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| 2770 Sibiu in 1898 |
Located in Transylvania, Romania, Sibiu (German: Hermannstadt) straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt. The first official record referring to the Sibiu area comes from 1191, when Pope Celestine III confirmed the existence of the free prepositure of the German settlers in Transylvania, the prepositure having its headquarters in Sibiu, named Cibinium at that time. The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary (1141-1162), the main task of the Transylvanian Saxons being to defend the southeastern border of the Kingdom of Hungary.
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| 2771 The Big Square in Sibiu in 1900 |
Although Sibiu is an ancient settlement dating from Neolithic, the overall form and shape of the city is medieval. Its evolving lines of strong fortifications, together with its characteristic street pattern, squares and building plots, developed and grew especially following the Tatar invasion of 1241. In the 14th century, it was already an important trade centre, and from 1366 onwards became known as Hermannstadt. In 1376, the craftsmen were divided in 19 guilds. Sibiu became the most important ethnic German city among the seven cities that gave Transylvania its German name Siebenbürgen (literally seven citadels).
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