Alterman Conference on Geometric Algebra
 and Summer School on Kähler Calculus

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ENID & STANLEY
ALTERMAN

 

August 1st- 9th 2016             Brasov (Romania)

 

Tourist information

 

Transilvania is a very nice and famous region with many sightseeing places. We have listed the more important places recommended for visiting:  

In Brasov

  • Biserica Neagră (Black Church). It is the greatest Gothic church in Transilvania being 500 years old. Its name derives from damage caused by the Great Fire of 1689, when flames and smoke blackened its walls. It preserves the greatest collection of Anatolian carpets in Europe. Its organ is the greatest in South-Europe and the third in Europe. In order to preserve it from the tin pest, the organon is heated with the original heating system with hot water in the floor. In the yard of the church one can find the statue of Johannes Honterus (first printing press in Transilvania, 1539 and first European handbook Rudimenta Cosmographica)

  • Council Square (Marktplatz). It is the center of Brasov with very nice façades of Medieval buildings. The Old Town Hall (also known as Wagner house), placed in the center of the Council Square, is the venue of the Hystory Museum where the Ancient, Medieval and Modern hystory of Brasov and its surroundings is displayed. The Greek church, where the wife of Constantin Brancoveanu and daughters were buried, is also placed at the Council Square.

  • Bastions and towers: Bastionul Thesatorilor, Frangierilor, Postavarilor, Graft and Canal are bastions of the outer wall of Brasov. Together with the towers (Turnul Alb and Turnul Neagru) they formed part of the defences of the town and have survived centuries.

  • Saint Nicholas church (Biserica Sfantul Nicolae): The first church was built in 1292, rebuilt in stone in 1495 and reformed in the XVII century. It shows a curious mixing of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles. It is the most important orthodox church in Transilvania. In the yard one can find the museum of the first Romanian school where there is the printing press of Diaconu Coresi. It was in that press that  in 1561 the first  printed book in the Romanian language and the first Russian printed Bible were issued.

  • Biserica Sfânta Treime - Pe Tocile: This church  does not face the street but a court since in the time of its construction (1813) the orthodox temples were not allowed by Austrians to have the façade facing the street. It was built in 85 days by the Romanian community of Scheiul Brasovului after very complicated negotiations with the authorites.

  • Biserica Evanghelică: A Saxon building from 1794 that contains a rich collection of oriental tapestries. 

  • Art and Etnographic Museums: The Art Museum owns a collection of Romanian artists' pictures and other decorative objects. The Etnographic Museum has a collection of weaves and clothes.

In Transilvania

  • Bran Castle (also known as Dracula castle). Teutonic castle built in 1377 near the customs point between Wallachia and Transilvania. The legend says that the Bran Castle was the "home" of Vlad III Draculea, also known as Vlad Tepes (the Impaler), Prince of Wallachia from 1456 to 1462 who defended Romanians and Bulgarians from Ottoman invasion by using terrific means. Bram Stoker based the personage of the vampire Count Dracula of his famous novel on him. 

  • Râsnov Fortress: The Teutonic Knights built this fortress in the 1300s to protect Transilvania from the Tartars and the Turks.

  • Brukenthal National Musem: Placed in Sibiu, the Brukenthal palace was the home  of Samuel von Brukenthal, the Habsburg governor of Transilvania in the late 18th century.  His art collection was increased with the passing of time. The Art Galleries and the Brukenthal Library are placed inside the Brukenthal Palace, while the museums of History, Pharmacology, Natural History and Arms and Hunting are located in other hystoric buildings of Sibiu.

  • Medieval Sighisoara: The medieval citadel of Sighisoara is one of the greatest and  best preserved old fortified towns in Europe. The Sighisoara Medieval Festival is held in the last weekend of July, just before the beginning of our Summer School. The Wallachian prince Vlad Dracul, the father of Vlad Tepes, lived exiled in the town.

  • Fortified Churches: They were built in the XIIth century by the Saxon colonists of Transilvania settled by the Kings of Hungary as defences against the Ottoman and Tartar threats.  Owing to the small size of these settlements, only the church was fortified instead of  the whole town. There are fortified churchs in Hărman, Câlnic, Dârjiu, Valea Viilor, Biertan, Prejmer, Saschiz and Viscri.

  • And much more: Visit the official website of tourism of Romania.

 FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS & INFORMATICS

TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY OF BRASOV 

 

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ERICH KÄHLER

 

Black church Brasov Council Square (Marktplatz) Bran casttle Wagner house in the Marktplatz