Sibiu is a lively 12th-century Saxon city. Founded on the site of the former Roman village of Cibinium, during the peak of Saxon influence Sibiu had 19 guilds, each representing a different craft, within its sturdy city walls protected by 39 towers and 4 bastions. Under the Hapsburgs from 1703 to 1791 and again from 1849 to 1867, Sibiu was the seat of the Austrian governors of Transylvania.
The city combines late Renaissance, early gothic, classical and Transylvanian baroque architectural styles, and at its heart has three interlocking squares full of medieval charm and a pedestrianised main street that has a Mediterranean feel.