BISTRITA, Romania - Travel and Tourism Information (2023)

Bistrita General Information

Fast Facts

City Highlights

Located at the foot of the Bargau Mountains, not far from the Borgo Pass (Pasul Tihuta in Romanian) which connects Transylvania region to the Bucovina one, the town of Bistrita is one of the oldest in the region. Archeological findings indicate that the area has been inhabited since the Neolithic age, long before Bram Stocker chose it as the setting of his fictional Dracula's castle.

Saxon colonists, who settled here in 1206, helped develop the town into a flourishing medieval trading post.
First mentioned in a written document in 1264 as Villa Bistiche, the name of the town was later changed to Civitas Bysterce. Soon enough, Bistritz as it was named by its Saxon (German) inhabitants, became one of Transylvania's most important Saxon citadels (Siebenbürgens).

The town was named after the Bistriţa River, which traces its origin to the Slavic word bystrica, meaning fast-flowing river.

In 1353, Bistrita was granted the right to organize an annual 15-day fair and to have its own seal.
Its coat of arms represented an ostrich with a horseshoe in its beak, which, according to medieval heraldry, symbolized that trade was among the main occupations of the inhabitants.

In Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, the leading character, Jonathan Harker, visits Bistriţa and spends a night at the Golden Krone Hotel (Hotelul Coroana de Aur) on the eve of St. George's Day, before continuing his journey east to Dracula's castle. Although no such hotel existed when the novel was written, a hotel with the same name has since been constructed for visitors.

Unsettling times forced the city to build defense walls and Bistrita became a fortress.
By 1465, it claimed 18 defensive towers and bastions. In 1602, Austrian troops under General Giorgio Basta damaged most of the defense system. In 1863, the gates of the citadel were destroyed by order of the Imperial Court of Vienna. Successive fires during this century caused further damage to the medieval citadel.

Today, the old town's quaint 15th and 16th century merchants' houses, the remains of the 13th century fortress walls and a generally unhurried pace have preserved some of Bistrita's medieval atmosphere.

Landmarks

Coopers' Tower

Turnul Dogarilor
Address: Strada Dogarilor 14,
(west-end of Bistrita Municipal Park)
Vestiges of the 13th century fortress walls can still be seen near the Municipal Park along Kogalniceanu and Teodoroiu Streets.
From the original 18 towers of the medieval fortress, only the Coopers' Tower, built between 1465 and 1575 on three levels, still stands today.
The tower, now housing a collection of folklore masks and puppets (Galeria de Masti si Papusi).
Visits by appointment only.

Orthodox Church

Biserica Ortodoxa
Address: Piata Unirii 7
Formerly a Franciscan church, the Orthodox Church dates from the late 13th century. The stone carvings, mainly preserved in the chancel and the apse, belong to the Cistercian form of early gothic style. The interior was completely restored in baroque style and some late 14th century murals have been preserved.

Bistrita Evangelical Church

Biserica Evanghelica Bistrita
Address: Piata Centrala Bistrita
The greatest attraction of Bistriţa's Main Square (Piata Centrala) is the Evangelical Church built by Transylvanian Saxons centuries ago. Construction of this gothic church began in 1470 and was completedalmost 100 years later by Petrus Italus de Lugano, who added renaissance elements to the structure.
A 246-foot steeple overlooking the city was added later, making it the highest stone church tower in Romania.
Inside the church visitors can admire a collection of 23 flags which belonged to the town's former craft guilds, valuable renaissance-style pews designed by Johannes Begler in 1516, 500-year furniture and an organ manufactured in 1795.
The statues decorating the belfry (St Nicholas, the Holy Virgin with Child and Knight Roland) are representative of 15th century Transylvanian art and are similar to those found in the Black Church in Brasov and the Church on the Hill in Sighisoara.
The Church is currently being renovated and it will re-open to visitors in 2023.

Șugalete Medieval Buildings

Address: Piața Centrală
Facing the Saxon Evangelical Church on the north side of the Main Square is the Sugalete row of 15th and 16th century merchants' houses. Built between 1480 and 1550, the thirteen gothic- and renaissance-style houses are connected by 20 archways supported by quadrilateral pilasters. The stores and workshops of the medieval guilds were once located in the basements and on the ground floors. The upper floors were designed to lodge the merchants' and the craftsmen's families. Several art galleries have opened here.

Silversmith's House

Casa Argintarului
Address: Str. Dornei 5
Built between 1560 and 1563, the Silversmith's House earned its name by serving as the residence of one of the most renowned jewelers in Bistrita. A piece of architectural jewelry itself, the house features facades adorned with fine stone carvings in Renaissance style by Petrus Italus da Lugano. The entrance portal, also boasting impressive carvings, has a semicircular vault bordered by two fluted pilasters, while an arched passage allows access to the inner yard. As with all medieval merchants' homes, the silversmith's workshop and store were situated on the ground floor. Nowadays, Bistrita's Fine Arts, Music and Folk Dance Schools are located here.

Museums

Bistrita Nasaud County Museum

Muzeul Judetean Bistrita
Address: Blvd. General Grigore Balan 19
Open:
Tue. – Sun.: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.;
Admission charge
Website
The County Museum, housed in a former garrison, exhibits Romanian, Saxon and Hungarian folk art, paintings and carvings belonging to the Transylvanian art school. The History Section displays a bronze sword in the Mycenian style (14th century B.C.), Thracian bronze tools (13th - 10th centuries B.C.), Scythian jewels and arms (6th century B.C.), pottery, arms and other artifacts from the large Celtic necropolis at Fantanele (4th -2nd centuries B.C.).

Nearby Attractions

Saxon villages

Location: 3-10 miles from Bistrita
Nearest train stations: Bistrita, Lechinta, Nasaud, Sieu

Explore the surrounding region where you will find the charming Saxon villages of Dumitra (Mettersdorf) and Tarpiu (Treppen), both with traditional churches and brightly painted houses. South of Bistria are the villages of Lechinta (Lechnitz) and Herina (Monchsdorf), the latter boasting an unusual Romanesque-style Evangelic Saxon church (1250-1260), recently restored.
Lechinta is well-known for its vineyards, and wine tasting can be organized in the town cellars.

Bargau Valley

(Valea Bargaului)
Location: 5 – 15 miles northeast of Bistrita
Nearest train stations: Bistrita Birgaului hcv, Josenii Birgaului hc, Prundu Birgaului
The road from Bistrita to the Painted Monasteries of Bucovina runs east through the Bargau Valley and across the Tihuta Pass which peaks at 3,840 feet. The Bargau Valley encompasses some of the most beautiful unspoiled mountain scenery in the Carpathians with picturesque traditional villages located in valleys and on hillsides, ideal bases for hiking, riding or discovering their vivid tapestry of old customs, handicrafts and folklore.

Explore the traditional villages in the Bargau Valley:
Livezile (5 miles northeast of Bistrita) with its small folk museum called the Saxon House (Casa Saseasca) displaying Saxon ceramics, woodcarvings and folk dresses;
Josenii Bargaului (10 miles northeast of Bistrita), a traditional center for black and colored pottery, and
Prundu Bargaului (15 miles northeast of Bistrita), the site of the first paper mill in Romania, opened here in 1768.

TRIP PLANNING INFO

Transportation

Air Transportation to Bistrita

The closest airports to Bistrita are located in:

Targu Mures (TGM) - 55 miles south;
Napoca (CLJ) - 70 miles southwest;
Suceava (SCV) - 110 miles northeast

Train

Bistrita North – main train station
(Gara Bistrita Nord)
Address: Str. Garii 2 (one mile from downtown)
Telephone: (+4) 0256 491.696
Daily train service from/to Bucharest and Cluj Napoca.

To check train and bus schedules for domestic routes please visit our
Romania Domestic Transportation section

Bus

Bistrita Bus Station
(Autogara Bistrita)
Address: Str. Rodnei 1 A
Telephone: (+4) 0256 493.471

Daily domestic bus service from/to:
Alba Iulia, Brasov, Cluj Napoca, Deva, Fantanele, Hunedoara, Iasi, Oradea, Reghin, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Targu Mures

Distance from Bistrita to:
Bucharest — 265 miles
Baia Mare — 85 miles
Brasov — 160 miles
Budapest (Hungary) — 330 miles
Constanta — 382 miles
Cluj Napoca — 75 miles
Iasi — 175 miles
Medias — 100 miles
Oradea — 165 miles
Satu Mare — 110 miles
Sebes — 130 miles
Sibiu — 125 miles
Sighisoara — 85 miles
Sighetu Marmatiei — 82 miles
Suceava — 115 miles
Targu Mures — 55 miles
Timisoara — 276 miles
Vienna (Austria) — 480

Tourist Information

Bistrita Tourist Informantion Centre
(Centru de Informare Turistică Bistriţa)
Piata Centrala 4
Telephone: (+4) 0263 235.377
E-mail
Website

Postal Service & Telephone

Post offices display a postal horn symbol and the word Posta.

Main Post Office
Address: Str. Stefan cel Mare 9
Telephone: (+4) 0263 214.377
Open:
Mon. – Fri.: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sat.: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Telephoning Bistrita from Abroad
International Access Code + 40 (country code) + 0263 or 0363 (area code) + six-digit telephone number

Bistrita Useful Telephone Numbers

General emergency phone number: 112

Bistrita Area Code: 0263 or 0363

Bistrita City Hall
(Primaria Bistrita)
Telephone: (+4) 0263 223.923

Bistrita Nasaud County Archives
(Directia Judeteana Bistrita a Arhivelor Nationale)
Telephone: (+4) 0263 203.293,
E-mail
Address: Str. Gării 3 - 5

Consumer Protection Agency
(Oficiul pentru Protectia Consumatorilor – Bistrita Nasaud)
Address: Piaţa Petru Rareş 1
Telephone: (+4) 0263 211.681
E-mail

Maps

Romania Historical Regions Map
Romania - Detailed Map
Bistrita - Area Map