Junii Brașovului — Coborârea în Cetate
≈20 km · 21 min by car
The day the people of Șchei ride down to the citadel
On Thomas Sunday, the first Sunday after Orthodox Easter, Brașov's historic Șchei district lives out one of the most spectacular urban folk festivals in Romania. Dozens of juni, young men and men in gala dress, mount adorned horses and set out from the Romanian neighborhood beneath Mount Tâmpa toward the old center of the city. It is a procession documented as far back as 1728, kept alive for centuries and halted only during the communist period, between 1948 and 1968.
The bands of juni and their attire
The festival is upheld by seven groups, each with its own rules, insignia and dress: the Young Juni and the Old Juni, alongside the Curcani, Dorobanți, Brașovecheni, Roșiori and Albiori. The costumes range from the white shirt and fur cap to gold braid, feathers and red trousers, and each band has its own leader (vătaf) and mace. Most groups represent the Șchei, while one belongs to the Old Brașov.
The descent into the Citadel and the mace
The groups set out from the wayside shrines and crosses of the district, gather in Unirii Square in Șchei, and then descend toward the citadel through the Șchei Gate, a gesture full of meaning: an affirmation of the Romanians' belonging to the city to which, for centuries, they had only restricted access. The climax takes place at Solomon's Stones (Pietrele lui Solomon), a natural amphitheater on the edge of the city, where the juni dance the hora and hurl the heavy mace toward the sky, catching it at a gallop. The old object, with roots reaching back to pagan spring rituals, took on after Christianization a symbolism linked to the Holy Trinity.
Between spring rite and Christian feast
Beyond the spectacle, the Juni bring together two layers: the ancient celebration of nature's revival and the triumph of light, over which the Paschal joy has settled, with the troparion of the Resurrection sung at every stop. It is at once a rite of passage for the community's young men and an occasion of pride for all of Brașov.
How to get there from Râșnov
Brașov lies about 15 kilometers from Râșnov, where MAX International is located, so the festival can easily be caught on a day trip. As it is an event held annually, depending on the date of Easter, check the schedule and route on the official source before your visit, since the times and locations may change from one year to the next.