Tucked into the north-eastern corner of Brașov's old city walls, the Weavers' Bastion is one of the finest surviving pieces of the town's medieval defence system. It's a must-see stop for anyone wandering the cobbled streets beneath Mount Tâmpa, offering a genuine glimpse into the guild-powered fortifications of old Transylvania.

The bastion is elliptical, 16 metres across and rising 20 metres high, with four levels of timber galleries once used by defenders. Its walls are two metres thick at the base, pierced with small openings for cannons. In summer, the surrounding old town buzzes with cafés and street life, while in autumn and winter the stone walls and quiet alleys take on an atmospheric, almost fairy-tale character — especially with snow settling on Brașov's red rooftops.

How to get there

• From Piața Sfatului (Council Square), Brașov old town — on foot, about 10-15 minutes, easy
• Follow the old city wall walk along Zid Street for a longer, scenic stroll — easy

Good to know

• Built and defended by the goldsmiths' guild between 1450 and 1455
• Handed over to the weavers' guild in 1640, giving the bastion its name
• Reinforced in 1961-1962 and renovated in 2005
• Plans exist for a museum space inside and a glass dome covering the structure

A fun historical detail: the bastion was once armed with bombards brought all the way from Prague, plus three small cannons and sixteen arquebuses — serious firepower for a guild-run stronghold.