Hosman / Holzmengen / Holczmány / Huulzmoindjen

Hosman boasts one of the most picturesque fortified churches of the Valea Hârtibaciului. When the weather is nice the majestic peaks of the Carpathian Mountains rise up in the background of the village. The basilica of the fortification dates back to the 13th century and has one of the most significant Roman western portals of Transylvania, decorated with winged mythical creatures, saints and allegorical figures. Around 1500 the church was fortified and received a massive defence tower as well as a ring wall with a total of six towers. Another special feature of the fortification is the portcullis dating from the 16th century that is still visible in its original state.

Băgaciu / Bogeschdorf / Szászbogács / Bogeschtref

Bagaciu is located in one of the side valleys of the Târnava Mica. The concise bell tower was probably constructed in the late 15th century. At its base you will find the western entrance decorated with a richly ornamented portal. Ornaments such as grapevines and vine leaves are proof of the fact that the region was formerly known for its vineyards and good wines. The fortified church is protected by a ring wall with a wall-walk, tower gat and three bastions. The church nave received an additional defence level for better vindication. Within the course of this renewal the original wooden vault was replaced by a stone vault. This is the reason why it is a few meters higher than the choir. A must see is the inside of the church in Bagaciu as it boasts one of the best preserved altars whose pillars are richly decorated with sculptures.

Hălchiu / Heldsdorf / Höltövény /Hälzdref

The key stone of buildings was often decorated with the coat of arms or initials of the constructor. At the southern entrance of the fortified church in Halchiu we see the village’s coat of arms showing a bearded man with a mace in his hand. According to a legend it is Hiltwin, the founder of the village. Halchiu was located in a militarily exposed region and regularly suffered under attacks. In 1421 the damage after a Turkisch attack was so severe, the villagers were remitted their taxes for duration of 10 years. In 1499 the fortified church was able to defend itself against six attacks but was taken due to a surprise attack shortly afterwards. One year later the village was burned down by the same troops. Only 11 years later it was burned down again and completely raided. Numerous attacks followed in the 17th and 18th century and fires and plagues infested the village.

Gârbova / Urwegen / Szászorbó / Urbijn

This delicate turret cap is colourfully decorated with angels. The pulpit cap is generally used to reflect the pastors word so his sermon can be heard in the entire church. Besides today’s parish church you will also find a noble’s castle and the ruins of a hill-top church from the 13th century enchantingly situated in the middle of the Lutheran cemetery. The walled keep is a remainder of the centrally-located noble’s castle, the former timber-frame buildings have disappeared and the village school and parish house (today a museum) were constructed in the 19th century. Archaeological excavations have furthermore revealed that the settlement was already inhabited around 1100 by Székelys. This Hungarian speaking population was deployed similarly to the German settlers as border guards.

Prejmer / Tartlau / Prázsmár / Tuerteln

The fortified church of Prejmer is one of the seven fortifications in Transylvania belonging to the UNESCO cultural world heritage. The massive fortification wall with its many cast holes and oriels shown on the picture protected the castle from more than fifty attacks. The form of the church itself is also very impressive. The ground plan has the form of a Greek cross. This form, inspired by Byzantine architecture, is rather unusual and was probably brought to Transylvania by the Teutonic Knights. The four-floor construction with living and storage chambers on the inner side of the wall-walk are unique for this fortification and offered space to up to 1600 villagers in times of siege.

Cisnădie / Heltau / Nagydisznód / Hielt

The church of Cisnadie was dedicated to the Holy Walburga. Her Name means “defensive castle” in the Norman language which makes her an ideal patron for a fortified church. The church was thoroughly fortified: with the beginning of the Ottoman attacks in the 15th century it was amplified and kennels were introduced, protected by a water ditch which could be crossed on two drawbridges. Defence Towers were built and the original wooden ceiling was replaced by a rib-vault. As this construction stabilized the church the Roman windows made way for larger windows. In 1425 Cisnadie received the first tower clock in Transylvania. Furthermore the statue of Mary and her son Jesus Christ is one of the most beautiful sculptural works of the region.

Sibiu / Hermannstadt / Nagyszeben / Härmeschtat

The altar on this picture was originally located in Roadeş. It shows the most significant late Gothic sculptures of Transylvania: John the Baptist and John the Evangelist. After the altar panels were stolen in the 90’s they were brought to the “Johanniskirche” (St. Johns Church) in Sibiu after their retrieval. For a long period of time Sibiu was the centre of political and religious life in Transylvania. The highest building is still the Lutheran parish church with its colourful roof and the 73-meter-high tower that can be seen from afar. To this day Sibiu is where the Evangelic Church of Augustan Confession in Romania has its headquarters and the office of the Fortified Churches Foundation can also be found here on the main square.

Sânpetru / Petersberg / Barcaszentpéter / Peterschbarch

Sânpetru and 12 other villages in the area of Braşov were founded by the Teutonic Order in the 13th century. The bell tower of the church collapsed twice and had to be rebuilt. On the picture you can see the chambers in the interior of the fortification where the villagers could retreat during times of siege. Besides heated living spaces there was also a so-called „bacon tower“ and fruit chambers so the population had sufficient supplies during longer times of siege. The medieval church of Sânpetru was taken down around 1800 and replaced by a new church. The courtyard can be accessed through the city hall which was constructed on the inner wall.

Biertan / Birthälm / Berethalom / Birthälm

Biertan is home to one of the largest fortified churches in Transylvania. Terraced hills surround the village and are proof of the once flourishing wine region. The church impresses through its broad choir vault but it also has more hidden treasures to be discovered: details such as the comical looking figurines on the consoles or the late Gothic door of the sacristy boasting an artistic lock with 13 bolts are further evidence of the important roll of the church. For almost 300 years Biertan was the seat of the Bishops whose gravestones are kept in one of the mausoleum towers shown on this picture. It is quite striking to see that the noses of the figures on the gravestones have been knocked off, allegedly due to one of the Turkish sieges.

Cristian (Sibiu) / Großau / Kereszténysziget / Gruusaa

Cristian was once the second largest community of the Sibiu Seat. The word “Seat” is used to describe the seven administrative regions of the Transylvanian Saxons which also lead to the German word for the entire region “Siebenbürgen”. After the number of Saxons declined rapidly in the 18th century due to wars and epidemics deported Protestants (so-called “Landler”) were brought to Cristian from Austria. The almost completely preserved defence system makes the fortified church very impressive. Around the church six towers and two walls with dungeons were constructed. It was only in the 20th century that the numerous living and storage chambers that served as a retreat for the villagers in case of an attack were taken down.

Dobârca / Dobring / Doborka / Dobrengk

A famous poem by the Saxon poet Adolf Meschendörfer begins by explaining how different time is perceived here in Transylvania. It was published in 1927 and demonstrates perfectly how Saxons felt about the “Transylvanian Soul” at the time. The text goes on to describe the evanescence and relentlessness of time passing by using suggestive pictures which can also find a level of meaning with regards to the fortified churches. Behind the cemetery gate of Dobârca the fortified church ruined through vandalism and decay is hidden. The preservation of the cultural heritage of the Transylvanian Saxons is therefore still a challenge for this region.

Roşia / Rothberg / Veresmart / Ruitbrich

The western façade is very modest and explains the period of construction of the church in Roşia: built in the early 13th century it was barely modified throughout the years and is therefore still visible in its mainly original state. The Counts of Roşia played an important role in the Middle Ages in Transylvania. They were royal judges and as representatives of a city or an administrative entity the held one of the most important offices being direct subordinates of the Hungarian King who was the ruler of the region at the time. Today Eginal Schlattner lives in the parish house of Roşia. He is not only theologian but also one of the most important contemporary authors of German-Romanian literature.

Sebeş / Mühlbach / Szászsebes / Melembåch

Sebeş is a perfect witness to the eventful history of the border region Transylvania. Founded by the Hungarian Szekely’s and later colonized by the Transylvanian Saxons a Romanesque church was built here in the 12th century. It was however destroyed by the so-called “Mongolian Storm” 1241/42 and rebuilt in Gothic style afterwards. Defence elements and a ring wall were added. In the 14th century Sebeş had a longer period of prosperity and was first referred to a as a city in sources of that time. With 19 guilds and 25 master workshops it belonged to the three most flourishing cities in Transylvania. This great development was however interrupted by the siege and plundering of the Ottomans in the middle of the 15th century. The entire population was enslaved and Sebeş was only able to recover to once again become an important manufacturing town in the 18th century.

Movile / Hundertbücheln / Szászhalom / Håinderbåcheln

The legend surrounding the name “Hunderbücheln” (meaning: hundred hills) is as lovely as the name itself. “Bücheln” is the regional word for the mysterious hills that fascinate everyone visiting the area. According to the legend a giant had a hole in his apron in which he was carrying sand. With every step he took, a small pile fell to the ground. He only noticed the weight getting lighter after having dropped one hundred piles: that is how the hundred hills came about. The fortified church itself is just as extraordinary. Two towers arise from both ends: one of them has a wooden defence platform; the other one has a double-story roof and rises above the choir of the church. It also served as a castle keep.

Agnita / Agnetheln / Szentágota / Ágotafalva

It is said that Saint Agnes has founded the town, many remarkable sites witnessing her protective power throughout centuries. The town preserved to this day one of the oldest and most important customs of the Transylvanian Saxons, the Parade of the Lolas. In order to chase the wintertime and the evil spirits away, the celebration is held annually in January or February. Scary dressed Lolas march through town in manacles noise with whips and tires and do all sorts of hoaxes. Besides the ragged black outfit, the main adornment of each Lola is the “larva”, a dreadful mask applied on wire mesh. Moreover Agnita was in the last century the main train station on the route of the so-called “Mocanita”, which linked the town of Sibiu with Sighisoara. The last part was closed in 2001 and many efforts are done since to establish seasonal tourist traffic with the historic carriages.

Boz / Bußd bei Mühlbach / Buzd / Buss

On the exterior of the fortified church in Boz the embrasures along the church nave are still very well visible. Also impressive are the delicate arched ceiling and the historic guild flags from the Middle Ages boasting the respective guild crests in the interior of the church. While there was still a community of over 200 Germans settlers in Boz around 1850, only six Saxons lived in the village at the turn of the century. This development is similar to other Saxon villages where almost all Transylvanian Saxons migrated or were ransomed by the German state after the Second World War. Therefore the future existence of the oldest German minority in Eastern Europe is in danger, making the preservation of their cultural heritage a difficult task.

Buneşti / Bodendorf / Szászbuda / Bodendref

Colourfully decorated galleries and bench seats are typical elements of many fortified churches. One of the most impressive examples is surely Buneşti where two galleries were constructed, one above the other. The order of seating was strictly specified according to gender, age or social status. The church is architecturally interesting due to its transitional style between Romance and Gothic. The original three-aisled basilica was soon reconstructed: the two side aisles were taken down and closed with masonry so that the round arched arcades on the exterior have become trademarks of this monument.

Viscri / Deutsch-Weißkirch / Szászfehéregyháza / Weisskirich

The name „Deutsch-Weißkirch“ (engl.: German-Whitechurch) dates back to the 12th century. In those time Szekely people were settled there for protection reasons. The built the first church and due to its whitewashed outer walls it was named the “alba ecclesia” (Latin for White Church”). The way the village is now structured is because of the following settlement of the Transylvanian Saxons. Their typically built houses with the aligning courtyards with the grand wooden gates and the lovely decorated facades have been preserved especially nicely here in Viscri. In the past few years the village has developed to become a model project thanks to various concepts and engaged people who are willing to preserve its historic structure. In 1999 Viscri was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Alma Vii / Almen / Szász-almád / Ålmen

This defence tower equipped with loopholes and a wooden wall-walk secures the fortified church of Alma Vii, charmingly situated on the top of a small hill. It was constructed in the late 15th century and lies between lovely orchards in the so-called “Kaltbachtal” (engl.: the valley of the cold creek). The church itself is tower-less, the choir rises above the nave and boasts loopholes and crenels. Since 2008 the fortified church is being restored and actively integrated into the every-day lives of the villagers. By doing so the hope and objective is to sustainably intensify the identification and sense of belonging of the inhabitants with regards to the natural and cultural heritage in their village.

Alţâna / Alzen / Alczina / Ålzen

The shingle-covered stairway leads to the fortified church. The entrance welcomes the visitor with the words “Weg zur Höhe” (engl: path leading upwards). Similar roofed stairways can for example also be found in Sighișoara leading to the Bergkirche (eng.: Hill Church). While the church in Alțâna was originally constructed in the 13th century it was expanded in late Gothic times and meanwhile an even younger Neogothic tower from the 19th century thrones over the ensemble. In the church one of the rare representations of the “Tree of Jesse” can be seen as a wall mural. Furthermore Alțâna is home to one of the few remaining Romanian village schools with a German department.