First Romanian School
Brașov, Brașov County · Transylvania
About First Romanian School
At a glance: Museums and memorial houses in Brașov, Brașov County. Opening hours: Monday–Friday 10:00 – 17:00, Saturday 11:00 – 17:00, Sunday 12:00 – 14:00. Ticket: 20 lei. The visit takes ½ – 1 hours. Information verified on 8 October 2026.
In the courtyard of St Nicholas' Church in Șcheii Brașovului, the old Romanian quarter below Tâmpa hill, stands a two-storey building with a loggia and an outside staircase: the school where children from Șchei were taught in Romanian as early as the 16th century. The local chronicle mentions the school in 1495, alongside the church; the stone building was put up towards the end of the 16th century in place of a timber one, and in 1760 it gained an upper floor in the Baroque style and the shape you see today. The building is a listed historic monument.
A centre of Romanian culture grew up around the school. Deacon Coresi worked here, and between 1556 and 1588 he and his apprentices printed the first widely circulated books in Romanian; it was also in Șchei that Dimitrie Eustatievici wrote the first grammar of the Romanian language, in 1757. Today the building is the museum of St Nicholas' parish and holds ~4,000 old books and over 30,000 documents from the archive of the church and the school.
What you can see
Visits are usually guided, through several rooms. In the "Anton Pann" classroom, with its low vaults and old wooden benches, the guide gives a lesson on the history of the school, and at the end visitors sometimes sing the national anthem together — linked to Șchei through Anton Pann, who sang in the church choir. The "Deacon Coresi" room has a working replica of Coresi's printing press and the books printed in Șchei, among them the Second Cazania, translated here by the archpriests Iane and Mihai.
Other rooms hold the Bucharest Bible (1688), Varlaam's Cazania (1643), over 80 princely charters on parchment, manuscripts by the teachers of Șchei, a small ethnographic corner with a hearth and icons on glass, the collection devoted to the composer Tudor Ciortea and the costumes of the Junii of Brașov.
- The "Anton Pann" classroom, with low vaults and wooden benches, where the guide gives a lesson about the old school.
- The working replica of Deacon Coresi's printing press, alongside the books printed in Șchei in the 16th century.
- Varlaam's Cazania (1643) and the Bucharest Bible (1688), in the "Books, a Factor of National Unity" room.
- The princely charters on parchment, with hanging seals, given to the church by the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia.
- The Baroque façade of 1760, with its loggia and outside staircase, seen from the courtyard of St Nicholas' Church.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Brașov is ~170 km from Bucharest on the DN1 through the Prahova Valley (~3 hours, longer at weekends), ~145 km from Sibiu on the DN1 (~2 hours 30 minutes) and ~270 km from Cluj-Napoca via Târgu Mureș (~4 hours 30 minutes). The museum is on Piața Unirii in Șcheii Brașovului, in the courtyard of St Nicholas' Church, ~1 km south-west of Piața Sfatului: leave the walled town through the Schei Gate and walk up Strada Prundului.
Public transport: Brașov railway station has direct trains from Bucharest, Sibiu and Cluj-Napoca; the station is ~4 km from the historic centre, by local bus or taxi. From Piața Sfatului the museum is a ~15-minute walk.
- Where to park
The museum has no car park of its own. In Șchei and the historic centre you park on the street and pay, and spaces fill up quickly at weekends; it is easier to leave the car in a car park around the centre and walk from Piața Sfatului.
- Fees & discounts
Full ticket 20 lei, pupils and students 10 lei (with ID). Free for children up to 6, people with disabilities (with ID card), one teacher per 10 pupils and one adult per 10 visitors in groups, plus the group's guide. Tickets can also be bought online with a processing fee (22 lei full, 11 lei reduced), and the museum is included in the Brașov Visit Ticket, the combined ticket for several museums in the county.
- Rules
The museum is visited with a guide; groups and individual visitors book by phone (+40 740 028 678 or +40 721 444 091) or by e-mail at [email protected]. The building stands in the courtyard of a working church: dress modestly and keep quiet during services.
- Facilities
guided tour included · online tickets · old building, with stairs and thresholds
Frequently asked questions about First Romanian School
- How much is a ticket to First Romanian School?
- A ticket to First Romanian School costs 20 lei (pupils and students 10 lei). Full ticket 20 lei, pupils and students 10 lei (with ID). Free for children up to 6, people with disabilities (with ID card), one teacher per 10 pupils and one adult per 10 visitors in groups, plus the group's guide. Tickets can also be bought online with a processing fee (22 lei full, 11 lei reduced), and the museum is included in the Brașov Visit Ticket, the combined ticket for several museums in the county.
- What are the opening hours of First Romanian School?
- Opening hours at First Romanian School: Monday–Friday 10:00 – 17:00, Saturday 11:00 – 17:00, Sunday 12:00 – 14:00. Last admission at 16:30. On Sundays and religious holidays the museum opens after the church service. Visits are guided; individual visitors should phone ahead on +40 740 028 678. The online ticketing page shows different hours (closed Monday and Tuesday, Sunday 12:00–17:00) — check by phone before you go.
- How long does a visit to First Romanian School take?
- A visit to First Romanian School takes about ½ – 1 hours (with the guided tour).
- Can you visit First Romanian School with kids?
- Yes, First Romanian School is suitable for children (a lesson in the classroom).
- Where can I park at First Romanian School?
- There is paid parking at First Romanian School (on the streets of Șchei). The museum has no car park of its own. In Șchei and the historic centre you park on the street and pay, and spaces fill up quickly at weekends; it is easier to leave the car in a car park around the centre and walk from Piața Sfatului.
- How do I get to First Romanian School?
- First Romanian School is located at Piața Unirii 2-3, Brașov, Brașov County. By car: Brașov is ~170 km from Bucharest on the DN1 through the Prahova Valley (~3 hours, longer at weekends), ~145 km from Sibiu on the DN1 (~2 hours 30 minutes) and ~270 km from Cluj-Napoca via Târgu Mureș (~4 hours 30 minutes). The museum is on Piața Unirii in Șcheii Brașovului, in the courtyard of St Nicholas' Church, ~1 km south-west of Piața Sfatului: leave the walled town through the Schei Gate and walk up Strada Prundului. Public transport: Brașov railway station has direct trains from Bucharest, Sibiu and Cluj-Napoca; the station is ~4 km from the historic centre, by local bus or taxi. From Piața Sfatului the museum is a ~15-minute walk.
- When is the best time to visit First Romanian School?
- The best season for First Romanian School: All year round (open all year).
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