The Council Tower is the beating heart of Sibiu's medieval old town — a striking seven-storey Gothic structure that has stood since the 13th century, connecting the city's two grand squares, Piața Mare and Piața Mică. It offers visitors not only a walk through centuries of history, but also one of the finest panoramic views in all of Transylvania.

There is something wonderfully atmospheric about this tower. Its massive walls punctuated by narrow loopholes, the stepped buttresses anchoring it firmly to the cobblestones, and the distinctive bulb-shaped roof give it an unmistakable silhouette. The vaulted passageway at street level buzzes with life in summer, while in winter the tower takes on a fairy-tale quality as the squares around it fill with festive lights. Whether you catch it at golden hour or under dramatic storm clouds, the stonework always rewards a second look.

• The tower is located at Piața Mică no. 1, right in the centre of Sibiu's old town — you really cannot miss it. It is roughly a 15-minute walk from the main railway station.
• The ground-floor vaulted passage between the two squares is open around the clock and is itself worth lingering in.

• Entrance to the tower interior is through a small door on the Piața Mică side.
• A narrow spiral staircase leads up through all seven floors.
• The 6th floor houses the mechanism of the historic clock, with faces visible on all four sides of the tower.
• The top floor is an open viewing platform with sweeping views over the old town and the Făgăraș Mountains in the distance.
• The tower hosts rotating exhibitions — check locally for the current programme.

In 1585 the upper floors collapsed, tragically burying a painter named Johann David who was working on the vaulted ceiling at the time. The tower was rebuilt between 1586 and 1588, and a Latin inscription embedded in the wall still records the completion date: 3 August 1588.