Catherine's Gate
Brașov, Brașov County · Transylvania
About Catherine's Gate
At a glance: Fortresses and fortifications in Brașov, Brașov County. Opening hours: daily open 24 hours. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 20 min. Information verified on 8 October 2026.
Catherine's Gate is the white tower with a pointed roof and four corner turrets at the end of Strada Poarta Șchei, on the south-western side of the old walled town. The tower was finished in 1559, under the town judge Johannes Benkner, on the site of an older gate destroyed by the flood of 1526, and was defended by the tailors' guild. The name comes from the convent of St Catherine that once stood nearby. The four turrets showed that the town held the "right of the sword" (ius gladii), meaning it could try people and sentence them to death.
What you see today is only the tower of the outer gate of a much larger complex: a rectangular fort of about 75 by 50 metres, with a drawbridge and double walls. For almost three centuries it was the only way into the walled town from Șchei, the Romanian quarter, whose inhabitants could enter the town only at set hours and paid a toll on the goods they brought to sell. In 1827 the complex was demolished and the tower, walled up, became a storehouse; it was reopened in 1955 and restored in 1971–1973 by the architect Günther Schuller, and again in 2006.
Right next to it stands Șchei Gate, built in 1827–1828 precisely to take the traffic the old gate could no longer handle. It is a neoclassical triumphal arch of stone and brick, with one large opening for carts and two smaller ones for pedestrians, paid for largely by the Romanian merchants of Șchei. Both faces carry Latin inscriptions, one recalling the visit of Emperor Francis I.
What you can see
On the side facing Șchei, above the arch, is a stone plaque with Brașov's coat of arms (a crown on a trunk with roots) and two Latin inscriptions, one with the year 1559 and Benkner's name. The lower part of the tower is faced with sandstone blocks, and the triangular openings above the arch are where the drawbridge chains passed; higher up you can see the gunports for cannon and arquebuses. Through the passage you walk from the tree-lined square in front of the gate into the courtyard on the town side, where the tower is framed by the buildings of the former Saxon girls' school.
A few steps away, Șchei Gate can be crossed on foot or by car; the inscriptions can be read on both faces. From here you can walk up into Șchei, to St Nicholas' Church and the First Romanian School, or turn into Strada Sforii, some two hundred metres towards the centre.
Good to know
Both gates can be seen freely, from the outside, at any hour. The tower of Catherine's Gate occasionally hosts exhibitions, but it has no officially announced visiting hours; if you find it open, it is a bonus.
- The plaque with Brașov's coat of arms and the 1559 inscriptions above the arch, on the side facing Șchei.
- The four corner turrets, the sign of the "right of the sword", seen from the tree-lined square in front of the gate.
- The triangular openings for the drawbridge chains, above the sandstone arch.
- Șchei Gate next door, the neoclassical arch of 1828, with Latin inscriptions on both faces.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Brașov is ~170 km from Bucharest on the DN1 (~3 hours, longer at weekends through the Prahova Valley), ~145 km from Sibiu on the DN1 via Făgăraș (~2h30) and ~270 km from Cluj-Napoca (A3 to Târgu Mureș, then DN13, ~4 hours). Driving in the historic centre is slow; leave the car in a car park on its edge. Catherine's Gate is ~450 m south-west of Piața Sfatului: walk to the end of Strada Poarta Șchei (~7 minutes); the tower is on the right, just before Șchei Gate.
Public transport: Brașov railway station has direct trains from Bucharest (~2h30–3 hours), Sibiu and Cluj and is ~3 km from the centre; bus 4 takes ~15 minutes to Livada Poștei / Piața Sfatului, from where it is a ~10-minute walk.
- Where to park
The historic centre is a paid parking zone, with few spaces on the streets inside the old walls. It is easier to use one of the paid car parks on the edge of the centre, for example on Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu, below Tâmpa, and walk. In summer and at weekends they fill up quickly.
- Fees & discounts
The gates can be seen free of charge, from the outside. Temporary exhibitions in the tower have their own entry terms.
- Rules
The gates are public space. Cars also pass through Șchei Gate, so take care when photographing from the middle of the road; the passage of Catherine's Gate is for pedestrians only.
- Facilities
Benches in the square in front of the gate · no toilets or shop at the gate; cafés and restaurants on Strada Poarta Șchei and in Piața Sfatului · flat, paved access, fine with a pushchair · good mobile signal
Frequently asked questions about Catherine's Gate
- How much is a ticket to Catherine's Gate?
- Admission to Catherine's Gate is free (outside only). The gates can be seen free of charge, from the outside. Temporary exhibitions in the tower have their own entry terms.
- What are the opening hours of Catherine's Gate?
- Opening hours at Catherine's Gate: daily open 24 hours. Catherine's Gate and Șchei Gate can be seen freely, from the outside, at any hour; the gate passage is open to pedestrians. The inside of the tower opens only for temporary exhibitions, with no officially published hours.
- How long does a visit to Catherine's Gate take?
- A visit to Catherine's Gate takes about 20 min (both gates).
- Can you visit Catherine's Gate with kids?
- Yes, Catherine's Gate is suitable for children (green square in front).
- Where can I park at Catherine's Gate?
- There is paid parking at Catherine's Gate (paid central zone). The historic centre is a paid parking zone, with few spaces on the streets inside the old walls. It is easier to use one of the paid car parks on the edge of the centre, for example on Aleea Tiberiu Brediceanu, below Tâmpa, and walk. In summer and at weekends they fill up quickly.
- How do I get to Catherine's Gate?
- Catherine's Gate is located at Strada Poarta Șchei, at the Șchei end, Brașov, Brașov County. By car: Brașov is ~170 km from Bucharest on the DN1 (~3 hours, longer at weekends through the Prahova Valley), ~145 km from Sibiu on the DN1 via Făgăraș (~2h30) and ~270 km from Cluj-Napoca (A3 to Târgu Mureș, then DN13, ~4 hours). Driving in the historic centre is slow; leave the car in a car park on its edge. Catherine's Gate is ~450 m south-west of Piața Sfatului: walk to the end of Strada Poarta Șchei (~7 minutes); the tower is on the right, just before Șchei Gate. Public transport: Brașov railway station has direct trains from Bucharest (~2h30–3 hours), Sibiu and Cluj and is ~3 km from the centre; bus 4 takes ~15 minutes to Livada Poștei / Piața Sfatului, from where it is a ~10-minute walk.
- When is the best time to visit Catherine's Gate?
- The best season for Catherine's Gate: All year round (all year, lovely in winter too).
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