MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
The south-eastern side of the stronghold
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The Linen Weavers Bastion, located on Brediceanu alley, with the entrance from George Cosbuc Street, is the first objective of the south-eastern side of the stronghold, at the foot of Tâmpa hill. The linen Weavers Bastion has been erected between 1570-1573, around the tower built along with the first enclosure surrounding the town, in order to protect the southern corner of the Upper Walls, adapted for the firearms. Considered today as the most spectacular and best conserved exemple of defensive architecture of the medieval Brasov, the bastion has an irregular polygonal plan, adapted to the field configuration. The walls, which thickness reaches 4,30 m at the basis, are penetrated at the first level by shooting holes for harquebuses and bombards, while at the superior floors, by simple shooting windows or in form of reversed keyhole and throwing gussets, corresponding to the three rows of defensive galleries with wooden parapet for the shooters. The access inside the bastion was protected by a gate tower and an about 5 meters long passage, while towards Tampa hill there were erected two small watch towers, destined to the guard unit.
In 1910, the monument was restored and became a museum. Inside the guild’s festivities hall, built in 1800 in the interior court of the assembly, was setup in 1950 the Fortifications' Museum of Tara Barsei (Barsa's Land), which hosts documentary references ad three-dimensional materials unearthed by the systematic archaeological excavations, illustrating the connection between the defence system and the weaponry in the Middle Ages. Along with the museum’s artefacts there are exhibited the mockeries of the “Braşov’s Stronghold” (1904) and that of the Romanian neighbourhood of „Șchei” (1961), confectioned after some older images.
Starting with 2002, the internal court of the Weavers’ Bastion became an outdoor scenery for the Opera’s representations.
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The wall under Tâmpa hill, endowed outside with a dry defence ditch, used to be initially fastened with eight towers; the archaeological excavations carried on during the last years highlighted the foundations of the objectives demolished in the XIXth century. At the level of the corner fortifications - the Waivers Bastion (southwards) and the Drapers Bastion (eastwards), climbing on the versant towards the town of Tâmpa Massif, there were the walls bordering the cattle courtyard, protected uphill by towers, which are not conserved nowadays.
During the XIXth century, across the south-eastern fortifications of Brasov’s Stronghold the Upper Promenade was set up, allowing the visitors to admire the objectives located on the side under Tâmpa hill and which, as well as the Royal Promenade on the opposite versant, offer a peculiar panorama over the town.
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At mid-length of the Upper Walls of Brasov's medieval stronghold, The Rope-Makers Bastion, of polygonal plan, was erected in the XVIth century. With walls built up from alternated rows of stone and bricks, the bastion used to be endowed inside with watch gallery, shooting holes and crenels on the upper side. The bastion has been restored in 2004.
In close proximity it is conserved The Powder-Mill Tower.The eastern corner of Brasov's Stronghold used to be protected by the Drapers Bastion, initially assigned for defence to the goldsmiths’ guild. The monument of ellipsoidal plan has been erected on the remnants of some older constructions connected to the first enclosure of walls of the medieval fortifications, being mentioned in the historical documents between 1521-1522, on the occasion of some new works. The monument conserves the narrow rectangular shooting windows, alternating at the last level with black oil gussets and the pristine access from and towards the town, endowed with a frame-work in broken arch of profiled stone. In the upper side, the bastion used to be endowed with a castellated crown of the arch, still visible in 1873.
In 1646, the objective was assigned to the drapers’ guild.
The Drapers’ Bastion has been consolidated between 1961-1962 and restored during the period 2006-2012, being set up nowadays as a museum.
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The Red Tanners’ Bastion, the last point of the Medieval Journey, is the only monument conserved of the north-eastern fortifications of Brasov's Stronghold, demolished in the XIXth century. The fortification has been erected at the beginning of the XVIth century, in close proximity of the Drapers' Bastion, along with the external enclosure, which fastened the oriental defence line of the town, on a plan in form of horseshoe, with alternated stone and brick facing, shooting holes for razing fire and castellated crown of the arch in the upper side, vanished today.
During the period 1961-1962, the bastion has been restored, inside its enclosure being subsequently set up a playground for children. New restoration works have been carried on during 2005.