SIGHISOARA.....This medieval town with battlements and spires, and a UNESCO Heritage Site, loomed atop a massive hill that dominated the entire city below. The citadel was huge and so alive. I never expected anything like this in Transylvania. The old town in the citadel area and the lower town around it were simply charming. It was hard to believe this wasn't a major tourist destination.

Each guild that worked and thrived in Sighisoara during the Middle Ages was responsible for building a watch tower and surrounding walls for the citadel. Then, in times of war, they were responsible to defend their tower. So, spires dotted the horizon, but none were grander than the main clock tower (rebuilt after an earthquake and fire in 1676). There were some movable feature every hour, but I found the color glazed tiles even more attractive. Most tiles in the city were orange, but the clock tower had multi-colored glazed shingles from 1894 decorating the rooftop.