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Mount Tâmpa

Updated: Feb 13, 2023



The city of Brasov cannot be separated from the mountain around which it was built. The first thing a visitor notices, in fact, is the Hollywood-like sign atop Brasov's main hill.


The Black Church below Mount Tâmpa.



A trip to Brasov would therefore be incomplete without a trek to the top of Mount Tâmpa. Visitors can take cable cars to the top during warmer months, but as for me, I'd never pass an opportunity to hike (or run) up a hill.


The Black Church, Council Square, and White and Black Towers from Mount Tâmpa.



The views along the way are stunning, too — each step took my friend Vincent and I higher above the city and into the clouds. (For reference, Mount Tâmpa is 960 meters [3,150 feet] tall and can be see from miles around. It is part of Postăvarul Massif, located in the southern part of the Eastern Carpathian Mountains.)







The top of Mount Tâmpa is, of course, stunning, too. I took some of my favorite images after we'd crested the mountain and begun winding our way over and around it to get back to town.







From the top, we could see the other side of Brasov, as well. It was beautiful beneath the fog in the dusk.




On our trek back, we got lost and ran into a local who led us the rest of the way down. He spoke little English but shared with Vincent a little about his life and love for his town. He'd thought of leaving and moving to Canada once, he said, but it hadn't happened, and he couldn't imagine leaving now. He wasn't a fan of tourists Brasov is one of Romania's most-visited towns but I was all right, he said, glancing back at me with a smile.


I told Vincent to tell him thank you. I try to be considerate!




Around this time we were getting close to the city. The man turned left towards his home while Vincent and I turned right to walk back to the main square. I was glad we'd run into him, though. The route he'd taken us provided a different view of the city than we would have seen on our own. Notice the Black Church (right middle), the Black and White Towers on the hill (center, left of the Black Church), and the Cetatuia Citadel (lit up yellow) in the image below.





Back in the city, we stopped in the main square to look back at where we'd been. It's amazing how different vantage points can give you a completely different perspective of a place. Brasov is beautiful, both from above and below.





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6 Comments


dalo2013
Feb 17, 2023

I like how you say you'd never pass up an opportunity to hike (or run up!) a mountain ~ and a place as beautiful as Mt. Tampa would make this a common occurrence if I lived there. You capture such amazing views, breathtaking ones of the city below, and then the simplistic beauty of nature alone. Wonderful.

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Jessica Cyphers
Jessica Cyphers
Feb 20, 2023
Replying to

Thank you, Randall! Yes, if I lived in Brasov, I would be up and down this mountain all the time. Right now it is covered in snow!

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Jeff Walker
Jeff Walker
Feb 13, 2023

I have loved all of your photos from Brasov Jess, but these...these are breathtaking. I thought the white and black towers were high up, and then I saw the one photo above where you were able to capture the entire countryside that is behind them, shrouded in mist. Just gorgeous! And I have come to agree with that local over the years since I met you through your writing: You ARE all right. 😊

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Jessica Cyphers
Jessica Cyphers
Feb 20, 2023
Replying to

You're so sweet, Jeff. I'm glad you liked these photos. It was a great hike with fabulous views. And it definitely helped to have a translator with me the first week I was there. The Romanian people are wonderful.

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Gary
Feb 12, 2023

You captured the morning colours magnificently, Jessica. It looks like a lovely walk up and down the mount.

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Jessica Cyphers
Jessica Cyphers
Feb 20, 2023
Replying to

It was a lovely hike. Thank you for reading, Gary!

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