MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
The north-western side of the Stronghold
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On the middle of the north-western side there is The Graft Bastion, erected perpendicularly on the stronghold's wall as fastened bridge over he rivulet, in order to make the connection between the White Tower, at the level of which it was located and the internal fortifications. The construction of rectangular plan, with a vaulted passage across the water and two levels of defence endowed with defensive elements – shooting windows and throwing gussets, used to control the entire length of the walls, till the Belt-Makers Bastion (demolished in 1887) and the Blacksmiths Bastion (nowadays the seat of the National Archives). The Graft Bastion has been restored and set up as a museum in the years 2003-2004, when it has been also constructed the access staircase towards the White Tower.
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Assigned for defence to the corporations of the tinners and the coppersmiths, The White Tower was built on the versant of Romurilor Hill, in the second part of the XVth century (1460 or 1494), dominating the town. The access in the tower used to be ensured through a mobile ladder, and the supply and the change of the garrison used to occur between palisades, directly from Graft Bastion. The construction has a closed semicircular plan, five levels of defence galleries endowed with shooting holes, crenels and throwing gussets for liquids. The tower burnt during the devastating fire in 1689, being restored in 1723 and 1902. Restoration works have been carried on in 1974 and 2003-2005, when it was set up as a museum.
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On the same versant, The Black Tower has been erected along with the first stronghold's enclosure of walls, at the level of the Blacksmiths Bastion, having the double function of watch and defence. The connection with the fortifications of the western corner of the stronghold was made through a mobile, suspended bridge over Graft canal. The Black Tower has been hit and burnt by a fire on July 23rd 1559. Hit again by a thunder bolt, it was restored between 1669, 1827 and 1901. In 1991, the southern wall of the construction collapsed, the tower being restored in 1996 and set up as a museum in 2001.
The Royal Promenade, set up at the end of the XIXth century, in parallel with the alley After Walls, represents the most picturesque access between the White Tower and the Black Tower, offering the visitor an exceptional panorama of „Brasov Stronghold”, with the Black Church and The Council House - the most important medieval public buildings -, which profiles highlight in an expressive manner on the background of the tile roofs of the inhabited buildings, most of them erected on the old medieval layout of the street.
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The Blacksmiths Bastion, located on the north-western corner of the stronghold, was erected on the remnants of a tower dating back to the first building phase of the fortifications, which was destroyed by the flooding of the year 1526. The construction with U form plan, used to protrude the town’s walls line towards “Şcheii Braşovului”, allowing the defence of the stronghold from the passage of After Walls area, at the level of the Black Tower, till the western gate area. Destroyed by the flooding of 1667 and the fire of 1689, the Blacksmiths Bastion received the nowadays form in 1709; after 1734, it covered several functions, among which that of warehouse for cereals or seat of the city water factory. From 1923 it became the seat of the National Archives.