Michael Weiss Street, especially after being transformed into a pedestrian alley, has become one of the most beautiful streets in Brașov. It promises to become as well-known as Mureșenilor and Republicii Streets, which it connects, forming the most picturesque street triangle in the city. Located in the old center, the street links two main arteries, with Council Square and the Black Church at one end.
Michael Weiss Street best represents the significant changes in Brașov during the post-communist period. Instead of the damaging urban traces left by communism, which attempted to erase the city’s bourgeois past and replace its multiculturalism with proletarian propaganda, the street and city now reclaim the clean, European bourgeois atmosphere that the whole country should aspire to breathe. The street retains predominantly Baroque buildings and Neo-Romanian houses from the late 19th century, many of which have become cafes, pubs, or tea houses.
Michael Weiss (1569-1612) was a prominent figure in Brașov, serving as the city’s judge, a title equivalent to today’s mayor. He was also an important historian and literary figure of his time, known for his opposition to Gabriel Bathory, the Prince of Transylvania. Michael Weiss died in Feldioara, beheaded by the prince’s soldiers, but remained in the memory of the people of Brașov for his patriotism. In his memory, the locals minted a coin inscribed with the message: “Michael Weiss 1612. He did his duty to his homeland.” Michael Weiss Street keeps the memory of this local hero alive, serving as a promenade where history and modernity harmoniously blend.