LOWER CITY

Colorful, lively and picturesque, the lower part of Sibiu(orașul de jos) is well worth a visit. It includes buildings that have preserved medieval features, mostly located on May 9th and Ocnei streets. You can get there by taking one of the medieval staircases, notably from Piața Huet or Piața Mică.

Place Dragoner, considered the center of the lower town, dates back to the ^12th and ^13th centuries, making it the oldest in the city. The surrounding houses were built between the ^15th and ^19th centuries. Until 1976, a Baroque and neoclassical building dating from 1800 stood in its middle, housing the headquarters of the Austrian dragoons.

Rue du 9 Mai is Sibiu's oldest street. It features seven listed buildings, including a ^16th-century house at no. 43. The architecture is typical of Transylvanian Saxon towns, with low, tiled-roofed houses. Unfortunately, heavy traffic spoils its charm.

Goldsmiths' Square (Piața Aurarilor) is one of Sibiu's most romantic squares. This small, cobbled square is surrounded by a number of colorful ^16th-century houses, some with German inscriptions. As its name suggests, silversmiths had their workshops here. The stairway leading up to it from Piața Mică is lined with beautiful houses. The oldest date back to the end of the ^15th century.

In Piața Cibin, on the banks of the river of the same name, a market is held, much appreciated for the quality of its produce and its popular atmosphere.