Modern & artTransylvania

Bridge of Lies in Sibiu: the cast-iron bridge and its legends

The Bridge of Lies (Podul Minciunilor) is a small cast-iron footbridge in the heart of Sibiu, in Transylvania, Romania. Cast in 1859, it links the Lesser Square and Huet Square, and it is one of the best-known photo stops in the old town, thanks to its Neo-Gothic ironwork and its many stories.

Legend says the bridge will collapse if anyone lies on it, yet the name probably began as a misheard word: Liegenbrücke, the “lying down” bridge, because it has no piers.

WhereOld town of Sibiu (Hermannstadt), Transylvania, crossing Ocnei Street between the Lesser Square and Huet Square

TypeCast-iron pedestrian bridge, 1859–1860

Best forUrban legends, 19th-century ironwork and an easy walk through Sibiu’s old town

Getting thereRight in the centre of Sibiu, a few steps from the Council Tower

The history of the Bridge of Lies

Until the middle of the 19th century, the way between Sibiu’s Lower Town and Upper Town ran through a curved tunnel under a row of houses built from the 15th century onwards. These houses split the Lesser Square in two. The northern end of the block was a defensive tower first raised in the 13th century and later turned into dwellings, and wooden stairs on the north side, apparently roofed, flanked the street below.

The passage already had a nickname by the 16th century: Damasus Dürr called the spot the “Lying Benches”. A document of 24 November 1771, quoted by the chronicler Emil Sigerus, says that the way under it was lit at night by three lanterns and watched by three sentries, and around 1837 two guard huts stood at the tunnel entrance. By the 1850s the area had become unhealthy, choked with rubbish and a foul smell, so the city council decided to pull down the row of houses. The houses by the tunnel were demolished in 1851 and the tunnel was opened up, leaving a passage in its place. A wooden footbridge first crossed Ocnei Street.

The cast-iron bridge was made in 1859 and fitted in Sibiu the following year. It was officially opened on 17 December 1860. It is a single span of 10.40 metres and about 6 metres wide, carried by four arched cast-iron girders with Neo-Gothic ornament. The southern arches show the coat of arms of Sibiu, while the northern one bears the date 1859 and the name Friedrichshütte, the foundry that supplied part of the components. The two railings have eight round panels with Gothic, radial decoration.

The lamps on the upper walkway changed with the times. At first a single lantern stood on each railing support, then the Hungarian authorities replaced them with open lanterns topped by a crown, and after the union of Transylvania with Romania the crown was simply cut off. Later the cast-iron supports were altered to carry two lanterns each. Archaeological digs in 2005–2006 toward Huet Square brought to light an earlier brick parapet with a semicircular arch over four metres high, and the remains of cellars from the buildings demolished from 1849.

In October 2006 a German restoration company cleaned the bridge with dry ice, taking care to keep the patina of the iron, as a gift to Sibiu before it became European Capital of Culture in 2007. Since around 2012–2013, couples have attached love padlocks to the railings, and the city hall removes them regularly, saying they spoil the look of the bridge and could, over time, affect the iron structure.

Curiosities about the Bridge of Lies

The usual explanation of the name is a pun. The bridge was first called Liegenbrücke, German for “lying down” bridge, because it does not rest on piers, and the word sounds almost like Lügenbrücke, “bridge of lies”.
The best-known legend says the bridge would collapse if anyone told a lie on it. Others tell of cheating merchants thrown off by angry buyers, of cadets who promised to meet local girls and never came, and of lovers’ oaths that turned out to be false.
One legend even places a lake beneath the bridge, home to freshwater mermaids who lied to their mermen husbands to meet mortal lovers above.
Romanian Wikipedia says that an earlier cast-iron bridge at Lugoj, built in 1833, collapsed two years later under the weight of a herd of buffalo.
The bridge’s cast-iron arches carry rosettes and ornaments set in circles, and at its foot four cast-iron lamps stand along the stone edges of the passage below.
The east wall that supports the stairs to the bridge includes a square stone anchor, a relic of a medieval construction, according to French Wikipedia.

Tours near Bridge of Lies

Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:

Exclusive Tour: Corvin Castle, Alba Iulia and traditional villages from Sibiu

★ 4.8 (34 reviews) · 6 h

See details ›

Private Walking Tour of Sibiu

★ 5 (29 reviews) · 1.5 h

See details ›

Sighisoara and Biertan: UNESCO in Transylvania

★ 5 (29 reviews) · 11 h

See details ›

Sambata de Sus: E-Bike Guided Tours

★ 5 (16 reviews) · 4 h

See details ›

Visiting the Bridge of Lies: what to see

Stand on the bridge for the view across the Lesser Square, then walk down to Ocnei Street to see the ironwork from below.
Look for the coat of arms of Sibiu on the southern arches and the date 1859 with the name Friedrichshütte on the northern one.
The Council Tower of Sibiu stands in the same part of town and is the nearest other place on this site.
Because the bridge is in the pedestrian heart of the old town, it fits naturally into a stroll between the Lesser Square and Huet Square, near Sibiu’s Lutheran cathedral.
Roșia fortified church, about 13 km away, and Cârța Monastery, about 32 km away, are possible short trips from Sibiu.

Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.

Map: where Bridge of Lies is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Bridge of Lies

Questions

Where is the Bridge of Lies?

It is in the old town of Sibiu in Transylvania, crossing Ocnei Street and linking the Lesser Square with Huet Square.

Why is it called the Bridge of Lies?

Legends say it would collapse under a liar. The name more likely comes from a word play: it was first called Liegenbrücke, the “lying down” bridge, because it has no piers, which sounds like Lügenbrücke.

When was the Bridge of Lies built?

The cast-iron bridge was made in 1859 and officially opened on 17 December 1860, replacing an earlier wooden footbridge.

What is the Bridge of Lies made of?

It is made of cast iron, with four arched girders, Neo-Gothic ornament and two railings of eight round panels each.

How long is the Bridge of Lies?

It has a single span of 10.40 metres and is about 6 metres wide.

Can you still see love locks on the Bridge of Lies?

Couples began attaching padlocks in about 2012–2013, but the city hall removes them regularly to protect the look and structure of the bridge.