Sibiu

Not to be confused with Sibu, Cebu City, or Siabu.

Sibiu Hermannstadt (German)
County seat and Municipality
Council Tower Lutheran Cathedral Piața Mare The Stairs Passage Bridge of Lies Brukenthal Palace Metropolitan Cathedral Potters' Tower Eyes of Sibiu
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname:  The Town with Eyes
Location in Sibiu County
Sibiu Location within Romania
Coordinates: 45°47′34″N 24°09′07″E
Country	Romania
County	Sibiu
Status	County seat
Settled	1st century BC
Resettled	c. 1147
First off. record	1191 (as Cibinium)
Founded by	Hermann
Government
• Mayor (2024–2028)	Astrid Fodor (FDGR/DFDR)
Area
• County seat and Municipality	121 km2 (47 sq mi)
Elevation	415 m (1,362 ft)
Population  (2021 census)
• County seat and Municipality	134,309
• Density	1,110/km2 (2,870/sq mi)
• Metro a	267,170
Demonym(s)	sibian, sibiancă (ro) hermannstädter (de)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	55xxxx
Area code	+40 269/369
Car plates	SB
Website	turism.sibiu.ro/en
aSibiu metropolitan area is a proposed project

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Sibiu (/siːˈbjuː/ see-BEW, pronounced [siˈbiw], German: Hermannstadt [ˈhɛʁmanʃtat], Hungarian: Nagyszeben, Latin: Cibinium, Transylvanian Saxon: Härmeschtat or Hermestatt) is a city in central Romania, situated in the historical region of Transylvania. Located some 275 km (171 mi) north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the Olt River. Now the seat of Sibiu County, between 1692 and 1791 and 1849–65, Sibiu was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania. Until 1876, the Hecht house in Sibiu served as the seat of the Transylvanian Saxon University.

Nicknamed The Town with Eyes for the eyebrow dormers on many old buildings, the town is a popular tourist destination. It is known for its culture, history, cuisine, and architecture.

Several fortified villages near Sibiu, such as Biertan and Valea Viilor, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 under the collective listing "Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania". Separately, in 2004, the historical center of Sibiu was added to Romania's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but has not yet been officially inscribed. It was later designated the European Capital of Culture in 2007, alongside Luxembourg City. In 2008, Forbes ranked Sibiu as "Europe's 8th-most idyllic place to live". In 2019, Sibiu was named the European Region of Gastronomy and hosted a European Union summit. In 2021, it also hosted the European Wandering Capital event, the continent’s most prominent hiking and eco-tourism gathering.

Sibiu is also known nationally and internationally for its Christmas market. Renowned personalities include Transylvanian Saxon scientists Conrad Haas and Hermann Oberth, who were both pioneers of rocketry.

As of 2021 census, the city has a population of 134,309, making it the 15th most populous city in Romania. The proposed Sibiu metropolitan area has a population of 267,170. The town also administers the village of Păltiniș, a ski resort located 35 kilometres to the southwest.

During the High and Late Middle Ages, Sibiu was the most important cultural and administrative centre of the Transylvanian Saxons. It is called Härmeschtat in their local dialect, which is close to Luxembourgish, from which it primarily descended during the Ostsiedlung.