Coordinates: 45°47′34″N 24°09′07″E
Sibiu
Sibiu (/siːˈbjuː/ see-BEW,[5] Romanian: [siˈbiw], German: Hermannstadt
[ˈhɛʁmanʃtat], Hungarian: Nagyszeben [ˈnɒcsɛbɛn]) is a city in Transylvania, a Sibiu
historical region of Romania. Located some 275 km (171 mi) north-west of
Hermannstadt
Bucharest,[6] the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt. Now the City
capital of the Sibiu County, between 1692 and 1791 and 1849–65 Sibiu was also
the capital of the Principality of Transylvania.
Nicknamed The City with Eyes or Seebiu, the city is a well-known tourist
destination for both domestic and foreign visitors. Known for its culture, history,
gastronomy and its diverse architecture, which includes its much iconic houses
with eyes that gave Sibiu its nickname, the city has been getting much attention
since the beginning of the 21st century. In 2004, its historical center has begun the
process of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sibiu was designated the
European Capital of Culture in 2007.[7] One year later, it was ranked "Europe's
8th-most idyllic place to live" by Forbes.[8] In 2019, Sibiu was named the
European Region of Gastronomy,[9] while in 2020 it was designated "Europe's
sixth best tourist destination".[10] Sibiu will host the European Wandering Capital
event in 2021, the most important tourist wandering event in Europe.[11][12] A
European Union summit was hosted by the city in 2019.
Sibiu is also known for its Christmas market, which was listed among the best in
the world by El Mundo in 2012[13] and the best in Europe by About Times
Magazine in 2019.[14] Something else the city is known are Conrad Haas and
From top, left to right:
Hermann Oberth, both of whom have had important contributions to rocketry.[15] Council Tower (city symbol) • Lutheran
Cathedral • Eyes of Sibiu • Medieval
As of 2011, the city has a population of 147,245,[16] while a 2019 estimate puts it fortifications • Bridge of Lies • City hall
at 169,056.[17] The proposed Sibiu metropolitan area has a population of 267,170. and Jesuit Church • Brukenthal Palace
The city also administers the village of Păltiniș, a ski resort located 35 kilometres to • Neo-Baroque palace • Modern high-
the south. rise buildings
Historically, Sibiu has been one of the most important centres of the Transylvanian
Saxons. It is called Härmeschtat in their dialect.[18]
Flag
Contents Coat of arms
Name Nickname(s): The City with Eyes,[1]
History The City Where Houses Don't Sleep,[2]
Seebiu[3]
Geography
Climate
Tourism
Main sights
Culture Sibiu
Museums and parks
Events
European Cultural Capital
Administration Location within Romania
City districts Coordinates: 45°47′34″N 24°09′07″E
Demographics Country Romania
Population dynamics County Sibiu
Population by religious denomination Status Municipiu
Economy Settled 1st century BC
Resettled c. 1147
Transport
First off. record 1191 (as
Air Cibinium)
Road
Government
Rail • Mayor Astrid Fodor[4]
Cycling (FDGR)
Health Area
Education • City 121 km2
(47 sq mi)
Sports
Elevation 415 m (1,362 ft)
Natives
Population (2011)
International relations • City 147,245
Twin towns • Estimate (2019) 169,056
Consulates • Density 1,200/km2
(3,200/sq mi)
Gallery
• Metroa 267,170
See also
Demonym(s) sibian, sibiancă
References (ro)
Bibliography Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
External links • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Area code(s) +40 269/369
Car plates SB
Name Website [Link] (htt
p://[Link]/)
The Romanian name Sibiu derives from the city's Latin name of Cibinium,[19] a Sibiumetropolitan area is a proposed
which is also the source of the Cibin river's name. An archaic version of the name project
is Sibiiu, while an obsolete folk name is Sâghii, also spelled Sîghii.
In German, it is called Hermannstadt ("Hermann's city"), while in the local Transylvanian Saxon dialect, it is known as
Härmeschtat. Its Hungarian name is Nagyszeben ("Big/Greater Sibiu"), or colloquially, Szeben. In Yiddish, it is called סעבען
Seben or הערמאנשטאטHermanshtat.
A number of other languages also have their own variants of the city's name, like Czech Sibiň, Polish Sybin, Serbo-Croatian
Sibinj and the proposed Esperanto name of Sibio.
History
Sibiu was initially a Daco-Roman city called Cedonia.[20] The town was refounded by Saxon (German) settlers brought there
by king Géza II of Hungary. They came from territories of the Holy Roman Empire and Kingdom of France (nowadays parts of
Germany, France and the Benelux countries) and arrived at around 1147.[21][22] The first references to the area were Cibinium
and Cipin from 1191 when Pope Celestine III confirmed the existence of the free prepositure of the Saxons in Transylvania,
having its headquarters in Sibiu.[23][24] The city also used the names Prepositus Cibiniensis (1192-1196) and Prepositus
Scibiniensis (1211). In 1223, it was renamed to Villa Hermanni,[25] either in honor of archbishop Hermann II of Cologne[21] or
after a man who is believed to have founded the city, Hermann of Nuremberg.[25] The actual German name of Hermannstadt
("Hermann's city") dates from 1366, while an earlier form, Hermannsdorf ("Hermann's village") was recorded in 1321.[26]
In the 14th century, it was already an important trade centre. In 1376, the craftsmen were divided in 19 guilds. Sibiu became the
most important ethnic German city among the seven cities that gave Transylvania its German name Siebenbürgen (literally seven
citadels).[27][28] It was home to the Universitas Saxorum (Community of the Saxons), a network of pedagogues, ministers,
intellectuals, city officials, and councilmen of the German community forging an ordered legal corpus and political system in
Transylvania since the 1400s.[29][30] In 1699, after the Ottomans withdrew to their base of power in Hungary and Transylvania,
the town became capital of Principality of Transylvania (since 1570 the principality was mostly under suzerainty of the Ottoman
Empire, however often had a dual vassalage).[31] During the 18th and 19th centuries, the city became the second- and later the
first-most important centre of Transylvanian Romanian ethnics. The first Romanian-owned bank had its headquarters here (The
Albina Bank), as did the ASTRA (Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Romanian's People Culture). After
the Romanian Orthodox Church was granted status in the Austrian Empire from the 1860s onwards, Sibiu became the
Metropolitan seat, and the city is still regarded as the third-most important centre of the Romanian Orthodox Church. Between
the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and 1867 (the year of the Ausgleich), Sibiu was the meeting-place of the Transylvanian Diet,
which had taken its most representative form after the Empire agreed to extend voting rights in the region.
After World War I, when Austria-Hungary was dissolved, Sibiu became part of Romania; the majority of its population was still
ethnic German (until 1941) and counted a large Romanian community, as well as a smaller Hungarian one. Starting from the
1950s and until after 1990, most of the city's ethnic Germans emigrated to Germany and Austria. Among the roughly 2,000 who
have remained is Klaus Johannis, the current President of Romania.
Panoramic view of Sibiu View from Gușterița hill Burger-Ocnei gate
from 1928
Cisnădie's Gate Tower Tower's Street and the Copper engraving of Sibiu
Evangelical Lutheran (Hermanstatt), c. 1630.
Church
A busy market scene in
Sibiu, 1818
Geography
Sibiu is situated near the geographical center of Romania at 45.792784°N 24.152069°E.
Set in the Cibin Depression, the city is about 20 km from the Făgăraș Mountains, 12 km
from the Cibin Mountains, and about 15 km from the Lotru Mountains, which border
the depression in its southwestern section. The northern and eastern limits of Sibiu are
formed by the Târnavelor Plateau, which descends to the Cibin Valley through
Gușteriței Hill.
The Cibin river as well as some smaller streams runs through Sibiu. The geographical
position of Sibiu makes it one of the most important transportation hubs in Romania
with important roads and railway lines passing through it.
Topographic map of the Sibiu region
Climate
Sibiu's climate is humid continental (Köppen: Dfb), although considering the original
−3 °C (27 °F) isotherm, it borders a humid subtropical type (Cfa), with average
temperatures of 8 to 9 °C (46 to 48 °F). The average rainfall is 627 litres per square
metre (12.8 imp gal/sq ft), and there are about 120 days of hard frost annually.
Făgăraș Mountains
Climate data for Sibiu (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high 15.6 21.3 30.6 30.2 32.1 35.4 38.3 38.4 39.5 32.5 27.0 19.3 39.5
°C (°F) (60.1) (70.3) (87.1) (86.4) (89.8) (95.7) (100.9) (101.1) (103.1) (90.5) (80.6) (66.7) (103.1)
Average 1.8 4.5 10.1 16.0 21.3 24.2 26.3 26.2 21.4 16.2 9.1 3.1 15.0
high °C (°F) (35.2) (40.1) (50.2) (60.8) (70.3) (75.6) (79.3) (79.2) (70.5) (61.2) (48.4) (37.6) (59.0)
Daily mean −2.8 −1.2 3.8 9.6 14.9 18.0 19.7 19.1 14.4 9.1 3.4 −1.3 8.9
°C (°F) (27.0) (29.8) (38.8) (49.3) (58.8) (64.4) (67.5) (66.4) (57.9) (48.4) (38.1) (29.7) (48.0)
Average low −6.9 −5.9 −1.2 3.9 8.6 11.6 13.3 12.7 8.7 3.5 −1.2 −5.3 3.5
°C (°F) (19.6) (21.4) (29.8) (39.0) (47.5) (52.9) (55.9) (54.9) (47.7) (38.3) (29.8) (22.5) (38.3)
Record low −31.8 −31.0 −24.5 −12.0 −3.6 1.0 4.2 1.0 −3.6 −9.4 −21.3 −29.8 −31.8
°C (°F) (−25.2) (−23.8) (−12.1) (10.4) (25.5) (33.8) (39.6) (33.8) (25.5) (15.1) (−6.3) (−21.6) (−25.2)
Average
24.9 25.0 33.9 52.8 69.0 92.9 92.0 76.7 59.8 39.9 31.3 31.0 629.2
precipitation
(0.98) (0.98) (1.33) (2.08) (2.72) (3.66) (3.62) (3.02) (2.35) (1.57) (1.23) (1.22) (24.77)
mm (inches)
Average
11.0 11.0 7.4 4.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.7 4.5 6.5 46.9
snowfall cm
(4.3) (4.3) (2.9) (1.9) (0.0) (0.0) (0.0) (0.0) (0.0) (0.7) (1.8) (2.6) (18.5)
(inches)
Average
precipitation
11.2 10.5 11.2 13.1 15.2 14.5 13.3 10.4 10.6 9.0 9.7 12.1 140.8
days
(≥ 0.1 mm)
Average
relative
87 79 71 67 68 71 71 72 76 78 80 86 75
humidity
(%)
Mean
monthly
68 97 138 164 215 228 248 238 172 148 89 61 1,866
sunshine
hours
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization, [32] Ogimet (mean temperatures and sun 1981–2010)[33]
Source 2: Romanian National Statistic Institute (extremes 1901–2000), [34] NOAA (snowfall 1961–1990), [35] Deutscher Wetterdienst
(humidity, 1989–2008)[36]
Tourism
In 2007, Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture (together with Luxembourg). This was the most important cultural event that
has ever happened in the city, and a great number of tourists came, both domestic and foreign.
The city of Sibiu and its surroundings are one of the most visited areas in Romania. It holds one of the best preserved historical
sites in the country, many of its medieval fortifications having been kept in excellent state. Its old center has begun the process
for becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Sibiu and its surrounding area have many significant museums, with 12
institutions housing art collections, paintings, and exhibits in decorative arts, archeology, anthropology, history, industrial
archeology and history of technology and natural sciences.
The city also lies close to the Făgăraș Mountains – a popular trekking destination, close to the Păltiniș and Arena Platos ski
resorts – both winter holiday destinations, and it is at the heart of the former Saxon communities in Transylvania renowned for its
fortified churches.
Since 2007, a traditional Christmas market has been held in Sibiu. The first of its kind in
Romania, it is inspired by Viennese Christmas markets, being a project developed by
the Social Attaché of the Austrian Embassy in Romania, dr.h.c. Barbara Schöfnagel It
was held in the "Lesser Square" (Piața Mică) with 38 small stalls, a small stage and an
area dedicated to children, having several mechanical attractions installed there. Since
2008 the market is held in the "Grand Square" and grew to a number of about 70 stalls,
a bigger stage was set up, where Christmas carols concerts are held. An ice skating rink
and a children's workshop are also attractions which have been added in the following
years.[37] It was the first Christmas Market in Romania, but soon other Christmas
markets emerged across the country. In 2013, the Sibiu Christmas markets was included Fortified Lutheran church of Gușterița
in the "15 Of the Most Beautiful Christmas Markets in Europe"[38] neighbourhood, 13th century
In 2019 Sibiu will host the European Gastronomical capital, by encouraging the local
producers and local businesses in the field of food production and culinary culture, traditional gourmet workshops in the villages
of the region, promoting peasant farms and gastronomic circuits, or developing public programs to support small producers in
gastronomy and of the hospitality industry in the Sibiu region.[9]
Main sights
Much of the city's aspect is due to its position,
easily defensible, but allowing horizontal
development. The old city of Sibiu lies on the right
bank of the Cibin River, on a hill situated at about
200 m from the river. It consists of two distinct
entities: the Upper Town and the Lower Town.
Traditionally, the Upper Town was the wealthier
part and commercial outlet, while the Lower Town
served as the manufacturing area. Historical building on Azilului street
Sibiu Lutheran Cathedral The Lower Town
(German: Unterstadt, Romanian: Orașul de jos)
comprises the area between the river and the hill,
and it developed around the earliest fortifications.
The streets are long and quite wide for medieval
city standards, with small city squares at places.
The architecture is rather rustic: typically two-
storey houses with tall roofs and gates opening
passages to inner courts. Christmas Fair in the Large Square
Most of the exterior fortifications were lost to
industrial development and modern urban planning in the mid-late 19th century; only four
towers still exist. A building associated with newer urbanism of the period is the
Medieval fortified towers Independența Highschool.
This area has the oldest church in the city – in fact
the first mention of the city itself is the
reconfirmation of the local provostship as
praepositum Cibiniensem – that was the religious
center of the Saxons until the 15th century.[39]
Whilst the Church between the Fir trees dates back
to 1778.
The Upper Town (German: Oberstadt,
Pasajul Scărilor (Passage of the Romanian: Orașul de sus) is organised around
Stairs) in the Lower Town Buildings on Huet Square
three city squares and a set of streets along the line
of the hill. As the main area for burgher activities,
the area contains most points of interest in the city.
Grand Square
(German: Großer Ring, Romanian: Piața Mare ) is, as its name suggests, the largest square of the city, and has been the center of
the city since the 15th century. At 142 meters long and 93 meters wide, it is one of the largest ones in Transylvania.
Brukenthal Palace, one of the most important Baroque monuments in Romania, lies on the north-western corner of the square. It
was erected between 1777 and 1787 as the main residence for the Governor of Transylvania Samuel von Brukenthal. It houses
the main part of the National Brukenthal Museum, opened in 1817, making it one of the oldest museums in the world. Next to
the palace is the Blue House or Moringer House, an 18th-century Baroque house bearing the old coat of arms of Sibiu on its
façade.
On the north side is the Jesuit Church, along with its dependencies, the former residence
of the Jesuits in Sibiu. Also on the north side, at the beginning of the 20th century an Art
Nouveau building was constructed on the west part, now it houses the mayor's office.
Next to the Jesuit Church on the north side is the Council Tower, the city's symbol. This
former fortification tower from the 13th century has been successively rebuilt over the
years. The building nearby used to be the City Council's meeting place; beneath it lies an
access way between the Grand Square and the Lesser Square.
Sibiu City Hall
On the south and east sides are two- or three-storey houses, having tall attics with small
windows known as the city's eyes. Most of these houses are dated 15th to 19th centuries,
and most of them are Renaissance or Baroque in style.
Lesser Square (Small Square, German: Kleiner Ring) as its name implies, is a smaller
square situated in the northern part of the Upper Town. After the 2007 rehabilitation there
has been an increase in the number of small businesses such as pubs and restaurants in
this area.
The square is connected to the other two squares and to other streets by small, narrow
passages. The main access from the Lower City is through Ocnei Street, which divides
the square in two. The street passes under the Bridge of Lies – the first bridge in
Bridge of Lies in Lesser Square,
Romania to have been cast in iron (1859).[40]
erected in 1859
To the right of the bridge is another symbol of the city, The House of the Arts, a 14th-
century arched building formerly belonging to the Butchers' Guild. On the left side of the
bridge is the Luxemburg House, a Baroque four-storey building.
Huet Square is the third of the three main squares of Sibiu. Its most notable feature is the Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral in its
center. It is the place where the earliest fortifications have been built in the late 12th century or early 13th century. The buildings
around this square are mainly Gothic. On the west side lies the Brukenthal Highschool, in place of a former 14th-century school.
The Fortifications of Sibiu made the city one of the most important fortified cities in Central Europe. Multiple rings were built
around the city, most of them out of clay bricks. The south-eastern fortifications are the best kept, and all three parallel lines are
still visible. The first is an exterior earth mound, the second is a 10-meter-tall red brick wall, and the third line comprises towers
linked by another 10-meter-tall wall. All structures are connected via a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways, designed to ensure
transport between the city and lines of defense.
In the 16th century more modern elements were added to the fortifications, mainly leaf-
shaped bastions. Two of these survived to this day, as the Haller Bastion (all the way
down Coposu Boulevard) and "Soldisch Bastion".
The Passage of the Stairs, leads down to the lower section of Sibiu. It descends along
some fortifications under the support arches. It is one of several passages linking the two
sides of the old city.
Culture
The Thick Tower
Sibiu is one of Romania's most culturally lively cities. It has 2 theatres and a
philharmonic orchestra along with other smaller private theatrical venues and a theatre
studio housed by the Performing Arts and Acting section of Lucian Blaga University, where students hold monthly
representations.
The Radu Stanca National Theatre[41] is one of the leading Romanian theatres. With origins dating back to 1787, it attracts some
of the best-known Romanian directors, such as Gábor Tompa and Silviu Purcărete. It has both a Romanian-language and a
German-language section, and presents an average of five shows a week.
The Gong Theatre is specialised in puppetry, mime and non-conventional shows for children and teenagers. It also presents
shows in both Romanian and German.
The State Philharmonic of Sibiu[42] presents weekly classical music concerts, and educational concerts for children and
teenagers. The concerts take place in the newly restored Thalia Hall, a concert and theatre hall dating from 1787, situated along
the old city fortifications. Weekly organ concerts are organised at the Evangelical Cathedral during summers, and thematic
concerts are presented by the Faculty of Theology choir at the Orthodox Cathedral.
The Sibiu International Theatre Festival is an annual festival of performing arts. Since 2016, it is the largest performance arts
festival in the world.[43]
Museums and parks
Sibiu's museums are organised around two entities: the Brukenthal National Museum
and the ASTRA National Museum Complex. The Brukenthal Museum consists of an
Art Gallery and an Old Books Library located inside the Brukenthal Palace, a History
Museum located in the old town hall building, a Pharmacy Museum located in one of
the first apothecary shops in Europe, dating from the 16th century, a Natural History
Museum and a Museum of Arms and Hunting Trophies.
Brukenthal National Museum, Sibiu.
The ASTRA National Museum Complex focuses on ethnography, and consists of a
Traditional Folk Civilisation Museum, a 96-hectare open-air museum located in
Dumbrava Forest south of Sibiu, a Universal Ethnography Museum, a Museum of
Transylvanian Civilisation and a Museum of Saxon Ethnography and Folk Art. Also planned is a Museum of the Culture and
Civilisation of the Romany People.
The Dumbrava Sibiului Natural Park stretches over 960 hectares and it is situated 4 km away from the center of the city in the
southwest direction along the road towards Răşinari. Also, here you can find the Zoological Garden and Ethnography Museum.
There is a Steam Locomotives Museum close to the railway station, sheltering around 40 locomotives, two of which are
functional.
The first park in the city was The Promenade, later called "The Disabled Promenade." established in 1791, today part of Parcul
Cetății (Citadel Park). Current arrangement of the park, including the space between the walls, dates from 1928.
The Sub Arini Park, established between 1857 and 1859 based on plans of military engineer Michael Seyfried,[44] is one of the
biggest and best-maintained parks in Romania. There are other green spaces in the city center, the best known being Astra Park,
established in 1879.
Other parks:
Tineretului Park, Reconstrucției Park, Corneliu Coposu Park, Petöfi Sándor Park, Piața Cluj Park, Ștrand Park, Cristianului
Park, Țițeica Park, Vasile Aaron Park, Lira Park.
The distribution of green space is good compared to other Romanian cities.
Events
Several festivals are organised yearly in Sibiu, the most prestigious of them being the
Sibiu International Theatre Festival, organized each spring at the end of May. Medieval
Festival organized every year in August, reviving the medieval spirit of Transylvania.
The Artmania Festival is held every Summer since 2006 and as of 2008 the Rockin'
Transilvania Festival is also held in Sibiu. The oldest Jazz Festival in Romania is
organized here, as well as the "Carl Filtsch" festival for young classical piano players,
the "Astra Film" documentary film festival, the Transylvania calling Festival a Multi
Cultural 6 day Open Air Music festival! 26–31 July 2007, a medieval arts festival and
many more smaller cultural events.[45] Feeric Fashion Week is also hosted here. Sibiu
Citadel Park, with the 16th century
was awarded by IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and
city wall
Tourism) to be part of the European Regions of Gastronomy program, event that will
promote in 2019 the region's culinary heritage, multi-ethnic traditions and multi-cultural
community.
European Cultural Capital
The designation as a European Cultural Capital for 2007, owed greatly to the excellent collaboration with Luxembourg, but also
to what many regard as a miraculous social rebirth taking place in the city during the last years. The Cultural Capital status was
expected to bring about an abrupt increase in quantity and quality of cultural events in 2007.
Administration
The city government is headed by a mayor.[46] Since 2014, the office is held by Astrid
Fodor from the Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania (FDGR), who replaced
Klaus Iohannis, the latter having become the 5th president of Romania. Iohannis, a
Transylvanian Saxon, was mayor from 2000 to 2014, despite ethnic Germans nowadays
making up less than 2% of Sibiu's population. Decisions are approved and discussed by
the local government (consiliu local) made up of 27 elected councillors.[46] Sibiu is the
capital of the Sibiu County.
Party Seats Current Council Lutsch House, the headquarters of
FDGR
Democratic Forum of Germans
12
(FDGR)
Social Democratic Party (PSD) 6
National Liberal Party (PNL) 5
City districts
Sibiu is divided into the following districts:
2004 city council composition:
Historical center (divided into the Upper and Lower Town) Democratic Forum of Germans
Center (south-west of the historical center) in Romania
Broscărie Social Democratic Party
Dumbrăvii National Liberal Party
Gușterița (German: Hammersdorf) Democratic Party
Hipodrom I, II, III, IV
Lazaret
Lupeni
Piața Cluj (named after Cluj)
Reșița (named after Reșița)
Ștrand
Terezian
Tilișca
Tineretului
Trei Stejari
Turnișor (German: Neppendorf)
Țiglari
Valea Aurie
Vasile Aaron
Veteranilor de Război
Viile Sibiului
Some of them were villages annexed by the city as it grew, others were built as the city developed and increased its surface.
The ASTRA National Museum Complex and the Zoo, located in the south, also fall within city limits. The Păltiniș ski resort,
located 35 kilometres to the south, is also administered by Sibiu.
Demographics
As of 2011 census data, Sibiu has a population of 147,245, a decrease from the figure recorded at the 2002 census,[16] making it
the 14th-largest city in Romania. The ethnic breakdown was as follows:[47]
Romanians 95.9%
Hungarians 1.6%
Germans (Transylvanian Saxons) 1.1%
Roma 0.4%
A 2017 estimate placed the population at 169,316, a 14.98 percent increase since 2011. This increase brings Sibiu's population
close to the numbers observed in 1992 when the highest population was recorded.[48]
Population dynamics
Census[49] Ethnic structure
Year Population %± Romanians Hungarians Germans
1850 12,765 — 2,089 977 8,790
+
1880 19,446 2,810 2,065 14,327
41.4%
+
1890 21,465 4,581 3,199 13,148
9.8%
+
1900 29,577 7,106 5,747 16,141
31.7%
+
1910 33,489 8,824 7,252 16,832
12.4%
–
1920 32,748 8,553 4,291 18,218
2.2%
+
1930 49,345 19,006 6,782 22,045
40.4%
+
1941 63,765 33,829 4,262 23,574
25.5%
1948 60,602 – 5% 37,371 5,060 16,359
+
1956 90,475 60,526 4,772 24,636
39.5%
1966 109,515 + 19% 78,548 5,124 25,387
1977 151,005 + 119,507 5,111 25,403
31.8%
+
1992 169,610 158,863 4,163 5,605
11.6%
2002 154,892 – 9% 148,269 3,135 2,508
2011 147,245 – 5% 131,414 2,131 1,481
Population by religious denomination
Today, most of the population is Romanian Orthodox. Protestants and Roman Catholics represent about 5% of the population.
Confessions in Sibiu
Confession 1910 2002
Eastern Orthodox 18% 91%
Greek-Catholic (Uniate) 8% 1%
Roman Catholic 20% 2%
Evangelical Lutheran 42% 2%
Reformed 7% 1%
Jewish 4% <1%
Other 1% 4%
Economy
Sibiu is an important economic hub for Romania, with a high rate of foreign investments. It is also an important hub for the
manufacturing of automotive components and houses factories belonging to ThyssenKrupp Bilstein-Compa, Takata
Corporation, Continental Automotive Systems, Marquardt Group and NTN-SNR ball bearings. Other local industries are
machine components, textiles, agro-industry, and electrical components (Siemens).
The city also contains Romania's second-largest stock exchange, the Sibiu Stock Exchange which is set to merge with the
Bucharest Stock Exchange in 2018.[50]
The main industrial activities of Sibiu take place in two industrial zones located on the outskirts of the city:
East industrial zone (East Economic Center), alongside the railway to Brașov and Râmnicu Vâlcea
West industrial zone (West Economic Center),[51] near the exit to Sebeș, close to the Airport
A commercial zone located in the Șelimbăr commune plays an important role in the economy of Sibiu. It houses a mall and other
large retailers.
Another factor that plays an important role in the economy of the city is tourism, which has been increasing at a steady rate since
2007.
Transport
Sibiu is well served in terms of transport and infrastructure. In 2010 a city bypass was opened, significantly reducing the road
traffic inside the city.
Tursib[52] is the city's internal transportation system operator.
Air
Sibiu International Airport is one of the most modern international airports in Romania, with direct connections to Germany,
Austria, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, and Israel.
Road
Sibiu is an important node in the European road network, being on two different European
routes (E68 and E81). At a national level, Sibiu is located on three different main national
roads, DN1, DN7 and DN14.
The Romanian Motorway A1 will link the city with Pitești and the Romanian western
border, near Arad. From the remaining 332 km of motorway towards the border with
Hungary Nadlac, a total of 276 km is completed and the last 56 km are currently under
construction, while the timeline for the segment towards Pitești is targeted for completion
for the year 2025 (construction will start no sooner than 2019). Sibiu' s ring road as part of
A1 motorway was completed on 1 December 2010.
Sibiu International Airport
Sibiu is also an important hub for the international bus links with the biggest passenger Location
transporter in Romania, Atlassib, based here. Transport companies are also providing coach
connections from Sibiu to a large number of locations in Romania.
Rail
Sibiu is situated on the CFR-Romanian Railways Main Line 200 (Brasov – Făgăraș –
Sibiu – Simeria – Arad – Romanian Western Border) and on Line 206 (Sibiu – Mediaș).
The city is served by five rail stations: the Main Station (Gara Mare), the Little Station
(Gara Micǎ), Turnișor, Sibiu Triaj, Halta Ateliere Zonă . It has an important diesel- Sibiu Airport, Blue Air flight.
powered locomotives depot and a freight terminal.
Numerous Inter City trains (nicknamed Blue Arrows) connect Sibiu to other major cities in
Romania: Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Craiova, Timișoara and Bucharest.
Cycling
Over the last six years, Sibiu has enjoyed a revival of cycling. The bicycle way in the city
span for 43 kilometers.
Public bus transportation in Sibiu
Bicycle rentals have offered a boost for the local economy with several small rental centers
and a bigger rental center that is administered by the I'Velo Bike Sharing group.
Health
Sibiu is one of the important medical centers of Romania, housing many important
medical facilities:
County Hospital
Academic Emergency Hospital;
Hospital of Pediatrics;
Military Emergency Hospital;
CFR Hospital (Romanian Railways Hospital);
"Dr. Gheorghe Preda" Psychiatry Hospital Sibiu County Hospital
other smaller private clinics
The city also houses one of the largest private hospitals in the country, Polisano.
Education
Sibiu is an important centre of higher education, with over 23,000 students in four public and private higher
institutions.[53][54][55][56]
The Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu was founded in 1990, with five faculties: Engineering and Sciences; Language Sciences;
History and Law; Medicine; Food and Textile Processing Technology. Nowadays, there are 10 faculties and departments.
Sibiu also houses the Nicolae Bălcescu Land Forces Academy and the Military Foreign
Language Center as well as two private universities, Romanian-German University and
Alma Mater University.
In Sibiu there are 20 educational institutions on the secondary level, the most important
of which are:
Gheorghe Lazăr National College – sciences and informatics, first opened
in 1692 as a Jesuit College
Samuel von Brukenthal High School
Samuel von Brukenthal National College – German language high school
Octavian Goga National College – social sciences, sciences, informatics
and linguistics
Onisifor Ghibu Theoretical Highschool – informatics, sciences, sports,
theater and linguistics
Andrei Șaguna National College – training for school teacher and
linguistics
Constantin Noica Theoretical Highschool – sciences and linguistics
Daniel Popovici Barcianu Highschool – agricultural sciences
George Baritiu National College – economic sciences
Nicolae Iorga Elementary school
Gheorghe Lazăr National College
Regina Maria Elementary school
Sports
The city houses a football stadium, a multi-functional arena building (Sala Transilvania),
a rugby court, a municipal pool and several private tennis courts.
Also, several sports international competitions are taking place every year: Sibiu
Cycling Tour (in July), Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye (around July), Sibiu
Open (formerly held in September), Sibiu Rally (currently held in October).
Sala Transilvania
Football
Sibiu has had a long football tradition, starting in 1913 with the founding of Șoimii
Sibiu, which was the launchpad of Ilie Oană's career, who later became a star of FC
Petrolul Ploiești. Later came Societatea Gimnastică Sibiu, a sport club of Sibiu's
Transylvanian Saxon community, which's best performance was reaching the Divizia A
final in the 1930-31 season. The best ever football team from Sibiu, based on
performances, was Inter Sibiu, which had finished 4th after the 1990-91 season and had
won the Balkans Cup during the same season. During the 21st century, the city has
been represented by FC Sibiu and Voința Sibiu (of which only the latter has reached
Liga I). Currently, FC Hermannstadt is the only major football team representing Sibiu.
Stadionul Municipal, currently under
renovation.
Basketball
CSU Sibiu, one of the best Romanian basketball teams at the moment, represents Sibiu
in the top tier of Romanian basketball, Liga Națională.
Handball
The city's handball team is called CSM Sibiu. Additionally, the nearby town of Cisnădie has a women's team in the first league,
CS Măgura.
Rugby
CSM Sibiu
Volleyball
CSM Sibiu (men)
CSS Sibiu (women)
Speed Skating
CSS Sibiu
Natives
Michael Gottlieb Agnethler, botanist Mircea Mureșan, Romanian film director
Alexandru Apolzan, football player Alexandru Mușina, Romanian poet
Arthur Arz von Straussenburg, Austro-Hungarian Steliana Nistor, Romanian gymnast
general Hermann Oberth, space flight technology pioneer
Florin Barbu, bass player in Romanian bands Nicolaus Olahus, Catholic archbishop of Esztergom
Timpuri Noi and Proconsul
Oskar Pastior, poet and translator
Claudiu Baștea, judoka
Dan Perjovschi, Romanian artist
Ion Besoiu, Romanian actor Claudia Presecan, Romanian gymnast
Miklós Borsos, Hungarian sculptor Erna Rubinstein, Hungarian violinist
Dan Burincă, Olympic artistic gymnast
Iancu Sasul, Moldavian ruler
Andrei Codrescu, American writer
Tobias Stranover, Transylvanian Saxon painter
Sabina Cojocar, Romanian gymnast Jenő Szemák, Hungarian jurist
Alexandru Curtean, football player Viorel Tilea, Romanian diplomat
Florin Diacu, Romanian-Canadian mathematician
Melania Ursu, stage and film actress
Steve Holmes, German pornographic actor
Radu Vasile, politician, Prime Minister of Romania
Victor Iliu, Romanian film director Delia Velculescu, Romanian-American economist
Klaus Iohannis, 5th President of Romania Adele Zay, Transylvanian-Saxon who established
Hermann Kusmanek von Burgneustädten, Austro- the kindergarten system in Hungary and then
Hungarian general, see also Siege of Przemyśl Romania
International relations
Twin towns
Sibiu has twinning agreements with:
Bauru, Brazil, since 1995. Marburg, Germany, since 2005.
Butuan, Philippines Mechelen, Belgium, since 1996.
Columbia, Missouri, USA, since 1994. Rennes, France, since 1999.
Deventer, Netherlands, since 2007.[57] Valencia, Venezuela, since 1993.
Klagenfurt, Austria, since 1990. Wirral, United Kingdom, since 1994.
Landshut, Germany, since 2002. Takayama, Gifu, Japan, since 2009.
Consulates
The following countries have consulates in Sibiu:
Germany – Consulate-General
Austria – Honorary consulate
Luxembourg – Honorary consulate
Malta – Honorary consulate
Gallery
Bilingual Romanian- Turnul Sfatului in The Small Square of The Large Square
German sign at the Small Square Sibiu, during Feeric during Christmas
entrance in Fashion Week
Sibiu/Hermannstadt closing gala - 2016
See also
List of castles in Romania
Timeline of Sibiu
Tourism in Romania
Seven Wonders of Romania
Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania
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Bibliography
External links
[Link]: Official Sibiu Online website ([Link] — tourism and history information and images. (in
Romanian, English, and German)
[Link]: Official Sibiu Tourism website ([Link] (in Romanian, English,
and German)
[Link]: Sibiu Heritage website ([Link] (in Romanian and English)
[Link] – Locuri si evenimente din Sibiu, Romania ([Link] (in Romanian)
[Link]: Sibiu ([Link] — reference for surface area,
population, etc. (2005).
[Link]: Restoration of Historical Monuments in Sibiu ([Link]
p://[Link]/en/reports/474) —photo gallery and projects' report.
Official Sibiu European Cultural Capital 2007 website ([Link]
[Link]/) (in Romanian, English, and German)
The Diplomat: article; "Sibiu as Capital of Culture" ([Link] (in
Romanian)
[Link]: photos, videos, and retirement information ([Link]
0/[Link]#sib)
[Link]: Sibiu in pictures ([Link]
[Link])
Pictures of Sibiu ([Link]
Retrieved from "[Link]
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