Fortified Church Brateiu / Pretai

Ideciu de Jos / Niedereidisch A fire destroyed the old church of Ideciu de Jos in 1868. Reconstruction began in 1870, but open-air services were still being held until 1874. The congregation sat in a large circle on rafters, which were later to support the tower roof. The newly built hall church does not show any particular stylistic features: The room is divided into three vaulted bays separated by belted arches, the choir has a lunette vault and between the choir and the nave there is a round triumphal arch. The bell tower in the west collapsed in 1875 shortly before its completion because the old foundations could not support the heavy new building. In the tower, which was then completely rebuilt, there are two already very old bells hanging today, one with the inscription “Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum” (from 1597), the other with the inscription “Anno Domini 1664”. During the time of totalitarianism, the Reformed, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants all used the church – a kind of ecumenism out of necessity. Keys are with: Mrs. Gerda Lassel phone: +40/757/628 710

Cristian / Neustadt bei Kronstadt 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. Another remarkable building in Cristan is the neoclassical parish house opposite to the church, as well as the community center from 1926/1927 featuring a curve roof, called „Zollinger roof“ after the name of its inventor. Place and surroundings 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 village was founded in the 13th Century, after the German Order of Knights has built several fortresses in the region and has recruited German settlers. The legend says that the son of an influential Graf, a count living in the area of Cristian, was disowned and disinherited by his father because he loved the undesirable woman. His softhearted mother gave him as compensation the downstream mill on river Ghimbav and the surrounding land. The son and his beloved one settled there and started a family. Over time more and more families preferred to move away from the hardhearted Graf and settled close to the mill, founding the so-called “New town” (the German name of the place, Neustadt).The place lies at the foot of Postăvaru, a mountain that together with Poiana Braşov is nowadays one of the most famous winter sport resorts in Romania. Keys are with: the Homorozan family phone: +40/744/681 074 Please call in advance.

Noiștat / Neustadt bei Agnetheln In the village on the Hârtibaciu River, which was first mentioned in a document in 1355, a Gothic church was built in the 15th century, and later extended to become a fortified church. Of this ensemble, the stone church tower and the remains of the old curtain wall in the south are still preserved. Below the cornice ledges, the openings for the wooden beams of the former battlement floor are still clearly visible on the tower. After the removal of the fortifications and thenave in the 19th century, a new church with a semicircular apse was built in the east. The Baroque altar (1792) is from the workshop of Johann Folberth from Sighișoara. The organ, which is also Baroque, was built by Samuel Maetz and was reworked, modernized and equipped with a Classicist facade by Carl Leopold Wegenstein in 1926. Keys are with: Mr. Gabi Marin phone: +40/744/360 554 or with Mrs. Anca Marioara phone: +40/763/281 128

Turnişor / Neppendorf The Romanesque basilica in Turnişor originates in the late 12th century and impresses due to its massive tower built above the square of the chancel, whose walls on the corner pillars are up to 3m thick. The tower is probably older than the church, which was enlarged to the west to receive its actual Latin cross shape. Because of the troubled times in the Middle Ages the assembly was initially surrounded with a fortification wall that survived only as ruin. In 1781 a wooden clock was installed on the tower only to be replaced in 1862 with an ironed one. The Baroque interior furniture of the church comprises the 1759 altar and the 1782 pulpit. The small bell and middle one were made in a workshop in Sibiu in 1922. Place and surroundings The former village – today district of Sibiu – Turnişor was mentioned for the first time in a document from 1327. But the settlement is considerable older than this, one of the oldest churches in Transylvania being built here already end of 12th Century. Because of the many battles and pest epidemics the population was decimated. But the demographic situation was re-balanced starting with 1734, when the so-called ”landlers”, protestants displaced from the region Salzkammergut settled here. In the 18th Century, thousands of evangelic Lutherans were ”transmigrated” by the order of Emperor Charles the 6th and Empress Maria Theresa. The reason behind this banishment was their Lutheran faith, the catholic royalty insisting on religious unity as a cohesive power in a multinational state. Transylvanian princes allowed religious freedom and, because the population in the region had been decimated considerably, they welcomed the newcomers. Entire families of colonists settled in the empty homesteads and were able until recent past to preserve their cultural identity and dialect. Tunișor is one of the three settlements of ”landlers” in Transylvania. Next to the Evangelic Church, the Evangelic Academy Transylvania (EAS) is functioning since 2001, a meeting and conference center that offer also accommodation. Schlüssel sind im: Pfarramt Neppendorf phone: +40/269/228 865 address: str. E.A.Bieltz nr. 62, Sibiu e-mail: gemeindeneppendorf@gmail.com Internet: www.kirche.neppendorf.de Evangelic Academy Transylvania: Conference and meeting center with possibilities of accommodation phone: +40/269/219 914 Internet: www.eas.neppendorf.de Hotel: Evangelical Academy of Transylvania (EAS) 24 double rooms with private bathrooms kitchen, three fully equipped seminar rooms Lunch and/or dinner, can also be ordered for groups Information and Booking: EAS secretariat adress: Str. Livezii 55, 550042 Sibiu phone: (0040-269) 219914 e-mail: eas@neppendorf.de Internet: www.eas.neppendorf.de

Netuş / Neithausen Documented for the first time in 1448, the Gothic hall church was erected without a tower. During the fortification works in 1500, a mighty defence tower was built above the chancel and a second one on the western side. The chancel was encased with a 2 m thick wall, which separated it from the nave. The access from the nave went through a portal secured with portcullis. The church was surrounded by a wall protected by a gate tower, but only fragments are still preserved. The gate tower was later converted into a dwelling for the castle guardian. In the 19th century he western tower of the church was replaced by a polygonal annex for the organ loft. On the eastern wall one can admire a rare example of pulpit altar, masterpiece built in 1770 by Johann Folbarth, sculptor and painter from Sighişoara. In the walled-up chancel, the Gothic vaults, the tabernacle, the sacristy portal and frescoes fragments are still preserved. Place and surroundings At first glance it is not easy to spot all there is to discover in the fortified church of Netuş, but the numerous modifications on the building over the past 700 years have left many traces. Behind the altar a narrow passage leads into a shady room, situated directly under the massive eastern tower. More than 500 years ago the windows were bricked up and since light enters only through the narrow loopholes. The wall paintings show that this was the former chancel, which was walled up during the rebuilding of the church. In the massive outer walls of the tower a staircase was carved to lead upstairs. The way to the defense level passes by the former bacon chamber, which stays deserted since decades. The defense level offers magnificent views of Netuş and the surrounding villages. From here the castle guardians of neighboring settlements were once warned of approaching dangers. After descending back to the church many other surprises await to be discovered in the western part of the chancel. Keys are with: Mrs. Irina Drăgan phone: +40/269/256 922

Nadeș / Nadesch A complaint to the Pope in 1309 casually mentions that the church of Nadeș is dedicated to St. Martin. In the second half of the 15th century, the church underwent major reconstruction. The nave was demolished around 1850 and a Neo-Classical new building was erected on this site by Samuel Teutsch until 1853, whose vaulting breaks through the eastern side of the defensive wall. According to the ground plan, the embrasures and the peaks, the curtain wall was built in the 15th century. At one time, five defense towers rose above the defense wall – until the parishioners of Nadeș demolished two of them in 1880. The bell tower on the west side has Romanesque features. In addition, a round vault on the north side of the tower, which has a simple cornice inside, indicates the existence of a Romanesque basilica on this site. In the tower a small bell is preserved; it was cast in 1470 and bears the inscription “helf got maria berot”. It is the first known German inscription on a bell in Transylvania. On the evening of June 29, 2017, seven beams fell from the church ceiling above the western gallery and damaged the organ below to a large extent. The cause of the collapse was the roof, which had been leaking for many years, and consequently the rain, which fell at this very spot in the western part of the nave. Dry rot and woodworms spread undetected for a long period of time. Schlüssel sind bei: Frau Katharina Eiwen phone: +40/265/763 026

Sebeş / Mühlbach While admiring the scenery of Transylvanian fortified churches, the traveler should not miss the small town of Sebeş. In its center the fortified church bears the imprints of the past with dignity. The monument was built in the 12th century by Saxon colonists, was destroyed during the Mongol invasion 1241-1242 and later on rebuilt in Gothic style, fortified and provided with a defence wall. In the second half of the 14th century, a period characterized by a flourishing economy, an impressive chancel was constructed. For almost 40 years, starting mid 15th century, Sebeş was under Ottoman domination. In the centuries that followed, agriculture lost its importance and the town became a center for craftsmen, who diligently brought a great contribution to the church’s enhancement. However, WWI ended Sebeş’s prosperity. The bells were confiscated, melted and turned into ammunition. They could only be replaced as late as 1925. Place and surroundings In the first half of the 12th century, on the today’s location of Sebeş the Székelys have founded a colony. In that time the Kingdom of Hungary was expanding fast towards east and the new borders had to be secured by the Székelys. However, they left the area and headed east, while their place was taken in the second half of the 12th century by the German colonists who settled Sebeş on the river with the same name. One century later the settlement received town rights and grew fast to an important cultural and economical center. Later on it was thus difficult for the town to recover after the Ottoman attacks and its surrender in 1438. Its history was full of vicissitudes being constantly exposed to conflicts and wars. Today, Sebeş with a population of almost 30.000 residents and the beautiful evangelic parish church in its middle is the starting point for many tours undertaken by tourists through Southern Transylvania. Keys are at: the Parish Office Sebeș phone: +40/258/731693 Appointments under alfred.dahinten@gmail.com Tourist guides are possible. The fortified object includes a terrace for tourists. Accomodation: Guest rooms of the Evangelic Church Mr. Alfred Dahinten phone: +40/258/731693, e-mail: alfred.dahinten@gmail.com Hotel: Guest room in the Parish House 2 beds, kitchen, bathroom Guest Apartment 2 beds, folding couch, kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, TV, internet connection "Villa Tivoli" adress: Schurianustr. 7 4 Apartments living and sleeping area, TV and Internet connection, kitchen Information and Booking: City Parish Office phone: (0049 358) 404321 e-mail: alfred.dahinten@gmail.com

Herina / Mönchsdorf A visit to Herina with its population of 500 and the Romanesque pillar basilica with three naves should be on every travel intinerary when in the region of Northern Transylvania. The Evangelic Lutheran church has two western towers and a western gallery and was built in the beginning of the 13th century and renovated only a few years ago. It stands solitary on a small hill slope and is a popular photo motive due to its situation and architecture. The beautiful region of “Năsăud County“ became historically significant thanks to its favorable geographic situation, the great condition of the soil, its lush forests and its abundance in natural mineral deposits and was always a highly desired terrain. Traces of the merchants and guilds who settled here are still visible today. Visitors will find a number of touristic attractions in the area: especially recommended are trips to the numerous National Parks in the region and the participation in the very intensively and frequently celebrated traditional festivals where guests are always welcome. Keys are with: Mrs. Brigitte Budacan phone: +40/766/432 729

Veseuș / Michelsdorf an der Kokel The hall church, built in 1504, stands on a slope in the west of the village. On the south and west side of the flat-roofed church hall, galleries are built in. The Baroque reconstruction was carried out in 1794. The bell and gate tower, which stands next to the church, was built in 1825 and renovated in 1886. On the northern wall of the choir there is a late Gothic sacramental niche, which was built in the first years of the 16th century. The organ by Johannes Hahn from Sibiu was installed in the church in 1748. In 1939, it was transferred back to Sibiu where today it stands in the Sibiu parish church. A bell from 1557 bears the inscription “Da pacem domine diebus nostris” – “Give us peace, Lord, in our days!”