Castle & fortressTransylvania

Șchei Gate in Brașov: a triumphal arch in the old city walls

Șchei Gate (Poarta Șchei) stands at the south-western edge of the old centre of Brașov, right next to Catherine’s Gate. Built in 1827–1828 as a neoclassical triumphal arch with three openings, it replaced a narrow medieval passage and still carries its Latin inscriptions. It is a short stop for anyone exploring the fortifications of Brașov.

Brașov’s Șchei Gate is the only gate of the old citadel walls to survive complete, and it was paid for by the Romanian merchants of the Șchei district, who had pressed for years for a wider way through the walls.

WhereSouth-western edge of the old centre of Brașov, beside Catherine’s Gate, at the end of the former Orphanage Street

TypeNeoclassical city gate in the form of a triumphal arch, 1827–1828

Best forBrașov’s fortifications, Latin inscriptions and neoclassical architecture

Getting thereIn Brașov itself, next to Catherine’s Gate and the Black Tower; Râșnov Citadel is about 11 km away

The history of Șchei Gate

The story of the gate begins with the walls of Brașov. Because of floods and strategic reasons, first the Tatar raids and then the Turkish invasions, the Saxons who had settled in the area moved from the 14th century towards Tâmpa mountain and began building defences. Between 1400 and 1427 the town was enclosed with walls and towers and became a renowned fortified town, the Citadel.

For almost three centuries the only gate through the double wall from the Șchei district was Catherine’s Gate. In the 18th century, with trade booming, it could no longer cope with the heavier traffic. After repeated requests from the merchants of Șchei, the Horse Market Gate was built in 1820 near the Blacksmiths’ Bastion, but it also proved too small for the growing traffic.

A new gate was therefore proposed from 1821, but the town council only approved it in 1823, after long negotiations. In the same period the first town-planning schemes looked towards development in the suburbs, and parts of the medieval fortifications on the north-eastern and south-western sides were demolished in stages. In 1827 Catherine’s Gate, except for the tower of its outer gate, was pulled down, and a larger new gate was built at the end of Orphanage Street by the master builder Joseph Jani. It was financed by the Romanian merchants of Șchei.

The result is a gate of stone and brick in the shape of a triumphal arch, typical of the neoclassical style of the time. It has three arches: a large central one for vehicles and two smaller side ones for pedestrians. Latin inscriptions on the inner side name the town officials of the day, while those on the outer side honour Emperor Francis I, who had visited Brașov in 1817, and record that the gate was opened in 1828 in place of the old closed one, at the citizens’ request.

Near the gate, a Saxon school of gymnastics and drawing was built in 1851–1853, now a high school with a sports programme. In 1955 the gate was declared a historic monument as part of the south-western wall of the town’s fortifications, and a few years later its inscriptions were cleaned and the gate restored under the architect Günther Schuller. After the 1977 earthquake damaged it seriously, the roof structure was replaced and the inscriptions restored again. The last major consolidation took place in 2004.

Curiosities about Șchei Gate

It is described as the only gate of Brașov’s old citadel to have survived in its entirety.
Its Latin inscription on the outer side calls Emperor Francis I “pacifier of the world”.
Romanian merchants from the Șchei district paid for the gate, after they had pressed repeatedly for a way through the walls that could cope with their trade.
In German it was known as the Waisenhausgässer Tor and in Hungarian as the Árvaház utcai kapu, both meaning the gate of Orphanage Street.
Right next to it stands the tower of Catherine’s Gate, the only part of that much larger gate to survive the demolition of 1827; it is now a museum.
The three openings follow a clear division of use: the large central arch was made for vehicles and the two small ones for people on foot.

Tours near Șchei Gate

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

Bran (Dracula) Castle, Bear Sanctuary, Rasnov Fortress & Palinca Distillery

★ 5 (51 reviews) · 6 h

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Bear Sanctuary, Bran (Dracula) Castle, Peles Castle From Brasov

★ 5 (28 reviews) · 8 h

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Horseback Riding Tour In Brasov - Ride Through Fields, Forests & Hills

★ 5 (25 reviews) · 5 h

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Transfagarasan amazing road trip from Brasov

★ 5 (25 reviews) · 7 h

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Visiting Șchei Gate: what to see

Look at the gate from both sides. The classical proportions of the triumphal arch are best seen from the outside, towards the Șchei district.
Read the Latin inscriptions: those on the inner wall name the officials who built it, and those on the outer side honour Francis I and the year 1828.
Catherine’s Gate and its surviving tower, now a museum, stand directly next to it, and the Black Tower is also on this site.
From here you can follow the old walls of Brașov. Râșnov Citadel is about 11 km away and the fortified church of Prejmer about 17 km.
If you plan to enter the nearby museum tower, check the current opening hours before you go.

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

Map: where Șchei Gate is

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Photos of Șchei Gate

Questions

Where is Șchei Gate?

It is in Brașov, on the south-western edge of the old centre, right next to Catherine’s Gate, at the end of what used to be Orphanage Street.

When was Șchei Gate built?

It was built in 1827–1828, and the inscription records that the gate was opened in 1828.

Why was Șchei Gate built?

Catherine’s Gate, the only passage through the double wall from the Șchei district, could no longer cope with the growing trade. A new, larger gate was approved in 1823 and built after Catherine’s Gate was demolished in 1827.

Who paid for Șchei Gate?

The Romanian merchants of the Șchei district financed the construction, which was carried out by the master builder Joseph Jani.

What style is Șchei Gate?

It is neoclassical, built of stone and brick in the shape of a triumphal arch, with one large central arch for vehicles and two small side arches for pedestrians.

What can you see near Șchei Gate?

Catherine’s Gate and the Black Tower are right beside it. Râșnov Citadel is about 11 km away and the Prejmer fortified church about 17 km.