The Fortress on the Watchtower

Brașov, Romania, Romania

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Cetatea de pe Cetățuia (The Fortress on the Watchtower), situated on Tâmpa hill overlooking Brașov, Romania, was constructed in the early 16th century by the city's Saxon burghers as part of Brașov's defensive system against Ottoman incursions, featuring a simple rectangular layout with thick stone walls, embrasures for cannons, and a strategic vantage point enhanced by additional bastions added in 1551–1553. Unlike the more elaborate Black Church or council tower defenses, it functioned primarily as an observation post and artillery platform, rarely garrisoned but manned during alarms to signal threats via smoke or fire to the lower citadel network. Though partially ruined by 19th-century neglect and lightning strikes, its restored remnants now offer panoramic city views as a historical landmark tied to Brașov's medieval fortifications.