Brașov beyond the six main sights
The Council House in the middle of the square, a triumphal gate into Șchei, the first school to teach in Romanian, and a hilltop citadel — four places the six main sights leave to one side.
- Council House
- Foundations from 1420
- Șchei Gate
- A triumphal arch from 1828
- First Romanian School
- Teaching in Romanian since 1583
The six main sights cover the Old Town; these four go further. The Council House is the building in the middle of Council Square where the town was once governed, Șchei Gate is a triumphal arch from 1828, the First Romanian School is where teaching in Romanian began in 1583, and the Straja citadel is a fortification on the hill above the city.
Council House — the building that ran the city
The foundations date from 1420; the fifty-metre tower went up in 1521–1528. The building burned in 1608 after a lightning strike and again in the great fire of 1689, and an earthquake damaged it in 1662, so the Baroque rebuild of 1770–1778 is what stands today. The 'Historical Identity of Brașov' museum has been here since 1950. Entry €1.33, Tue–Sun 10–18.
Șchei Gate — a triumphal arch from 1828
Built in 1827–1828 in neoclassical style, with three openings — a wider one for traffic and two narrow ones for pedestrians — to take pressure off the older Catherine's Gate; Romanian merchants paid for the construction. Free to enter, none; a visit takes 10 min.
First Romanian School — teaching in Romanian since 1583
The building in the courtyard of St Nicholas Church in Șchei went up in 1495; from 1583 it was the first place in what is now Romania where teaching used the Romanian language, replacing Church Slavonic. Deacon Coresi printed the first Romanian-language books in the Latin alphabet in the same building, between 1556 and 1583. A museum since 1964, it holds 4,000 old books and 30,000 documents. Entry €4.18, Wed–Fri 10–17, Sat 11–17, Sun 12–17; visiting recommended.
Straja Citadel — a viewpoint with no ticket
A fortification on the hill above the Old Town; the perimeter and the viewpoint are open to all, while the interior opens only occasionally, for festivals. The climb and the viewpoint together take 30–45 min.
An order that makes sense
The Council House and Șchei Gate fit into the centre, on the route from the day-by-day plan. The First Romanian School sits further into Șchei, and the Straja Citadel is on the hill above it — the two naturally go together, as a separate part of the afternoon.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
What is inside the Council House today?
Brașov's history museum, in the building that served as the town's administration from the Middle Ages.
Why does Brașov have two gates side by side?
Catherine's Gate, from 1559, is the narrower, older one; Șchei Gate was added in 1828 to take on more traffic, while the old one stayed as a monument.
Is there an entry fee for the Straja Citadel?
Not for the perimeter and the viewpoint. The interior of the fortress opens only occasionally, for festivals.
Ready for Brașov?
Where to next
What to eat in Brașov
→Tripe soup opens the meal, sarmale and tochitură carry the main course, and papanași with soured cream and…
Sibiu · 114 km
→A city that shared the title of European Capital of Culture with Luxembourg in 2007, and whose main viewpoint since 2026 is the cathedral tower, because the town's own Council Tower is closed for restoration.
How well does Brașov suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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