Romania’s largest Gothic church rises triumphantly over Braşov’s old town. Built between 1385 and 1477, this German Lutheran church was named for its charred appearance after the town’s Great Fire in 1689. Restoration of the church took a century. Today it stands 65m high at its bell tower's tallest point. Organ recitals are held in the church three times a week during July and August, usually at 6pm Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Draped across the church's spare interior are 16th- to 19th-century Anatolian rugs; these were once placed on pews reserved for church donors. Look closely at the columns, a couple of which bear scars from projectiles fired into the church during the events of 1989. Find also a collection of ornate funerary stones and a 4000-pipe organ (1839).
The exterior of the church bears scrape marks, thought to be from soldiers sharpening their swords – after all, who better than God to prime a weapon for battle?