Centrul Istoric Sighisoara, Sighisoara

Go back to the time of medieval craftspeople and merchants at Centrul Istoric Sighisoara, a small, fortified town--now a World Heritage Site--built by Saxon settlers in the 12th century. This was the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, a daunting Romanian ruler whose life story inspired the legend of Dracula. Strategically built on a hill, the town played an important commercial role on the route between Central Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Walk amidst the stone and brick houses topped by high tiled roofs. Take the long stairway, covered by the 17th-century wooden roof and guarded by a clock tower, to reach the citadel on top of the hill. Nine out of the original 14 watchtowers remain standing on the citadel wall. Use our Sighisoara trip planner to visit Centrul Istoric Sighisoara on your trip to Sighisoara, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.