Transylvanian Built Heritage

By Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania & KAMA SYSTEM srl.

There are over 200 fortified churches in the 'Saxon' area of Transylvania. German and Flemish speakers from the Rhine and Moselle regions were invited to the area in the 12th century to protect the borders of Christendom from invaders from the east. 

The fortified churches of Transylvania are unique. Nine of them are UNESCO World Heritage SitesFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Transylvania Saxon Villages

The Saxons have been managing their cities, villages and landscape for nearly 1000 years, and still speak the original dialects in their villages. Truly a cultural treasure.

Saxon Village cross-section, Kim WilkieFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

These villages are all built following a strict plan that can be traced back to 12th century Moselle region. Our thanks to renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie for this image.

Viscri aerial view by Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri village

Nine Transilvanian villages with fortified churches were designated in 1993 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  One of the best known of these villages in Viscri, Deutschweisskirch, built around 1100. 

The road to Viscri (2006-06-04) by Amanda Patten/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

The road to Viscri

Saxon village landscape - ViscriFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri in its surrounding landscape.

Village horse and cart (2003-06-09) by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri street scene.

The streets are not asphalted, and the pace of life is wonderfully gentle.

Saxon village street - Viscri, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Viscri street scene, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Ladies in ViscriFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Ladies in Viscri: there is great strength in the community, with daily contact between all the houses.

ViscriFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri street scene

Cows coming home (2007-07-04) by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Cattle coming home for evening milking in Viscri

Cows return in evening, ViscriFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

The cows are grazed in a village herd, but returning in the evening, each cow knows its own home and waits by the gate.

The church at ViscriFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

 The White Church of Viscri (Alba Ecclesia)

The fortified church dates from 1100 when the Székelys (Hungarian tribe) built a small church. In 1185 the church was taken over by Saxon colonists, and the Székelys were forced to settle further north. The font was made from a capital of the 13th-century church. The church is surrounded by a cemetery with gravestones dating back to the "Bijelo Brdo culture".

Viscri fortified church by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Around 1185 the church was taken over by Saxon colonists. In the 14th century the eastern part of the church was rebuilt and in 1525, the first fortifications with towers were added. In the 18th century the church was surrounded by a second defense wall. A century later, two chambers in the defense corridor of the bastion were turned into school rooms.

Viscri village in its landscape, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Viscri church in its landscape

Viscri church from the fields by Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri church from the surrounding fields.

Viscri church interiorFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri church at Christmas

Viscri church interior, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Viscri church looking back from the altar

Viscri church interior, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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The 16-18th century painted wooden panels of the church are untouched since they were first created.

Viscri church interiorFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Flowers are a common subject for these naive decorations, reflecting the species found in the wildflower-rich fields near the churches.

Viscri church interiorFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Many of the paintings are dated ....

... this wooden bench is dated 1794, and after 222 years is still used by the villagers during Sunday services.

Viscri fortified church, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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The classic 19th-century altarpiece has as centrepiece "the Blessing of the Children" by the painter J. Paukratz from Rupea.

Viscri fortified church by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

A view of Viscri village from the church tower.

View of Viscri village fron the church towerFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Viscri fortified church, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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View of Crit village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

The village of Crit

The village of Crit was the site of one of the earliest recorded compulsory, community-paid education systems in Europe, in the 15th century.

Crit at haytime, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Haymaking Cloasterf (2010-10-04) by Fundatia ADEPT TransilvaniaFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Cloasterf

Cloasterf is a charming small village with a beautiful chapel: it was called Closdorf (cloister village) in German; its chapel was linked to the 13th century Cistercian monastery of Carta, one of the earliest Catholic monasteries established in Transylvania.

Apold village by Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Mesendorf village

Mesendorf is a well-preserved village near Viscri, situated in a spectacular isolated valley.

View of Mesendorf village, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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View of Mesendorf village, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Mesendorf street scene, Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Mesendorf church, Amanda Patten/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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The original 15th century church was demolished and replaced by a more modern church in the 18th century. Like nearby Cloasterf church, it came under the authority of the Cistercian monastery of Carta

Biertan village by Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Biertan village

Biertan is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Site villages of Transylvania

Biertan village, Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Apold village by Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Apold

Apold is another of the UNESCO-listed villages, with an important church recently restored

A Saxon village landscape, Apold, Transylvania, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Saschiz village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Saschiz

Another of the UNESCO-listed villages, Saschiz is also the base of Fundatia ADEPT Transylvania, which works to protect the landscape and communities of the area

Saschiz citadel, Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Saschiz is dominated by an impressive 15th century fortress.

Saschiz citadel, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Mountain biking, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Mountain-biking near Saschiz

Mountain biking, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Roades in its landscape by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Roades

Also near Viscri, Roades church and landscape setting are spectacular. The important 16th century altarpiece of Roades was stolen in 1990, recovered in Hungary months later, and is now housed in a secure museum in Sibiu.

Roades barn, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Farmhouse garden and barn, Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Roades village, Fundatia ADEPT, From the collection of: Fundatia ADEPT Transilvania
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Malancrav village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Malancrav village

The village of Malancrav is very isolated. Unlike most villages, Malancrav was owned by a Hungarian family, Apafy, who retained a catholic church in the village with frescoes15th century frescoes still intact. Most of the original Saxon population has remained after the great exodus of Saxons back to Germany in 1990, and so many of the community traditions continue today.

Malancrav village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Many houses have no running water, and rely on public wells.

Malancrav village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

The stream running through Malancrav is especially wide .....

Malancrav village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

.... in the days of carts with wooden wheels, on hot summer days the farmers would ride their carts into the steam to cool the metal hoops and keep them tight to the wooden wheels.

The streams are perfect habitat for ducks and geese: most villages keep them for meat and eggs.

Malancrav village by Bob Gibbons/Fundatia ADEPTFundatia ADEPT Transilvania

Credits: Story

Thank you to Bob Gibbons again for his wonderful photographs.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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