Beautiful. Ceramic. Useful. Saschiz ceramics
Since ancient times, on Romanian territory natives have worked with soft clay they have modeled in every possible way. That’s why in any Romanian museum you’ll find clay statues, vessels, and household objects dating hundreds and thousands of years back! This craftsmanship has been transmitted from generation to generation. Moreover, in Sibiu, there is an event dedicated 100% to pottery, and it takes place (you guessed!) at the Astra Open Air Museum.
This event takes place every year in the middle of July, and this year it’s on July 19th to 23rd. The project has been going on for some years now, under the motto “Beautiful. Ceramic. Useful”, and the organizers define it as “A different kind of potter’s fair”.
This year, the main attraction is the pottery of Saschiz, a village in Transylvania with centuries of tradition in pottery. During three days, potters from Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria are competing both at the potter’s wheel and at cooking traditional recipes in clay vessels.
Another goal of this whole event, as the organizers have stated, is to seek a way to adapt production and ornamentation methods to international requirements, by gradually replacing lead varnishes with more eco-friendly glazes for household ceramics household, while at the same time keeping the character, typology, and style. Visitors of the Open Air Museum in Dumbrava Sibiu are invited to participate in demonstrations of pottery and cooking or buy beautiful, well-fired pots, in which the food retains its full natural taste.
What’s really interesting is that every visitor or curious can learn how to make a clay pot. You can mold the clay on the potter’s wheel, press clay in patterns, or decorate ceramic pots under the guidance of craftsmen.
The highlight? Culinary demonstrations are organized at the Country Fair in the Outdoor Museum, starting this Friday at 9:30 until Sunday. Potters and chefs will cook in earthen vessels on the open fireplace or in the oven, traditional Bulgarian recipes, Swäbische, Hungarian and Romanian as well: salted cheese Bulgarian pie (Banitsa), potato pudding (Patatnik),Swäbische Krumpir – Suppe mit Eier , sour or sweet cabbage meat rolls, goat soup, vegetables stew, Hungarian goulash, potato and Csabai sausage soup, and many more delish dishes. The Hungarians in Sibiu Association are also organizing a tasting of cabbage soup (Toros káposztaleves) and Palóc goulash (Palócgulyás) on Saturday an Sunday.
It’s another fun way to spend your summer days, and you should definetly give it a try. And since you’re in Sibiu, if you’re looking for scoops on where to go and what to eat, you can also check-out Travelscounter. We’ve got all the best restaurants, coffee-shops, pubs and clubs in Sibiu, and we’re giving you awesome discounts to use in all of them! Enjoy!
