Splendid Gates and Popular Artisans
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The County Council Brasov, through its president Aristotel Cancescu, unfolded several restoring and rehabilitation projects of the old citadel of Brasov. Foreign and Romanian tourists spend hours passing under the ancient gates of the town or admiring the magnificent bastions bordering the old center of Brasov.
Brasov is the most fastened medieval town of Transylvania. Hundreds of thousands of tourists enter through its gates during this summer. As a result of efficient valorization of the historical patrimony and its inclusion into the touring circuit, the number of tourists doubled over last year.
Ecaterina?s Gate
The gate was built in 1559, at the west side of the citadel, and it is considered one of the most fastened gates of the area. Michael the Brave himself passed through it. The gate was seriously damaged during a huge fire in 1689 and the earthquake in 1738.
Mureşenilor?s Gate
It is the best-known gate by the tourists and local people. It was built between 1827 and 1828 to absorb part of the traffic under Ecaterina?s Gate. It connects today Schei neighborhood to the rest of the town. The walls carry a Latin inscription marking the moment when the construction started, following the visit to Brasov, in 1871, of the Emperor Francis I. The gate has been several times renewed using European and local funds.
The old town used to have many other gates: The Gate?s Gate, built as redoubt at the end of the actual Republicii Street (ex Gate?s Street) in the second half of the 14th century; the Black Gate, located at the end of the actual Nicolae Balcescu Street, recorded since 1464 as The Black Street, by reason of the water blacken by the over 40 tanning houses functioning in the area; the Gate on Horses Fair?s Street (today George Baritiu) ? erected in classic style in front of the Hammersmith Bastion in 1819; the Monastery Gate ? located at the end of Muresenilor Street, ex Custom Street during Middle Age.
The Commerce Gates
Thanks to the vivid commerce unfolded through its gates, Brasov quickly became the biggest urban center of Transylvania. Here were the most powerful guilds of those times. The privileged position of the town, the numerous commercial facilities bestowed by the Princes of Walachia made of Brasov a powerful commercial center. The activity of the guilds such as goldsmiths, weavers, drapers, armourers, blacksmiths, coppersmiths and tinsmiths made of Brasov not only a simple commercial transit point but a flourishing handicraftsmen centre.
The Artisans Fair
According to Aristotel Cancescu, this historical quality of handicraftsmen centre must be reactivated. Therefore Brasov hosts every year The Popular Artisans Fair, an event that attracts lots of tourists. This year, at Brason took place The National Popular Artisans Fair on August 25-27, organized by the County Center of Conservation and Valorization of the Popular Tradition and Creation Brasov. The event gathered artisans from all over the country and a variety of artifacts: pottery with a special aging method, Horezu pottery, traditional carpets from Oltenia, rustic shoes, glass painting, musical instruments, wood spoons, painted eggs, wood icons on Byzantine style, goldsmiths? artifacts.
Ancient Symbols
Gheorghe Rusu came from Maramures, in the north of Romania, accompanied by his daughter Diana. They work manually ceramic burnt in oven, using a special aging technique, decorative bottles and candlesticks.
Horezu pottery uses ancient symbols as decorative elements: Horezu rooster, peacock fan, the spiral of life, the house?s snake, fishes and the tree of life.
