Sibiu

Sibiu ( see-BEW, pronounced [siˈbiw], German: Hermannstadt [ˈhɛʁmanʃtat], Hungarian: Nagyszeben, Latin: Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: Härmeschtat or Hermestatt) is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some 275 km (171 mi) north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the Olt River. Now the seat of Sibiu County, between 1692 and 1791 and 1849–65 Sibiu was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania. Until 1876, the Hecht hause in Sibiu served as the seat of the Transylvanian Saxon University. Nicknamed The Town with Eyes for the eyebrow dormers on many old buildings, the town is a popular tourist destination. It is known for its culture, history, cuisine, and architecture. In 2004, its historical center was added to the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sibiu was subsequently designated the European Capital of Culture in 2007, along with Luxembourg City. One year later, it was ranked "Europe's 8th-most idyllic place to live" by Forbes. Sibiu was named the 2019 European Region of Gastronomy. Sibiu hosted the European Wandering Capital event in 2021, the most important tourist wandering event in Europe. A European Union summit was also hosted by the town in 2019. Sibiu is also known nationally and internationally for its Christmas market. Renowned personalities include Transylvanian Saxon scientists Conrad Haas and Hermann Oberth, who were both pioneers of rocketry. The company Elrond, which created the eGold cryptocurrency (among the biggest in the world), was founded by people from Sibiu. As of 2021 census, the city has a population of 134,309, making it the 15th-largest city in Romania. The proposed Sibiu metropolitan area has a population of 267,170. The town also administers the village of Păltiniș, a ski resort located 35 kilometres to the southwest. During the High and Late Middle Ages, Sibiu was the most important cultural and administrative centre of the Transylvanian Saxons. It is called Härmeschtat in their local dialect, which is close to Luxembourgish, from which it primarily descended during the Ostsiedlung.