Haunted Brasov, Romania: Catacombs and the Black Church

Haunted Brasov, Romania

Brasov hides cloaked in the tranquil safety of the Carpathian Mountains, an ode to Transylvania’s great and historical past. With sweeping mountain views, cobblestone streets and red roofed historic buildings lining every street, Brasov is a romantic city for any lover of medieval era Europe. Although the city is today a bustling, trendy destination for tourists and locals alike, looking to indulge in sites, food and the occasional live event, there is a darker side to Brasov that is rarely spoken of.

Two locations within Brasov, Romania are of particular interest to those who are enthused by a good ghost story. These are both the Black Church and the Brasov Catacombs.

Legends of the Black Church

Sitting proudly in the very center of Brasov is one of the city’s most impressive and known structures, typically referred to as the Black Church. Though this building wears bullet wounds from the 1989 revolution against communism in Romania and its exterior is blackened from a great fire that happened in 1689, giving the church its name, it still holds a much darker feature.

Perched in an unsuspecting location atop the church is a mysterious and seemingly disturbing statue. The statue depicts a very young boy leaning over the edge of the church’s roof in a fashion suggesting he may have dropped something below. There are a few grim legends from Brasov that attempt to explain the dark nature of this statue.

The first story tells that the little boy depicted in the statue was actually the son of a former priest of the church. After he was caught out being naughty, he was sent to the church’s attic as a punishment by his father. Unfortunately for the boy, this punishment coincided with the great fire of Brasov. The statue is thought to be the boy desperately trying to avoid burning alive in the fire.

Another telling of this story reveals that the boy was hired to aid construction of the church. One story explains that he was asked to lean over the edge to see if the wall was straight and accidentally fell to his death, whilst another suggests he was pushed off by a jealous co-worker.

Regardless of the truth behind these tales, the existence of this bizarre statue has certainly driven some dark and fascinating legends.

Ghost Stories of the Hidden Brasov Catacombs

 Another of Brasov’s spooky locations is far less spoken of and far more discreet when compared to the grandiose Black Church. This is the Brasov Catacombs.

Many remain unaware that there is actually a secretive tunnel system spanning just below the streets of Brasov. These tunnels and chambers are believed to be quite extensive, far more so than what has actually been mapped out.

These are thought to connect the citadel to various parts of the city including the Black Church, White Tower and Council Square. While their purpose has only been speculated some say that they may have acted as bomb shelters during times of war. There are other disturbing rumors that some parts of the Brasov Catacombs were used as a place to hold German Soldiers during WWII. Supposedly, the entrances to the section containing these soldiers were eventually sealed to entomb the soldiers and leave them to their eventual deaths.

Visiting the Darkest Locations of Brasov, Romania

I cannot recommend a visit to Brasov, Romania enough. It is a visually stunning city with plenty of history to become engrossed in. Entry to the Black Church can be gained by paying a small fee. No photography is allowed within the church, but the exterior can be photographed. Keep your eyes sharp to spot the statue of the young boy peering over the church’s rooftop.

I was unfortunately not able to find an entry to the Brasov Catacombs. There were some former entrances that I located along the Dupa Ziduri, a pathway that follows along the former medieval city walls of Brasov. These were, unfortunately, all gated off. At this time, I am not sure if there are any other accessible entrances.

With such troubling history related to both the Black Church and the Brasov Catacombs, it does seem plausible that they may be the most haunted places in Brasov, Romania.

If you are interested in other haunted places in Romania, I highly recommend checking out Poenari Fortress. This was the actual castle of Vlad Tepes, the real-life inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo