Brasov's most important landmark, the Black Church, the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul, towers over Piata Sfatului and the old town. Originally dedicated to Virgin Marry the church was Roman-Catholic for more than a century and a half and later with the reformation sweeping across Europe it became a Lutheran one. Service is still held today for the small German community from Brasov on Sundays. The church is built of friable grit stones and andesite arranged in cubic shape. That's the reason why the statues placed on the exteriors couldn't survive the time and had to be replaced by new ones. The oldest statue still standing belongs to Saint Peter and it is to be seen on the Southern part of the church. The Black Church exhibits the heaviest mobile bell in Romania, murals in the Italian Renaissance style and an organ, with 4,000 pipes, 7 scales and 4 key boards. It was built in 1838-1839 by the organ creator Buchholz from Berlin and it ranks among the biggest organs in the South-Eastern Europe. It is the only organ of the Buchholz's firm which has preserved its original form. The organ recitals held here are very famous and many tourists attend them.
