The Evangelical Fortified Church in Viscri

„The Cats’ Village” (Katzendorf) appears relatively late in written documents (around 1400), but the aspect of its church testifies immediately to an origin over a century before. The edifice is among those well preserving the basilical structure of the nave (end of the thirteenth century), with semicircular arches and tower on the western facade. One can still see today the twin towers of the main nave, located above the side naves. Unhappy about the choir, anyway too long in comparison to the naves, the villagers extended it in the fifteenth century, provided with polygonal ending and only furbished its vault. Some of the old decorations were on the western facade and can still be seen there today, making viewers wonder how such elements ended up there and what might their meaning be. The bell tower is the result of late restoration and building works (from the nineteenth century), when the strange sacristy was also added to the southern side of the choir. Unlike other churches, when the defense buildings in Caţa had to be consolidated, they did not affect the church, only its surroundings. The result was a prolonged polygonal curtain wall, provided with four rectangular towers placed on the outside. Two of them are located on the north; one of the southern towers was demolished during the nineteenth century, while the gate tower, on the west, seems to have been only built along the second, outer curtain. The latter might have been built sometime after 1550, as indicated by the constructive family of the south-eastern tower, with the corner along its axis. Another tower, on the northern side, was also demolished. It is significant that despite other complexes, the outer curtain in Caţa proved to be high and long lasting. Contact: Mrs. Markus Anna, phone: 0040268248564, address: Cața, no. 282 Text and photo source: http://www.rupeaturistica.ro/

The center of the settlement was organized around the architectural complex of the Evangelical church. Its history already started in the thirteenth century. The original building was a three-nave basilica, as indicated by the central nave, the only standing today, after severe transformations. The new polygonal altar is certainly of Gothic origin. Two inscriptions from the first half of the seventeenth/sixteenth century indicate the building schools employed. One does not know if the altar was soon changed when the decision was made to turn the church in a real fortification block. Anyway, almost none of the medieval jewels are well preserved. The sacristy, for certain, still holds its old medieval dowry. Though the church was renovated around 1621-1623, it burned down during the Turkish-Tatar invasion of 1858. The furniture, including stalls and tribunes, is dated by inscriptions to 1788. The present-day bell tower was only built around the middle of the nineteenth century. The precinct around the church was designed according to a principle of classical simplicity, as a rectangle with corner towers. Among them, the only fully preserved tower is located on the south-eastern corner and there are traces of the tower once standing on the opposite corner. The towers were built by cutting the curtain’s corners. Almost the entire western half of the old church fortification was demolished or partially included in other buildings during the erection of a parish house and of a confessional school. The aspect of the corner building, with stepped buttresses, does not fit the characteristics of a very new construction. The access gate was located in the same sector. The present-day gate, well strengthened with iron bars, dates back to the seventeenth century. The preserved sectors, rising no higher than 6-7 meters from the ground, still include two rows of loop holes that one could reach by wall walks built on several levels one on top of the other. The upper ones project well to the exterior/ provide appropriate firing positions indicating that the walls were super-elevated during a late building stage. A second curtain, with only one side still visible today, was built according to a triangular ground plan, annexed to the southern side. Its access ways were also located in the sector where the new buildings now stand. Text and photo source: http://www.rupeaturistica.ro/

Late Romanesque church later fortified. A tower, probably incorrectly labeled as a keep, was built over the ancient choir. As long as both chronology and owner remain unknown, one can hardly accept the tower’s function as keep without precaution. Its military role becomes more evident when compared to the ancient bell tower that is shorter and incorporated in the church’s building on the west. Unlike the bell-tower, the one erected over the altar is much more impressive (11 meter-long sides and 3 meter-thick base). Presently, the latter extends over 8 levels and that fits a fifteen-century building. It was accessed through a spiral staircase that one could enter on the southern side. Above the church’s choir vault, the access continued with wooden annexes. The firing gallery and pyramidal roof underwent several rebuilding stages. Two curtain walls are grouped around the church. The one closest to the church follows a pentagonal polygon shape in ground plan, consisting of a rectangle whose upper side was bent almost in the middle. Traces of the wooden firing gallery are visible on all sides, with severe degradations at the level of its stairs and floors. A 1788 written source mentions their rebuilding. Each major corner of the ideal rectangular curtain was provided with a tower. All these towers seem to have been located on the corners. The tower on the north-eastern corner has lost all its sides (1899) except the one connecting it to the curtain wall. The south-eastern and south-western towers were rectangular in ground plan and covered with shade roofs. The only tower that is more elaborated is that on the north-western corner. It is pentagonal in ground plan, with the edge corresponding to the curtain’s angle, and has a shingle roof. The only attested (re?)construction year (1657) is also connected to this tower. The outer curtain wall, today incomplete for several reasons, including the erection of the school building over part of its eastern and northern sides, seems to have lacked flanking elements. As in the case of other monuments, one must interpret it as having functioned as protecting precinct for the community’s animal husbandry in case of siege. A well functioned there as well. One knows that the monument underwent sieges and fires during the military events of 1623, 1658, and 1663. Contact: Fam. Marton, phone 0040268286609 Text and photo source: http://www.rupeaturistica.ro/

On the settlement founded in the 13th century by the Teutonic Order, the 15th century Gothic basilica evolved by altering the preceding Romanesque church. Later on it was fortified and surrounded by a curtain wall with five defence towers, an outer bailey, a moat, and the tower of the church was provided with arrow loops. After battle damages, the church was re-built in its original shape in 1658, but the vaults of the nave were added later in 1775. Remaining details of the Gothic period, besides the plan composition of the ground floor, are the Gothic cross rib vault of the chancel and the domical vault of the apse as well as the trefoil tracery windows. In the reconstruction phase the distinctive roof of the tower in form of a truncated pyramid with an open level for the bells was built. The interior setting was created during the 18th and 19th century. Unique in Transylvania is the 1902 colourful floral and ornamental painting covering all walls and vaults. Contact: The keys are with Mr. Ioan Matei, phone: 0040746403310, address: Ghimbav, Morii Str., no. 170. Text and photo sources: http://kirchenburgen.org/; http://www.ghimbav-turism.ro/

The church in Cristian with its double ring wall and the eight well preserved defence towers represents one of the most impressive examples of medieval military architecture. The bell tower is the only remainder of the former Gothic basilica, which was entirely demolished in 1839 and replaced by today’s neoclassical hall church. A pointed spire and four corner turrets were built on the tower in 1803. Its portal and the rose window originate from an earlier construction phase. Pairs of pillars that support the domical vaults segment the church’s interior. The altar and the pulpit were built at the same time as the church. The assembly is still surrounded by a double defence wall, which was constructed, enlarged and endowed with nine defence towers across more than three centuries. Only eight towers still stand today. Contact: Mr. Erhard Porr phone: 0040268257191 Text and photo source: http://kirchenburgen.org/

Only the triumphal arch is preserved from the 13th century Romanesque basilica. A vault carried on stone ribs, which end on consoles decorated with face-masks, covers the late Gothic chancel that was built two centuries later. After the church was destroyed by the troops of Gabriel Báthory, the community needed more than 50 years until it started rebuilding in 1665. The vault of the chancel and the paneled ceiling of the nave were built in that time. More than a century later the bell tower was erected and in the same time the wooden galleries inside the church. On the baptismal font from 1741 two inscriptions in German and in Latin can be read. They are also mentioned in a church book dating back to the 18th century. A portcullis and a machicolation secured the entrance of the 14th/15th century curtain wall. The view of the main entrance is blocked by the town hall today. Inside the fortification several good preserved granaries can be visited. An interesting visit can be the one of the Evangelic cemetery located behind the church. The tombs sheltered on the perimeter under a common roof and the stories about those resting there are worth paying a visit. Contact: The keys are at the Parish Office Vulcan. phone: 0040268256477 or Uwe Seidner phone: 0040745108974 e-mail: pfarramt@kg-wolkendorf.ro Text and photo source: http://kirchenburgen.org/

Between Codlea and Feldioara lies Hălchiu – in the year 1377 the village was first mentioned in a royal privilege. A special feature is the altar of the fortified church: the choir of the Gothic hall church is rich in colour and unusually large, but its oldest structural elements date back to the 13th century. The double-winged altar is 8.1 m high and 7.7 m wide. The predella shows the visitor five figures, namely Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Peter and Paul. The figures trace the path to the divine redemption of mankind to the former parish priest Johannes Reichart. With the proclamation of the Gospel by Peter and Paul, this path is complete. Above the predella is the central shrine; the altar has two fixed wings and two movable wings painted on both sides, mainly in red, green and gold. When the altar is open, four saints appear to the observer: each picture is also a story. The depictions with the saints show the martyrdom of the apostles Andrew and Peter and the execution of James. In a fourth picture, Saint Andrew saves a bishop from temptation by the devil. The middle of the holiday side of the altar is decorated with a Christ figure flanked on the left and right by the four evangelists. Text and photo source: http://kirchenburgen.org/

The fortified church in Bod went through difficult times, strongly affected by fire and earthquakes. The Romanesque basilica with a bell tower built in the 13th century was partially destroyed by fire only two centuries later. Starting with the late 18th century, the events precipitated: the bell tower collapsed only to be rebuilt nine years later. But after three years the church was massively destroyed by an earthquake, together with its fortification wall. The polygonal wall with outer bailey and defence towers was almost completely dismantled after this episode. Today in Bod one can admire the church built in 1806, whose tower damaged by the earthquake in 1977 was subsequently stabilized. The interior of the church houses the altar from 1869, which forms a whole together with the organ built in 1816. Original bells, dating back to Catholic times were destroyed when the tower collapsed. One bell that escaped the damages of war and further two bells made of bronze in 1922 accompany the Sunday service today. Contact: Mrs. Emilia Schuster; phone: 0040268283172; address: Hărmanului Str., no. 276 Text and photo source: http://kirchenburgen.org/

The church in Sânpetru was built in 1794, replacing a medieval basilica from the 14th century, which was demolished after its tower had collapsed twice. The new church was unusually provided with a western chancel and a tower was built in 1817. The interior was endowed in neoclassical style, from organ and scarcely decorated pillars to the column-altar in the chancel. Only ruins are still preserved from the exterior and second curtain wall. But the first fortification wall stands complete even today, preserving its five towers and the two level rooms built on its interior. On the southern side of the assembly the old school and the old town hall were erected. The 13th century pre-reformation chapel was fortified in the 15th century by addition of two levels. Valuable mural paintings from 1400 decorate the chapel’s walls. Contact: Parish Office Sânpetru, phone: 0040268360550 fortress, phone: 0040268250778, e-mail: petersberg@evang.ro, Internet: www.petersberg.sitew.org Opening times: Tuesday - Saturday 11:00-17:00h Sunday from 12:00h Monday closed Church service every Sunday at 11:00h Text and photo source: http://kirchenburgen.org/