Council Tower, Sibiu

The Council Tower links Sibiu's Large Square and Small Square and is one of the enduring symbols of the Transylvanian city. First raised in the thirteenth century as part of the second fortified ring, it was rebuilt many times after fires and collapses. Its narrow staircase leads to an upper gallery offering a panoramic view over the tiled roofs, church towers, and the Fagăraș mountains beyond. The tower once held a grain store and a fire watch, and it still marks the passage between the city's two historic squares.