Home
Romania image
Romania
Sibiu image
Sibiu

Info

Astrid Fodor

The first mentions of Sibiu can be traced to 1191 when it was referred to by Pope Celestine III.

In the 14th century, the city had already become an important trade centre.  Sibiu quickly became the most important among the ethnic German cities that gave Transylvania its German name Siebenbürgen (literally seven citadels). Within it one could find the Universitas Saxorum (Community of the Saxons), a vast network connecting many different experts and professionals, including ministers, pedagogues, intellectuals and of course city officials. Over the next few hundred years, Sibiu became the most important area for the ethnic Romanians in Transylvania.

The city became home to the first bank fully owned by Romanians, the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Romanian's People Culture and became the seat of the local orthodox church branch as well as the seat of the Transylvanian diet.

After World War I, upon the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Sibiu was granted to Romania. However, a large part of the local population remained German - constituting a majority up until 1941. Over the next few decades, many of them migrated to Germany and Austria.

Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania, with a population of 168.273 inhabitants (1 January 2020). It is located some 275 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt.

Sibiu is connected with Western Europe through a highway, which makes it more accessible, being situated on the 4th PanEuropean Corridor. The city also has an International Airport, connecting it with Germany, Austria, Spain, Great Britain and Italy. 
 
The city held the title of European Capital of Culture in 2007 and in 2019 the region was designated European Region of Gastronomy. Also, in 2019, on May 9th, the city hosted the European Summit of the Heads of States and Governments in the EU and on this occasion the European leaders signed the Declaration of Sibiu. 

Situated in the heart of Romania, in the beautiful region of Transylvania, Sibiu is a city with over 150 000 inhabitants. It held the title of European Capital of Culture in 2007 and the title of European Region of Gastronomy in 2019. Due to its European spirit, the city has greatly developed its economy, tourism and culture, but also grew to be a welcoming and appreciated living environment, with well paid jobs and an unemployment rate close to null. Today Sibiu is a well-known touristic destination, a city of culture and one that attracts investors because of its visibility, fiscal predictability and transparency of the local administration. 

image

TOURISM

Tourism and culture go hand in hand in Sibiu, one of the city brands being the cultural tourism. Aside from the events organized by cultural institutions, the city has a very rich cultural calendar, with hundreds of events each year, which are supported financially by the City Hall as a means of encouraging creative industries and as a strategy for ensuring sustainable development for the city.

Locals and tourists are attracted all year round by events which take place in the open air stages of the historical center. From exhibitions and musical events, to food markets and the now traditional Christmas Market, Sibiu attracts over 500.000 tourists every year.