The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)
About The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)
The Thick Tower (Turnul Gros), at the corner of Strada Cetății and Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu, is an artillery rondel built around 1540, when the Ottoman threat forced the people of Sibiu to strengthen their walls with bastions. It has a U-shaped plan and juts out some 25 m in front of the wall, with thick stone-and-brick walls, casemates with gun ports on the lower level and a platform where the cannon stood.
From 1788 the building had a second life. The printer Martin Hochmeister obtained the tower and turned it into the town's theatre, the first on the territory of present-day Romania, opened in June 1788. The hall burned down in 1826 and was rebuilt, and a fire in 1949 put an end to the performances; after repairs the building housed the Independența factory's club for many years. Between 1990 and 2004 the Sibiu County Council rebuilt the hall, and since October 2004 it has been Thalia Hall (Sala Thalia), home of the Sibiu State Philharmonic. Romanian troupes performed on its stage in the 19th century, and the young Mihai Eminescu worked as a prompter for one of them.
What you can see
The tower is easy to see from the outside, from the boulevard or from the green space on the Strada Cetății side: a white, rounded mass with wide gun embrasures, patches of bare stone wall at the base and a broad timber eave under the red tiled roof. Behind it rises the body of the Thalia Hall building, and the brick wall of the third ring of fortifications starts beside the tower and runs along Strada Cetății towards the guild towers.
The interior, the concert hall, can be seen at the philharmonic's concerts and performances.
Good to know
The tower can be seen from outside at any time; Thalia Hall is entered for the philharmonic's events, with a ticket to the event.
- The white, rounded mass of the rondel, with wide gun embrasures and a timber eave under the red tiled roof.
- The first theatre on the territory of present-day Romania, opened in the tower in June 1788.
- Thalia Hall, the concert hall of the Sibiu State Philharmonic, set up in the tower building.
- The brick wall of the third ring of fortifications, which starts beside the tower on Strada Cetății.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: Sibiu is on the A1 motorway; from Cluj-Napoca it is ~185 km (~2 hours 15 minutes), from Brașov ~145 km (~2 hours 30 minutes) and from Bucharest ~270 km (~4 hours). The tower is ~420 m from the Grand Square (Piața Mare), a ~6-minute walk, on Strada Cetății and Bulevardul Corneliu Coposu.
Public transport: Sibiu railway station is ~2 km away, and from there you can take a Tursib bus or a taxi; from the Grand Square you walk. There are buses and taxis from Sibiu airport (~7 km).
- Where to park
Spaces on the streets around the historic centre are paid, at a machine, by text message or in the app, and fill up quickly in summer, at weekends and on festival days.
- Fees & discounts
The exterior can be seen without a ticket. Thalia Hall is entered with a ticket to the philharmonic's concerts and performances, and the price varies from one event to another; tickets are sold through the philharmonic's website.
- Rules
Thalia Hall can be seen inside only at concerts and performances, with a ticket, and silence is kept during the performances.
- Facilities
Concert hall with about 480 seats
Frequently asked questions about The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)
How long does a visit to The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) take?
A visit to The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) takes about 15 min (exterior only).
Can you visit The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) with kids?
Yes, The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) is suitable for children (short walk on foot).
Where can I park at The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)?
There is paid parking at The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) (on the streets around the centre). More under “Where to park”
How do I get to The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)?
The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros) is located at Strada Cetății 5, Sibiu, Sibiu County. More under “Getting there”
When is the best time to visit The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros)?
The best season for The Thick Tower and Thalia Hall (Turnul Gros): All year round (can be seen all year).
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