Friday, March 6, 2009

Transylvania, Romania

Weekend trip from Bucharest: Brasov and Fagaras

Brasov
One of the best views of Brasov is from the black tower, looking toward the Black Church. The Black Church has an amazing organ, and it's a nice place to go in the evenings or during the day to hear music.















Biserica Neagra, Brasov, view from the tower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Church


Fagaras
Now, Fagaras is small... about 30,000, surrounded by small villages, but the history is very interesting, going back to the times of Teutonic Knights. In the center of town is the Citadel, a huge brick walled structure with the castle in the center. Nearby is a small park and city square, now the site of wedding parties and photographs in the spring. Because of Fagaras' urban design, with small streets and continuous walled facades along the streets, the wedding parties can be heard all over town when they start the traditional wedding parade on the way to the party, with tens of cars rolling through town with the horns blaring, and somewhere inside a bride with a big white dress. The Citadel is the main historic landmark in town.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C4%83g%C4%83ra%C5%9F















Citadelul, Fagaras


Manastirea Sambata















Manastirea Sambata, Judetul Fagaras

In Fagaras County is the Sambata Monastery, one of the monasteries in the Romanian Brancovenesque style. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%A2ncovenesc_style

Sambata Monastery is surrounded by mountains, and one of the favorite places to go for Easter and during the summer, when the flowers and roses are out, and to go for picnics and barbeques in the summer in the surrounding area. Because of the location in the mountains, the air around Sambata always smells like trees, and earth, and the forest. There's a small lake and creek behind the monastery; because of the design of the architecture with the courtyard and the landscaping around, the monastery feels very much a part of the landscape. The lake and creek and surrounding hills part of the meditative space of the monastery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlVLCZcP_fg

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