Brașov grew from a German settlement of the 12th century, when colonists settled in the valley at the foot of Tâmpa mountain. In the Middle Ages the town lived from crafts and commerce, and as a crossing point for traders and travelling craftsmen it became a city shaped equally by its German, Hungarian and Romanian communities.
The town's citizens began to raise their great church at the end of the 14th century. They modelled it on Saint Sebaldus Church in Nuremberg, and it took almost one hundred years to build. Its bronze baptismal font dates back to 1472 and is still in use.
In October 1542 the church was the site of the first Lutheran service in Transylvania. The humanist Johannes Honterus compiled the 'Book of Reformation', the cornerstone of the Saxons' adoption of the Protestant faith.
In April 1689 a fire destroyed much of the town and badly damaged the church. According to the church, legend says the flames and smoke turned its walls black, and that is how it came to be called the Black Church.
From 16 October 2026 to April 2027 the church opens at noon (12:00) on Sundays and Mondays and at 10 am (10:00) from Tuesday to Saturday, and every day it closes at 6 pm (18:00). It is closed on 1 January and 25 December.
Children up to the age of seven enter free, and a guided tour is free of charge, offered depending on availability.
The first medieval fortress at Râșnov was built by the Saxons and the Teutonic Knights between 1211 and 1225. During the Tatar invasion of 1335 it resisted the siege and saved the inhabitants who had taken refuge inside, and it remained the community's refuge until the 18th century.
Râșnov Fortress itself is closed for rehabilitation; for now only its garden can be visited.
Râșnov is about 15 km (9 miles) from Brașov, by car or bus on the DN73, or by train on the Brașov–Râșnov–Zărnești line, a journey of about 20 minutes.
Bran Castle stands at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains, 30 km (19 miles) from Brașov. From Brașov's Bus Station No. 2, buses run to Bran every 30 minutes on weekdays and every hour at weekends; the stop is in the centre of Bran, near the castle's main entrance.
Planning a day out to the castle? See our Bran Castle guide and our comparison of the trips, Bran Castle Tours (2027): Which Trip to Dracula's Castle to Choose. Every trip that starts or stops in Brașov is also on our Brașov destination page.
A fire in April 1689 badly damaged it, and legend, as the church tells it, says the smoke blackened its walls.
Yes, it is open every day except 1 January and 25 December; on Sundays and Mondays it opens only at midday.
Not at the moment: the fortress is being rehabilitated, and only its garden is open.
About 30 km (19 miles), with buses from Bus Station No. 2 in Brașov.
Facts from the Black Church's official website (bisericaneagra.ro) and Râșnov Citadel's official website (cetatea-rasnov.ro), checked on 10 October 2026.
