Fortified Church Cața / Katzendorf

Durles / Dârlos Die kleine turmlose Saalkirche aus dem 15. Jh. ist nahezu unverändert erhalten geblieben. Um 1500 wurde der Chor erneuert und die Decke über dem Saal stammt aus einer Umbauphase im 19. Jh. Von der einstigen Ringmauer sind keine Reste erhalten geblieben. Ihre Bedeutung erlangt die Kirche durch Baudetails und die Ausmalung: An dem dreifach gestaffelten Trichterportal in der Westfassade mit dem fein gearbeiteten Kämpfer sind noch Reste der Bemalung zu erkennen. In Stein gehauen finden sich im Chor an den Konsolen der Rippen figürliche Darstellungen. Maßwerke, Sakristeiportal, Sakramentsnische und Sedilien sind ebenso kunstvoll verziert. Im Chor werden zurzeit großflächige Malereien freigelegt, die neben einer Vorhangdekoration noch nicht näher bestimmte biblische Szenen zeigen. Auf den Außenwänden des Chores hat sich mit den Fragmenten von Fresken ein einmaliges Zeugnis erhalten. Die Darstellungen aus der Passion Christi ähneln den Malereien an moldauischen Klöstern aus der ersten Hälfte des 16. Jh. Ort und Umgebung Von besonderer Bedeutung ist der Name des Dorfes Durles. Es wird angenommen, dass Durles „Sehnsuchtsland“ bedeutet. Der Ortsname lässt sich aber auch aus dem sächsischen “duer los” ableiten, was mit “lass sie dort leben” übersetzt werden kann. Für beide Varianten gibt es eine gemeinsame geschichtliche Parallele: In der Dorfmonografie wird über den rumänischen Adligen Simion berichtet, der Durles im 14. Jh. mit solch fürsorglicher Hand regiert haben soll, dass viele Leibeigene aus der Umgebung hierher zogen. Demnach verschmelzen im Ortsnamen die zwei Herleitungen “Land, nach dem man sich sehnt” und “lass sie dort leben”.Das Kirchenbauwerk vereint Elemente verschiedener geschichtlicher Epochen: Die Kirche stammt zwar aus dem 15. Jh., sie enthält aber Spolien aus der Zeit des Römischen Reiches (ca. 2. Jh. n. Chr.). Bemerkenswert ist ein Relief an einem Strebepfeifer, das einen Büffelkopf mit Schlangenkörper darstellt. Man vermutet, dass dieser Pfeiler einst als Teil eines unterirdischen Tempels dem Gott Mithras gewidmet war. Der Mithraskult war eine Mysterienreligion nicht christlicher Römer. Keys are with: Mr. Alexandru Gabra phone: +40/756/551 324

Daneş / Dunesdorf The small tower-less late Gothic church in Daneş was built in 1506. The tower was much later erected in 1927, as well as its defence levels, probably as a sign of self-assertion towards the 1918 new Romanian state and as a symbol for the 800 years of Saxon history in Transylvania. From the original defence wall only a few remains on the south side and a gate tower with a small watchtower are still preserved. The inner furniture dates back to different time periods: the baptismal font and the pulpit are Baroque, the altar is from 1878 and the organ from 1920. The vault covering the church’s hall was built in 1868. Place and surroundings The village of Daneş, located few miles west from Sighişoara was documented for the first time mid-14th Century. The reports from the following years describe many difficulties and misery. Due to the great poverty of the place, between 1503 and 1507 a tax rebate was documented. Around 1507 the village burned down completely. Less than 50 years later, the unfortunate happening occurred again in 1555. At the beginning of the 17th Century the place got broke as result of civil wars and the number of the local farmers fell in just 15 years from 90 to 7. Because of the slow development of the village, tax exemption and other benefits were offered starting with 1656 to any colonist willing to settle here, but the success was only moderate. In 1658 the Ottoman troops attacked and destroyed the village once more. Only from 1665 colonists coming from Sighişoara were able to revive the place. Despite all the problems, the fortified church wrote its own history, as regular worship services are still regularly held today, as it has always been starting with the 16th Century. Parish Office Daneș phone: +40/265/773 804 Martin Türk-König

Drăuşeni / Draas The Romanesque basilica with buttresses, western tower and chancel with apse was finished in the mid-13th century, thus replacing the former 12th century church. In the fortification phase of 1494 defence levels were built on the tower, nave and chancel. The chancel’s walls were strengthened and heightened up to the nave’s eaves and the side aisles were demolished. In the same period an 8m high defence wall with 5 bastions was erected and it is still preserved today. The Romanesque western portal is decorated with some of the most valuable stone carvings in Transylvania. From the Romanesque construction time the twin blind-arcades, today functioning as windows, are still preserved as well as the walled up round clerestory windows. Ample restoration works have been carried out for several years now and have revealed frescoes on large areas. The valuable 1638 furniture was initially stored away because of the restoration works, but was later moved to a different church for safety reasons. Place and surroundings Centuries ago, inside the stone walls of the fortified church that bear the grey marks of passing time, one of the most important legends of Transylvania was born. This legend tells how the first Transylvanian Saxon settlers vowed eternal loyalty to the king, thrusting their swords into the sacred land and thus forming the sign of the cross. Back then they foretold that, as long as the two swords exists on Earth, their people would defend these territories. Yet, their people’s disappearance from Transylvania was predicted to happen along with the disappearance of the weapons. The swords were then sent to the most distant places of the kingdom, one of them reaching Orăştie, the other one going to Drăuşeni. Kept in the Evangelic church and honored throughout times as a symbol of courage and loyalty of the German people, but also as a testimony of their craftsmanship in creating weapons, the sword in Drăuşeni got finally lost in 1944 in the uproar of the war. Despite their disappearance in the darkness of battles, the two swords remained to this day on the coat of arms of the city of Sibiu: the precious symbol of an inestimable past. Keys are with: Frau Ella Kosa phone: +40/724/456 899

Dedrad / Deutsch-Zepling The old church of Dedrad was demolished in 1873, but had already been closed before because of the danger of collapse. Michael Seyfried designed the hall church with bell tower and sacristy, built between 1876 and 1884. Its construction had to be interrupted in the meantime due to lack of money. The master builder was Johann Müller from Reghin. The church is illuminated by four large windows on the north and south walls. Under the windows are galleries, the organ gallery in the west is on two wooden pillars. A pointed triumphal arch separates the choir from the nave. Bishop Georg Daniel Teutsch consecrated the church in 1884. The neo-Gothic altar with rich decoration shows Jesus walking on the sea in the central picture. The organ made by the Wegenstein company in 1928 was destroyed during the Second World War. Village It is estimated that a total of 43,000 church bells were confiscated in the German Reich and Austria-Hungary during World War I to meet the enormous demand for non-ferrous metals for shells and ammunition. Like many Saxon parishes, Dedrad lost two of its three bells in this way. In 1923, the municipal council decided to purchase two new bells to restore the triad. The company Schilling & Lattermann from Apolda in Thuringia was commissioned. On July 20, 1924, the people of Dedrad were able to ceremoniously receive their two new bells, one weighing 400 kg, the other 1,600 kg, at the Reghin train station. The ecclesiastical bulletins record: “Dedrad, the largest, the best disciplined and most efficient, but also the most Saxon of the congregations in the Reghin church district, is also the first to hear again the solemnly raising, for years silenced bell triad, also a result of their efficiency. For to raise 200,000 lei in such a short time, in addition to the known other burdens, as in Dedrad, that is an achievement and a good proof of the spirit that prevails there…” Keys are with: Mr. Johann Göttfert phone: +40/743/304 704

Ticușu Vechi / Deutsch-Tekes In 1494, the parish of Deutsch-Tekes received support for the construction of the church of eight guilders from the treasury of the Seven Chairs. On a small hill in the centre of the village, it was fortified with an eight-meter-high defensive wall until 1520. There are no remains of the 14th century medieval church that once stood here. During an earthquake in 1802, the church tower, the vault and the ring wall collapsed. After the repair of the church, the construction of a bell tower at the west end began. It has a pyramid roof with an onion-shaped top, above it a polygonal turret with point and knob. Between 1823 and 1827, the church was converted into a hall church in the late Baroque style. Parts of the circular wall were demolished in 1895 for school construction. The altar of the church dates from 1772 and was made by Johann Folbarth in Schäßburg. Johannes Baumgartner’s organ was originally intended for the church in Galt. A combined organ altar, the artistic highlight of the church, was created through reconstructions. Keys are with: Mr. Dietmar Faff phone: +40/744/402 181 Hotel: next to the parish house apartment with two rooms of two beds each and gallery kitchen, bathroom, satellite TV/radio 1 room with double bed TV, W-LAN Information and Booking: Lydia Zapf adress: Parish House, No. 206, 507232 Ticușu Vechi e-mail: lydiazapf@yahoo.de or eddiherb@yahoo.de phone: (0040-268) 285833 or (0040-742) 062849 or (0176) 96724388 or (0176) 96318760

Criţ / Deutsch-Kreuz The neo-classical hall church with chancel and western bell tower was built between 1810 and 1813, after the collapse of the initial construction, first mentioned in documents from 1270. But there is no information concerning the aspect of this former church. It is, though, supposed to have been represented in a drawing on one of the church’s pews, dated 1793. The interior hosts the altar with organ gallery, the pulpit and the font, which were made partially at the same time with the construction itself, but also in 1822. Only the ring wall and four defensive towers are still preserved from the 15th century fortification system, while the fifth tower collapsed in 1925 and was never rebuilt. On the southern side, next to the former kennel, only the ruins of the old Saxon school still exist today. Place and surroundings The fortified church in the village of Criţ, where more than 400 years ago the first village school law in Transylvania was enacted, lies on a hill in the middle of the place. In the past this location demanded a castle guardian who was a cobbler or at least a skilled craftsman. The steep ascent to the church is arduous and paved with round cobblestones. Many women, on their way to Sunday service, broke their footwear, which were heeled with horseshoes. A cobbler was therefore needed for urgent repairs before entering the church. The church and the mostly preserved historic village are surrounded by an idyllic hilly landscape, ideal for walks to neighboring villages and fortifications. Tourist accommodation is available in several lovely restored farmhouses. Activities EU-Project “18 Fortified Churches” Responsible: General Consistory of the Evangelical Church A. C. in Romania Costs: 270,000 EUR Time frame: 2010-2014 Keys are with: Mr. Dietmar Depner phone: +40/740/597 493 In Summer open daily Groups are kindly asked to make an appointment with Mr. Depner. Hotel: Meeting Center "Casa Kraus" Adresse: House No. 25 10 double rooms Restaurant, conference center for groups up to 50 persons bike tours, horseback riding, hiking, truffle hunting, city tours, fortified churches, castles, etc. German-speaking support on site Information and Booking: online e-mail: rezervari@casa-kraus.ro phone: (0040-743) 255553 Internet: www.casa-kraus.ro Casa Schmidt Adress: House No. 113 9 double rooms in 2 buildings large courtyard Information and Booking: as above Guesthouse Adress: House No. 217 1 double room, 1 singleroom bathroom, kitchen, terrace, backery and spacious courtyard Information and Booking: Mihai Eminescu Trust phone: (0040-724) 000350 e-mail: booking@experiencetransylvania.ro Internet: www.experiencetransylvania.ro

Daia / Denndorf The completion of the first hall church in Daia occurred in 1447 according to its mentioning on the keystone in the chancel. The church had no tower at the time, which was only added in the western part during the fortification works in the beginning of the 16th century. Later it was dismantled until it reached the height of the nave. In the same fortification phase, a defense level was built above the chancel and the church was surrounded by a ring wall, strengthened by two fortified buildings. The western one is nowadays a ruin, but the eastern one still preserves a good image of the typical storage construction equipped with defensive systems. In the 19th Century the defensive systems of the ensemble were dismantled step by step, but outside the fortification an impressive freestanding neo-classical campanile, considered to be one of the highest in the country was built between 1829 and 1834. The hall of the church was covered with a flat ceiling in 1884, but the chancel still preserves its late Gothic ripped vault. After the ensemble was closed for regular church service, only the galleries and the pews remained inside. Place and surroundings Only an unpaved gravel road that runs parallel for several kilometers with the river of Şaeş leads to Daia. The route passes through wide meadows, where shepherds and their typical chalets can be seen. Visible from far away is the bell tower, landmark of the village that was mentioned for the first time end of 13th Century. Historical documents from the 14th Century suggest that also another place called Daia Mică (small Daia) existed in the area. The development of Daia was typical Transylvanian. At the beginning of the 16th Century one counted 72 villagers, a mill and a school. In 1605 the inhabitants found protection in the fortified church from the attacks of the Székelys troops passing by. Later on, at the beginning of the 18th Century, the plague caused more than 200 victims. Today the remote location of the village, away from main streets and heavy traffic preserves the special charm of the place. Even the village of Saschiz that is located 10km away east from Daia and it was formerly in close contact with it can be reached only by foot, following the anfractuous paths through the meadows. Activities The fortified church of Daia and its bell tower were threatened to deteriorate until the Saxon Uwe Hann arrived in 2013 and decided to become active. He founded the Romanian association “Asociatia Sapte Brazi” which together with the older German Association “Bona Fide International e.V.” contractually took over the historic buildings from the Distric Consistory. They have the objective of protection this unique architectural ensemble, to make it accessible again and to use it for cultural purposes. Until now a few repairs on the roof and the floor of the bell tower were made and the restoration of the tower clock was financed. The Fortified Churches Foundation would like to support this initiative: we are consulting in questions of monument preservation, help bring interested people to the remote village and are always informing about the current situation. A short expertise has been made and we are positive about moving forward with the situation in Daia. Fortunately we were able to include the fortified church of Daia in a 2-year restoration project funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), supporting the preservation of cultural sites and historic monuments. The implementation of the project began in 2017. Roof Maintenance Program Responsible: The Coordination Office for Fortified Churches Costs: 1.200 Euro Time frame: autumn 2007 Description: Re-roofing the Southern nave of the church, tile additions to all the roof surfaces, including the neighboring bell-tower. Our partners Asociatia Sapte Brazi and Bona Fide International e.V. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation Keys are with: Mr. Uwe Hann former parish house phone: +40/722/551746 e-mail: office@bona-fide-ev.de

Maieruș / Nussbach In the 14th and 15th century, the people of Maieruș built a Gothic hall church with an adjacent bell tower. When the tower was raised to twelve meters in 1475, they walled up its arcades. Also still in the 15th century, they built a six to eight meter high defensive wall. Today only remains of it can be seen, because it was largely demolished at the end of the 19th century for the purpose of building a school. In 1573 the church was destroyed by fire and only repaired in a makeshift manner. Between 1791 and 1793 the old choir was torn down and the hall, which was given a flat ceiling, was extended to the east. The latter was given a plaster ceiling with simple stucco ornamentation in 1900. In addition, wooden galleries were added to the north and west walls during the renovation work from 1791 to 1793, which was equivalent to a new building. The bell tower was raised one last time in 1842. Keys are with: Mr. Georg Foof phone: +40/726/790 910

Nemșa / Nimesch In the late 14th century, the people of Nemșa built a Gothic hall church with a nave and choir in the west of the community. According to a record, at the beginning of the 19th century it was still written on the old parish pew that the church was consecrated on the last Sunday in Advent of the year 1400. In 1733, the vaults in the nave, supported by two pillars, were removed; at the end of the century, the nave was vaulted again. The pilasters on the sidewalls carry strap arches that support the sail vault with lunettes. Major repairs to the church were last carried out in 1954. In 1920, six rectangular areas with frescoes were uncovered in the choir; the Gothic minuscule indicates that the church was built in the 15th century. The six pictures depict Saints Catherine and Dorothea, Paul and Peter, as well as Jesus’ capture and Jesus as Man of Sorrows. The Renaissance altar was created around 1520. The organ purchased in 1745 was sold to the parish of Zlagna in 1883. In the same year a small organ was made by Wilhelm Hörbiger from Sibiu. The large bell from the 15th century bears the inscription “O rex gloriae veni cum pace” – “O, King of glory, bring peace! Keys are with: Mrs. Katharina Gärtner phone: +40/269/257 740