Sibiu’s Enigmatic Roof Eyes, a Look Into the Past or Ghosts Watching Us

Legends are born from half-whispered truths and Sibiu’s enigmatic roof windows, like half-open eyes, made me wonder if they can provide a look into the past or if they hide ghosts, watching us.

Sibiu, nestled in the heart of Transylvania, has always been a historical treasure trove.
Cries of Mongol invasions can still be heard late at night.
Curses hissed in the wind by women wrongfully accused of witchcraft.
Cunning murderers’ hurried footsteps echo across its cobbled squares.

If you know what to pay attention to.

Daylight always made me feel safe.
So I explored Sibiu’s charming cobblestone streets and centuries-old architecture. Its hypnotic tapestry of archways, secret passages, and weathered old doors, all set against a striking backdrop of red slanted roofs. These elements combine to form a picturesque and timeless urban landscape. I imagined myself rewinding time.
Which streets were still meandering back then?
How tall the buildings?

When you look up, you can’t unsee what you’ve seen. You can’t get the eerie roofs out of your head.
Sibiu’s captivating roof windows are its most distinctive feature.
These fascinating structures, known locally as “lucarne” or “roof eyes,” provide a unique perspective on history. But also allow history and its ghosts to keep an eye on us.

Have you ever felt like you’re not alone when strolling through an old city? Have you ever felt as if someone’s watchful eye was burning into the back of your neck? You turn around, but there is no one there.

Only closed doors and paneled windows were present. as well as the eyes on the roofs.

On a Cool Autumn Evening, Mist Shrouded Sibiu’s Enigmatic Alleys…

On that chilly autumn evening, I couldn’t resist the magnetic pull of Sibiu. It was as if the mist itself was conspiring to entice me into the city’s labyrinthine alleys, where the city’s secrets were hidden in plain sight.

The city’s lucarne glistened, against all odds, their blinking hinting at the profound mysteries hidden within. They beckoned, their allure daring me to solve their enigmatic puzzles. A hushed warning lingered in the air, a subtle reminder to tread carefully.

My breath transformed into ethereal tendrils that mingled with the frigid air with each step I took. The oppressive sensation of being watched grew stronger. Nonetheless, my insatiable curiosity drove me deeper into the intricate streets.

The roof-eyes above underwent a remarkable transformation. They had evolved from mere architectural features into sentient beings, their unblinking gaze tracking my every move with eerie precision.

I tried to convince myself that it was just a figment of my imagination, a result of the city’s illustrious history and the whimsical dance of light. But then I heard it: a faint whisper echoing through the narrow corridors. It was an enigmatic and incomprehensible ancient, mournful language.
My heartbeat quickened, my breath came out in hurried gasps, and a sense of dread overcame me. I strained to find the source of that haunting voice among the faint hum in my ears. As I scanned the rooftops, my fists clenched and my gloves stuck to my clammy palms.

Strolling through gorgeous #Sibiu, Europe’s Cultural Capital found in #Transylvania, one can only feel… safe with all the roofs keeping an #eye on you.

Named “lucarne” in Romanian.

1/2#WyrdWednesday #Im4Ro #architecture #medieval pic.twitter.com/kD8FagVIjc

— 💙💛Patricia Furstenberg, Author (@PatFurstenberg) July 6, 2022

All I saw were those unwavering eyes, their unwavering gaze.
Measuring my very soul.
I felt like I was on trial.
Condemned without my knowledge.

Desperation welled up in me. I hurried my steps, longing for open space, a bustling crowd to break up the oppressive solitude.

I came across a shadowy figure beneath a flickering streetlamp as I turned a corner.

Finally, a human being.

It turned, and its eyes, like the roof-eyes, bore into the core of my being.

Words deserted me as the figure approached. Its face was shrouded in obscurity in the dim twilight. Its footsteps echoed menacingly. A skeletal hand grazed my shoulder, its skin like ancient parchment and long, jagged nails sending shivers down my spine.

The figure then vanished into the shadows as quickly as it had appeared, leaving me in the eerie silence of Sibiu’s ancient streets.
The vigilant eyes above kept vigil, their secrets guarded by the city’s timeless specters.

‘Be careful what you wish for.’

I fled the mysterious city, my gaze fixed on the rooftops, the memory of that terrifying encounter etched deep within me.

History presented an unsettling enigma, with past and present intertwined in an inextricable tapestry. Guardians of ancient and unfathomable knowledge, the eyes of spectral observers lingered, sometimes from the rooftops, silently judging us as we attempted to decipher their mysteries.

Sibiu’s roof eyes visit Thursday Doors

You may have noticed the occasional whimsical door underneath Sibiu’s roof eyes, “lucarne”. For more enticing doors from around the world I invite you to visit Thursday Doors weekly feature hosted on Dan Antion’s blog. Who knows, you might want to open a few of them and discover other amazing bloggers. 🙂

If you’re as captivated by Sibiu’s history and legends as I am, I invite you to delve even deeper. In my latest book, “Dreamland,” you’ll uncover a treasure trove of stories that intertwine with the Transylvania’s past: