Fortified Church Veseuș / Michelsdorf an der Kokel

Homorod / Hamruden One of the mightiest defence towers in Transylvania features eight levels and is constructed above the initial chancel of the Romanesque basilica built in Homorod during the 13th century. The tower itself was built in 1550 in the church’s fortification phase, when the chancel was detached from the nave and the smaller western tower continuing the side aisle was flanked by two side constructions. Two defence walls protected the assembly: while the outer exterior had no towers, but an outer bailey, four corner towers strengthened the inner wall. In 1784, under the pressure of a constantly growing community, the church had to be enlarged by building a chancel on the southern side. After the fire in 1792 the church received its valuable late Baroque furniture, the painted flat ceiling, the ornamented galleries and a richly decorated organ altar. The mural painting fragments which are preserved in the chancel present depictions dating back to different eras, varying from 1270 to the late Middle Ages. Place and surroundings The village of Homorod is famous for its mineral water springs and spas. In the old days gone by, there was a story of a marvelous spring, which was said to have been touched by magic. Providence had offered that water to the poor people, who could use it, as the story goes, instead of milk, yeast and salt. Nowadays, if this magic water is kneaded with flour, the dough increases its volume three or even four times. Less mysterious, thus very impressive are the valuable frescoes inside the church, considered to be the oldest in Transylvania. The mural painting is to be found on the walls of the former chancel and it was never varnished, due to the fact that this room has been separated from the church during the fortification phase and a new chancel has been built. The frescoes fragments have been created in three different phases, the late Gothic ones being considered the most valuable. The keys are with: Family Marton phone: +40/268/286 609

Today the church still exhibits the basic characteristics of the three-aisle Romanesque basilica that originally had a six-level western tower. The ensemble was surrounded by a ring wall, which was fortified starting in 1430, when the Ottoman attacks occurred. A second fortification wall was built, as well as several defence towers and a moat. The church itself was also strengthened: defence towers were built above the chancel and its apse and above the two side entrances. The western Romanesque portal is ornamented with typical interlace. The spire roof with corner towers was built as early as 1591. Especially valuable are the altars from other village churches, which are displayed inside. These were brought to Cisnădie for safety reasons. Place and surroundings The legend of the fortified church of Cisnădie tells us that a great treasure was once hidden inside. After numerous Ottoman attacks in the 15th Century the village community built a secret chamber within the castle walls. Access was secured with a massive oak door, which could only be opened by pressing a hidden spring. From the outside, the entrance was camouflaged so well that only few insiders could find it. Not even the priests knew about it. Over the centuries, the knowledge of this hidden entrance got lost. At the beginning of the 20th Century it was rediscovered and can be visited today.In addition, not secretly hidden, but visible from far away visitors can spot the first clock tower in Transylvania, which is operated since 1425, and the first lightning rod in Transylvania dating back to 1795.The bell ringer of Cisnădie provides expert guided tours of the fortification and the church affiliated museum and has many more stories and legends to share. Church Services and Events In the church of Cisnădie there is a church service every Sunday at 10 o’clock. During the summer months all visitors are invited to a carefree get-together after the service where coffee and cake are usually served. Furthermore there are many events to celebrate the Christian holidays within the walls of the fortification. They are all organized by the very active congregation of Cisnădie. Further information can be obtained on the website of the Parish. Contact: The keys are at the Parish Office Cisnădie, phone: +40/269/564597, address: Cisnădie, str. Cetăţii, nr. 1, Internet: www.ekh.ro. Opening times: Monday - Saturday 10:00-13:00h and 14:00-18:00h, Sunday 11:00-13:00h and 14:00-18:00h, and on demand. Accomodation: Guest rooms in the parish house: 12 beds, contact: Parish Office Cisnădie, phone: +40/269/564597, Internet: www.ekh.ro. Guest rooms in the rest home Elimheim Cisnădioara: 20 beds in 10 rooms, contact person: Mrs. Marianne Banciu, phone: +40/729/109586, address: Cisnădioara, nr. 281, e-mail: elimheim@yahoo.com.

The three-aisles Romanesque basilica, already strengthened by a defence wall, was equipped with a bell tower on the western side in 1290. At the beginning of the 15th century, both the tower and the nave were adapted to the Gothic style and a second ring wall was erected. The first defence wall was heightened up to 12 m and strengthened by seven defensive towers and an outer bailey. A third wall, which did not survive to this today, surrounded the moat that was filled up in 1814. A parapet walk was built on the inside of the first defence wall, which is partially preserved today. Remarkable are the granaries and the rooms attached to the southern side of the church. The western tower, the tallest in Ţara Bârsei, was provided with a new spire in 1794. The inner furniture mostly dates back from the 18th century. A pre-reformation chapel in the eastern tower is richly decorated with outstanding frescoes depicting the Last Judgement and the Punishment of Sinners among others . The valuable mural painting requires restoration work. Place and surroundings How did life in late Middle Ages look like in a besieged fortified church? In Hărman one can get a feeling for it even today, due to the numerous components restored. The fortified church was repeatedly besieged and attacked especially in the 16th and 17th Century, but it was never taken. In January 1612 the villagers even succeeded to defend the castle against a strong 7,000 men army of the Hungarian prince Bathori. At that time the ensemble comprised three surrounding walls, a moat and many defense towers. The entire third fortification wall included storage space on the inside. Water supplies were provided by wells located within the fortifications. Living units were part of the church, which in case of a siege could provide accommodation for the mayor, the pastor and other key community representatives.Until today very well preserved remains can be visited, e.g. the powerful inner wall, the defense towers, and living as well as storage rooms in the precincts of the fortification. Contact: Dan Ioan Ilica-Popescu phone: +40/729/745 210 Opening times: in the summer: Monday-Saturday 9-18h, Sunday 10-18h in the winter: daily from 10-16h (it is possible that visiting is not allowed during certain events) Hotel: Parish House 4 guest rooms with 11 beds communal kitchen, bathrooms, washing machine, large terrace Preacher's House 4 guest rooms bathroom, spacious kitchen-living room, washing machine orchard with campsite with 8 pitches 5 wet cells, electricity and water, WiFi, washing machine, dishwasher, emptying possibility for chem. Toilets Information and Booking: Dan Ilica-Popescu adress: Str. Pieţii 2 – Kirchenburg phone: (0040-723) 608646 Internet: https://eng.harmaninfo.com/camping

The Câlnic castle was built around 1270 and equipped with a residential tower, defence wall and a water ditch featuring a drawbridge. After the castle was taken over by the Saxon community, it was expanded through the construction of a second defence wall and a southern tower. For a better defence against sieges, granaries and several rooms were attached to the fortification wall, however they did not last to the present day. The fortress was provided with a small single-nave church featuring a semicircular apse towards the end of the 15th century. During the construction of the second defence wall, the water ditch was covered up and the drawbridge replaced with a gatehouse featuring a portcullis. Today, an association of the University of Cluj administrates the facility. Place and surroundings In Câlnic one of the last noble’s castles in Transylvania is preserved. Because of its exceptional meaning and value, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.In the 13th Century Count Chyle marked his residence in the village of Câlnic by building a tower.Due to frequent attacks from the Ottoman territories the tower was upgraded with a defensive platform and surrounded by a huge defense wall.The relationship between the Chyl family and the predominantly Saxon villagers was never the best. Therefore in 1430 the last Count relocated and sold the residential castle to the villagers. They used the ensemble as a refuge in case of Ottoman attacks and constructed additional defense equipment and storage areas. In 1658 Turkish troops attacked the village and destroyed it. The castle, however, remained untaken. Inside the tower there is a museum today, which offers the opportunity to have a look on the life and local traditions of Transylvanian Saxons. Visiting: Opening hours: in the summer daily 09.00–19.00h, in the winter daily 10.00–17.00h. The castle includes a museum and a shop. The evangelic church directly beside the castle can also be visited on demand. phone: +40/258/747220 email: marpoacd@yahoo.com Accomodation: In the castle and in the evangelic parish house, phone: +40/258/747220 e-mail: marpoacd@yahoo.com.

The church, which still preserves many parts of the former Romanesque basilica, was built during the 13th century and fortified in Gothic style in the 15th century. In the same time the Romanesque chancel was heightened by adding a defence level, a lierne vault was built above the nave and a ribbed vault in the chancel. During its fortification phase the side aisles of the western tower were replaced by turrets, which were demolished later on. Its defence level was also replaced in 1854 by the current spire. The interior is decorated with lively colored galleries. The painted pews in the aisles were brought here for security reasons from the church in Drăuşeni. Almost nothing remained from the defence wall that was once surrounding the assembly. Place and surroundings Şura Mare is counted as one of the oldest villages around Sibiu. Located in the so-called „Old Land“ and founded between 1142 and 1162, it has a similar respectable age as the town of Sibiu. The many centuries imprinted on the houses and on the fortified church are not the only aspect that this village can be proud of. It is also the place where great personalities that shaped the history of Transylvania and of Romania were born or exerted their professions. Friedrich Teutsch was a priest in the village between 1896 and 1903, three years later being appointed bishop of the Evangelic Church of Romania. Johann Haupt, the son of a poor peasant from Cincu, through his diligence and skill, manages to be promoted to the highest position in the administration of the Saxon: first a judge of the Court of Sibiu (administrative unit of Medieval Transylvania), then mayor for seven years in Șura Mare and finally a royal magistrate (chief administrator of the Saxon county). The keys are with  Mr. Hans Roth, phone: +40/757/587 775 address: Șura Mare, nr. 256

The 13th century late Romanesque pillar basilica was early prepared for battle by demolition of the side naves and fortification of the central nave and the tower by adding defence levels. The chancel was heightened in 1500 by adding a defence level with machicolations. The 1847 added tower marks the present image of the church. The interior impresses with its tall and narrow proportions, underlined by the two-story balcony on the northern side, erected between 1680 and 1775. The railings were painted by the Roessler family, grandfather and grandson. The fortification wall, originating in the 14th century was strengthen by four towers and had grain storage rooms on the inside. Place and surroundings In the hymn “Transylvania, sweet home” the verse “Transylvania, seabed of a flood long gone, a sea of grain now rests on the breast of heaven” is telling the story of the sea which once covered the region in Mesozoic times. The fortified church of Buneşti was built with marine sedimentary rocks as one can see from the fossils in the masonry. Residential houses of the same period were built with timber. When the village was under attack, the inhabitants took refuge from the looters and arsonists inside the fireproof fortifications. In times of war the massive tower was also serving as a retreat for the priest. The walls are still decorated with words of solace, bearing witness to those terrible times. Priest Johannes Nösner wrote these faithful words while hiding in the room: “Hör! Hast Vor eIne gVte SaCh, aber`s geht Von statt geMaCh, fahre getrost fort, nICht Verzag, es fäLLt keIn aLt EICh aVff eInn SChlag“ (Listen! You are on the right path, if the going is slow do not despair, no old oak is felled with one stroke). The highlighted letters in the original text are roman numbers, which add up to the year 1680. Activities EU-Project “18 Fortified Churches” Responsible: General Consistory of the Evanghelic Church A. C. in Romania Costs: 510,000 EUR Time frame: 2010-2014 Contact: The keys are with the Wagner family phone: +40/268/248702 and Mrs Ella Wagner tel.: +40/727/344 718 address: Bunești, house nr. 14

In the middle of the village, on a slight hill, a hall church without a tower was built in the second half of the 15th century. At the beginning of the 16th century, the church was fortified and given a wooden fortified storey. At the same time a slender Gothic bell tower was built on the west side and a sacristy was added to the northern wall of the choir. The wall was fortified until 1677 with a hexagonal tower and three simple towers. The triumphal arch collapsed in 1702 as a result of an earthquake. In the second half of the 18th century the wooden galleries were built in to the west, north and south. Her rural paintings show a naive-religious world of imagination with a multitude of allegories and symbols. In 1822 the church hall received its present vaults, which are decorated with classical ornaments. In the second half of the 19th century two of the simple towers as well as the weir floor and the west tower were demolished. Today’s bell tower was built in 1892, the southwest tower and part of the wall were demolished in 1900 and a school was built in its place. The eastern part of the ring wall collapsed in 1909. The hexagonal tower to the northwest and the southeast tower next to the former vicarage have survived. The pre-Reformation Gothic winged altar has been standing in The Hill Church (Biserica din Deal) in Sighișoara since 2005. Contact The keys are with Mr Wilhelm Roth Tel.: +40/767/738 175 Beia nr. 98

Even though the fortified church in Roşia still bears the marks of the past, it also keeps several elements of the initial 13th century Romanesque basilica: the chancel, the triumphal arch, the piers between the main nave and the side aisles, as well as the clerestory windows. The church was fortified during the 16th century, and two centuries later the majority of the windows were built, as well as the church’s western entrance hall. The nave was covered with a vault buttressed by piers with capitals during the 19th century. The interior is dominated by a remarkable Biedermeier style painting above the triumphal arch. Greatly ornamental are the 1682 Baroque altar featuring six Corinthian columns and canopy, as well as the pulpit canopy from 1781. Place and surroundings Even though the village is only few miles away from Sibiu, it gives the impression that the time stood still decades ago. In the center of the village lies a well preserved Romanesque basilica, which still keeps some remains of its initial defense system. The fortification withstood many attacks in the past, such as the one in 1600, when Michael the Brave’s troops burned down the entire village. Eastern from Roşia, on a hilltop called “At the Fortress”, one can find the remains of a wall. Still its origin remains a mystery. Nowadays the name of the village is linked to Eginald Schlattner. Schlattner was serving here as priest until retirement and even today he is taking care of the souls of the imprisoned ones. He became famous due to the three novels he published between 1998 and 2005. Having a predominant biographical character, the books address the issue of Romania’s development beginning with 1930. Contact: The keys are with Rev. Eginald Schlattner Tel.: +40/751 561 948 and with Mrs Ioana Maria Bradescu Tel.: +40/743/494 140

The hall church erected in the 15th century was fortified at the beginning of the 16th century by surrounding the precincts with an oval wall with loopholes, five defence towers and with a later added outer bailey. In the same time two defence levels were built above the chancel, only to be demolished  in the 19th century and replaced by a hipped roof. A bell tower with Baroque roof replaced the medieval gate tower in 1862. Inside the church the organ built by Samuel Maetz in 1825 can be found, as well as the 16th century pews and font. The valuable late Gothic pre-Reformation altar, which was built in the 16th century, was brought to Saint John’s Church in Sibiu. In the 19th century the fast growing community required more space. Therefore, above the existing 17th century gallery, painted with floral typical regional patterns, another gallery was built. The later was then prolonged in the chancel, where another level was added under it. Place and surroundings Bell sounds under the ground, a fire snake on the night sky, a white colt floating over the streets covered by night and on the dark plains, the tramping of an invisible herd… All these and many other things are said to have been seen in Fişer. Especially captivating is the story of the shop under the mountain near the village, of which people say that it opens only once in a hundred years. A long, long time ago, a villager was ploughing his land when, suddenly, the mountain opened right in front of his eyes. In the darkness of the shop, the man found unimaginable riches on the shelves and took with him as much as he could carry. When getting out, he noticed that his ox and plough disappeared. But he didn’t worried, now that he was rich. When he arrived home he was terrified to find strangers having dinner at his table. These people told him that 100 years before, in the same house, there used to live a man who unexplainable disappeared one day. The name of that man was his own name. Contact: The keys are with Mrs Ortrun Morgen Tel.: +40/268/260 136 and +40/753/922 466 Fișer nr. 75