has a multi-coloured roof. In 1767, the potters’ guild provided 5,350 tiles for the new roof of the tower.When I visited, the church was closed for restoration works. Still, it remains one of the most beautiful churches I have seen in Transylvania and looking at it may be a bigger treat than looking from it. If it had been open to visitors, I, certainly, would have rated it as excellent.

The building of this church started in the 14th century and the parish has certainly seen changes with the congregation falling from 14,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to only about 1400 now. Typically, for a protestant church, you have to pay (all of 5 lei) to visit, but it is worth it with some extraordinary wall decorations in the nave and tombstones in the back of the building.