Brașov, Medieval municipality in Brașov County, Romania
Brașov is a municipality in the county of the same name in central-eastern Romania, spreading along the slopes of the Făgăraș Mountains. The old town clusters around a rectangular market square from which narrow lanes lead to several preserved defense towers and a steep hill topped by its landmark white lettering.
The settlement was founded in the early 13th century by the Teutonic Order, tasked with securing the southeastern frontier of the Hungarian Kingdom. In the following centuries the town grew into a major trading center and became one of the seven fortified towns of Transylvania built by German colonists.
The German name Kronstadt refers to the medieval designation Crown, closely connected to the former Saxon settler community. Today their traces appear in the architecture of the old town and in street names that recall a time when German merchants and craftspeople shaped the townscape.
Most sights in the old town sit within walking distance of each other, and lanes are mostly paved or cobbled. Public transport connects the outer districts to the center, and the surrounding mountains are reachable by car or small buses.
On a hillside near the center stands a large lettering in white characters modeled after the Hollywood sign, originally erected in the 1950s and later restored. The letters are visible from many parts of town and are lit at night, giving them a widely recognizable appearance.
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