Eastern Romania and a part of Ukraine have been home to the first urban civilization in Europe: the Cucuteni or Trypillion Culture was contemporary with the Sumerian one and almost just as developed (3.000 - 4.000 B.C.). In spite of this fact, the epic of Romanian history is considered to start with the '''Dacian culture''' (about 500 B.C.). This was a conglomerate of tribes that stretched all over what today is Romania and even beyond. The Dacians have been conquered by the '''Roman empire''' around the year 100 A.D. so that Romanians come out of the mix between Dacians ans Romans.
Brasov existed at the time of Roman rule (which lasted till the 3rd century A.d.) in the form of '''Cumidava'''.
'''Brasov has been attested in the year 1211''' as having fortifications designed by the Teutonic knights. These have been challenged repeatedly by the Tatars and by the Turks, because '''Brasov was a border city'''. During this time several fortifications have been destroyed. In 1477 the construction of the Black Curch is finished. In 1688 the Romanian majority is protesting against the oppression but it is not successful. One year later a huge fire burns most of the city and it takes about 100 years to rebuild it.
1918 has been the year when '''Transylvania was united with the kingdom of Romania, and became Greater Romania'''. The time between the two world wars is considered to be Romania's greatest time, as it was a flourishing country, and '''a key player in Europe'''. After the second world war the communist regime landed like a dust bomb in Romania to turn everything gray: neighborhoods of historical houses have been destroyed, small business owners (which were mostly Hungarian, Jewish and Saxon) and intellectuals have been imprisoned and killed. Propaganda and oppression of everybody who was against the '''insane regime''' became the norm.
In the 16th century '''Brasov became an important city for printing''': it had two printing presses and the world's first paper mill. Cultural activities of all ethnic groups flourished, and the introduction of street lights in 1804 became a symbol for the cultural illumination of the city. In the second half of the 19th century Brasov becomes home of Transylvanias first credit institution, and it also got a telegraph, a train, a tram, and a telephone line. In 1916 Aurel Vlaicu is flying with his plane from Brasov. In 1987 a precursor of the '''Romanian Anticommunist revolution''' takes place in Brasov. On 2nd may 1989 the painter Liviu Babes sets himself on fire on a slope in Poiana Brasov to attract international attention over atrocities committed by the communist regime. Six months later the communist regime became history.
Piata Unirii is located in the '''the Schei district''', which used to be the Romanian district: Romanians were not allowed to enter the city of Brasov except during the day.
''Tip:'' if the school is closed, go outside of the church complex and then the first door to the left (it is not directly visible from the exit of the complex because of the curved wall). Here you will find the keeper and the guide of the museum. He is doing the tour with great enthusiasm and it would be nice to buy something or tip him, because this is the only financial source for this great museum.
As you get out of the church complex, go right and walk down on Prundului street. You will pass a yellow building which is the headquarters of the '''Romanian Information Service'''. Then you will pass a bigger yellow building, the '''Andrei Saguna Highschool''' (1850), the first Romanian High School. In front of you, you will see two beautiful gates. Walk into the old city through the one on the left (Cathrine's Gate) and walk out on the one to the right (Schei Gate), because there is another stop before you will see the old city. ''' Cathrine's gate''' was built in the 16th century so that the Romanians could enter the city from the Schei district. It was suited with 8 canons imported from Praha. Later the gate became unusable and only the tower remained. To compensate for this the '''Schei gate''' was built in 1827.
As you exit the old city through the Schei gate, go left up the hill on one of the roads that goes besides the stadium. You can observe the one of the walls of the stadium is actually the old city wall. The stadium has been renovated with the help of the famous Romanian tennis player and manager Ion Tiriac.
Right next to the stadium is a tennis court, and behind it the Weavers Bastion. Brasov had 8 bastions, 3 of which are still in use today (another 3 are ruins). It also had 4 towers: fortification was very important for Brasov and the locals invested a lot into their safety. Every Bastion was maintained by a guild. The Weavers bastion has been initially built in the 15th century, and two more floors have been added in the 16th century. The walls are 4m wide at the base and 1m wide at the top. Inside it there is a small museum where you can see besides weapons, '''a very old replica of the city''' as it was in the 17th century. Entrance fee 1 leu for students, 4 lei normal.
Walk back into the city from where you came, through the Schei gate. Then walk down the Poarta Schei street. Now you are in the old city of Brasov.
After you enter the old city you will soon be able to see the white Synagogue to your left. This is the first church of 4 you will encounter in just a few hundred meters. Brasov had an '''important Jewish community''', that in 1930 represented 3.8% of the population of the city. Today there are less than 150 Jews in Brasov. The Synagogue has been built in 1899. The Synagogue can be visited for 5 lei.
Continue your stroll on Poarta Schei street, but then go left on Benkner or Roth street.
You will reach the courtyard of the '''German school''' organized by the '''bishop Johannes Honterus''' in the 16th century. He also introduced one the first printing presses to Transylvania. Next to the school the evangelic Black Church is giving shadow to travelers. It has been built in 1380 but has been partially destroyed by '''the big fire of 1689'''. It is the '''biggest Gothic church in eastern Europe''': 89 meters long, 38 meters wide and 42 meters high. It has room for 5.000 people. The organ in the church has about 400 tubes. There are '''weekly organ concerts''' held Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You have to pay to visit it inside: 5 lei.
Continue along the church to the town square.
The town square used to be a huge market place. The yellow building in the middle is the '''former 15th century town hall''', now a museum and tourist info. It is also the place where the festival Cerbul de Aur is held. During the summer there are many events and festivals. The museum in the former town hall is a history museum: if you wish you can visit it now, but it is recommended you visit it only later, if you like. To the left of the town hall museum there is another museum "Casa Muresenilor"- it can also be visited later.
After seeing the Synagogue, the German Church and the Romanian Church it is time to go right as you exit this site and walk down on Muresenilor street to see the Hungarian church.
'''The Roman-Catholic church on Muresenilor street''' has been built in 1782 on the site of an older Dominican monastery. It is in a baroc style. You can also visit it inside. Today service is being held in Hungarian but also in Romanian. This is the last church in the center of Brasov.
Keep walking down on Muresenilor street and you will reach Livada Postei, an open space where a lot of buses stop. To your left you will see the local '''University Transylvania''' and in front of you the '''Ballroom of the Army'''. Under the hill there is the yellow '''library''', built in a typical Romanian style, the Brancovenescu style. Go left again, pass the bus stop and go left again (passing the library). You will end up in a big parking space. Here, just before the old wall starts is another yellow building: the Hungarian Highschool Aprily Lajos.
Keep walking under the hill besides the old town wall. This is the original wall, which used to be a double wall. Today most residents have a garden in between the two walls. You will soon reach the second bastion that is still standing: '''Bastion Graft'''. Today it is a cafe, where you can have a drink before you go up the hill. The Graft Bastion used to link the White tower to the city by a mobile bridge.
Next to Graft Bastion, up the hill, there is the '''White Tower'''. Go up the stairs to see it and have a great view over the city. It has been built in the 15th century and was the highest tower in Brasov. It houses a small museum.
As you watch the city from the White tower you will observe a road to the right at the base of the tower. Follow that road through the forest and then go left. You will reach the '''Black Tower'''. It has been built in the 16th century and had a mobile bridge to communicate with the city by the means of the Blacksmith Bastion. It houses a small museum.
After admiring a more close-up view from this tower you can venture back into the city. Going down the road will take you back to the wall, where you can continue your way to the right. You will be back in the old center and as you do a 180 turn onto Muresenilor street you will pass the '''Blacksmith Bastion''' which houses the National Archives today. The Blacksmith Bastion dates from the beginning of the 16th century, but it has been destroyed twice: once by a flood and once by the 1689 fire.
Walk down Muresenilor street and visit the '''town hall museum''', and '''Casa Muresenilor museum''' (dedicated to the family Muresenilor) if you like. Then proceed through the town square on the wide '''Republicii street, the main shopping street'''. You can also have a drink here, before you will have a final walk along the other part of the wall.
''Tip:'' Republicii street will be a crowded place with lots of cool showcases. However, you will see much more if you look up, over the stores and admire the architecture. Keep in mind that being a crowded place it would be wise to take extra precaution in order not to have something stolen.
When you reach the end of Republicii street you will end up in another open space. Before you go right you can admire the large '''county administration building''' in front of you, the '''post service''' to the left, and '''town hall''' further to the left. As you go to the right you will pass the '''Unirea Highschool''' (1897), which still has some bullet holes from the 1989 revolution. Keep going straight, pass the communist mega-store Star and go up the hill.
You can either take the road to the right before the Ropers Bastion, which will eventually take you to the '''town square''', or you can keep on walking along the wall and you will end up at the '''Weavers Bastion''' again, from where you can enter the old center again by the Schei Gate or by the Cathrine Gate.