Tinsmiths' Tower, Fortified tower in Sighișoara, Romania
The Tinsmiths' Tower is a fortified tower set within the walled citadel of Sighișoara, in central Romania. It has a square base dating to the 13th century and a hexagonal upper section with a tiled roof, making it the tallest of the citadel's nine surviving towers at around 82 feet (25 meters).
The citadel of Sighișoara was built by Saxon settlers in the 13th century to defend the town. The tower was completed in its current form in 1583, and it survived a fire in the 17th century that destroyed many of the surrounding buildings.
The tower's name comes from the tinsmiths' guild, which was responsible for maintaining and guarding it during the Middle Ages. This system, where each craft guild watched over its own tower, shows how trades shaped the daily organization of the town.
The tower sits in the upper part of Sighișoara's citadel, within walking distance of the other towers along the old walls. The streets nearby are narrow and paved with uneven stone, so flat shoes make the visit easier.
The hexagonal roof seen today was added with colored tiles during a renovation in the late 19th century, so it looks quite different from what the tower originally had. The tiles are a later addition and are not part of the medieval structure below.
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