White Tower

About White Tower

At a glance: Fortresses and fortifications in Brașov, Brașov County. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 8 October 2026.

The White Tower is the highest point of Brașov's old fortifications: a massive horseshoe-shaped tower built on a rock on the slope of Dealul Romurilor, 59 m outside the city wall. Sources give the construction date as either 1460 or 1494, so the second half of the 15th century. It takes its name from the white render on its walls, which sets it apart from the Black Tower, its sibling on the same side of the town.

The tower watched over the slope above the citadel, from where besiegers could have fired into the town or rolled stones over the walls. It was defended by the guilds of the pewterers and coppersmiths and linked to the citadel by a drawbridge lowered from the Graft Bastion and by two rows of palisades, along which ammunition, food and the changing guard arrived. So that the watchmen could see as far as possible, the hillside was kept clear of trees until around 1900. The great fire of 1689 damaged it; it was rebuilt in 1723 and restored several times, most recently in 2002–2006.

The limestone walls are 4 m thick at the base, and the height ranges from 14 to 20 m as the rock falls away. The door was 5.4 m above the ground and could only be reached with a movable ladder.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: Brașov is ~170 km from Bucharest on the DN1 (~3 hours, quicker on the A3 as far as Ploiești), ~145 km from Sibiu on the DN1 (~2h30) and ~270 km from Cluj-Napoca (~4 hours). The historic centre has narrow streets and paid parking; the easiest option is to leave the car on its edge and walk. The tower is a few hundred metres north-west of Piața Sfatului: leave the square towards Strada Nicolae Bălcescu and go down to Aleea După Ziduri as far as the Graft Bastion, where the stairs up to the tower start (~10 minutes' walk, plus the climb). Without the steps, you can also reach the tower from above, from Calea Poienii, the road that runs just above it.

Public transport: Brașov railway station (trains from Bucharest, Sibiu and Cluj) is ~3 km from the centre; bus 4 takes you to the Livada Poștei stop, right by the end of Aleea După Ziduri, from where it is a few minutes to the Graft Bastion.

Where to park

There is no car park at the tower. In the historic centre parking is paid, by text message or app, and spaces fill up quickly at weekends and in summer; wherever you park, the last part is on foot.

Fees & discounts

Access to the outside of the tower and the viewing platform is free. The interior is closed, so no tickets are sold; for the occasional events held by the Apollonia Cultural Centre, entry conditions are announced on its website.

Rules

The stairs from the Graft Bastion are long and steep: wear comfortable shoes and take care on the way down, especially in rain or in winter. Do not climb on the walls or battlements. The stairs cannot be used with a pushchair or wheelchair.

Facilities

No toilets or shop at the tower · cafés, restaurants and toilets in the old town, a few minutes away · good mobile signal