10 Fortified Churches from Transylvania You Should See
Diana Condrea
Most of these monuments are included in our tours in Transylvania. More tours on www.uncover-romania-tours.com
The fortified churches from Transylvania are some of the most authentic and inspiring travel attractions in Romania. A fundamental part of the Saxon heritage that transforms the region into a great destination, these landmarks should be on any must-see list if you’re visiting Romania.
If you don’t know where to start, we prepared a guide to 10 of the most impressive fortified churches in Transylvania you should see. We included fortified churches from Alba, Brasov, Mures, and Sibiu counties. You can easily see them all in one weekend if you’re staying in Brasov or Sibiu.
Read also Top Things to Do in Transylvania for the Curious Travelers.
1. The fortified church of Biertan
Location: Biertan, Sibiu County
Included in the UNESCO World Heritage Patrimony like many of the fortified churches from this top 10, the monument from Biertan opens our list. Located only a 30 minutes drive from Sighisoara, Biertan was centuries ago a prosperous village competing with nearby Mosna and Medias for regional control. The construction of an imposing fortified church was yet another element used to increase its chances in this political race.
Biertan Fortified Church
The fortified church from Biertan is one of the few that preserves its original altar, pews, and stone carved pulpit, all from the 16th century. Not to mention its unique locking system of the vestry door and the marital prison organized in one of its towers.
Travel tips
Go cycling from Biertan to Copsa Mare and Malancrav. It’s one of the best ways to explore the region.
Go on a day trip to the nearby medieval towns of Medias and Sighisoara.
2. The fortified church of Prejmer
Location: Prejmer, Brasov County
The fortified church of Prejmer, also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is the strongest fortification of this type from Transylvania. Attacked 50 times, but conquered only once in 1611, this almost invincible monument dates from the beginning of the 13th century when the Teutonic Knights started building it. The church from Prejmer was donated in 1240 to the Cistercian monastery from Carta that had a major influence on its architectural style.
Prejmer Fortified Church
The church was enlarged and fortified with high and solid enclosing walls in the following centuries. No other fortified church from Transylvania has so many storage spaces and rooms where villagers lived during the numerous sieges endured centuries ago.
3. The fortified church of Harman
Location: Harman, Brasov County
Located only a few kilometers outside Brasov, the fortified church of Harman dates from the 13th century. It was massively reinforced between the 15th and 17th centuries, becoming one of the strongest in the historical Country of Barsa.
One of the most beautiful monuments built by the Saxons of Transylvania, this fortified church has solid enclosing walls, seven defense towers, storage rooms, and a chapel with rare 15th-century mural paintings. In the church, you can see a small collection of oriental carpets, a Baroque altar, and hundreds of years old furniture and decorations.
Travel tips
The fortified church from Prejmer is only 9 kilometers away.
4. The fortified church of Viscri
Location: Viscri, Brasov County
Probably the most famous village of Transylvania, Viscri is a travel destination of its own. Its pastoral landscapes, traditional houses, local artisans, the support of the Foundation Mihai Eminescu Trust, and Prince Charles’ visits have transformed this old village into one of the trendiest attractions in the region.
Its white fortified church, included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is one of the must-visit attractions in Transylvania, more than worth the bumpy detour from the main national road.
Viscri Fortified Church
First mentioned at the beginning of the 15th century, but dating some hundreds of years back, the church was built and fortified in several stages, conserving partially its bastions, towers, and fortification walls. One of the former towers is now a small museum of traditional objects belonging to the Saxon community.
Travel tips
Rent a bike and spend a full day traveling from village to village.
5. The fortified church of Hosman
Location: Hosman, Sibiu County
The fortified church of Hosman is only a short drive from Sibiu, on the route that goes to Agnita. Less known than the other sites on our list, the monument dates from the 14th century. The village and the church suffered tremendously because of the Ottoman attacks, being even temporarily depopulated hundreds of years ago.
Hosman Fortified Church
Fortified with two enclosing walls, five towers, and a bastion, the church appears as a solid construction with a tall tower provided with loopholes and a wooden wall walk. Its Romanesque-style portal with carved fantastic figures is the ‘pièce de résistance’.
Travel tips
Plan your visit ahead. The church is open only if you call in advance.
6. The fortified church of Calnic
Location: Calnic, Alba County
One more of the fortified churches from Transylvania part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the monument from Calnic was initially an aristocratic residence. Sold to the local community in the 15th century, the small castle was fortified with a wall curtain, while storage rooms and even a small chapel were built in the enclosed space. Today, only the chapel and two of the towers are open for visitors.
Calnic Fortified Church
Travel tips
Calnic is only 30 km from Alba Iulia and 15 km from Sebes where you can visit one of the most important Evangelical churches in Transylvania.
7. The fortified church of Saschiz
Location: Saschiz, Mures County
Just a few kilometers from Sighisoara, you’ll see the imposing tower of the fortified church from Saschiz, included in the UNESCO Patrimony.
Built by the Saxon community, a few decades after the crushing Tatar invasion from 1421, this fortified church was designed from the beginning with a defensive purpose in mind. Its tower is very similar to the one from Sighisoara, a commercial rival of Saschiz centuries ago.
Saschiz Fortified Church
Travel tips
You can buy hand-made jams and other delicious sweets from a small boutique shop in the village.
Walk up to the ruins of the peasant fortress that stands since the 14th century above the village.
8. The fortified church of Malancrav
Location: Malancrav, Sibiu County
Built on a hill in the village with the largest German-ethnic population in Transylvania, the fortified church of Malancrav is a must-see. The 14th-century monument has some of the most interesting and rare mural paintings in the region, dating before the Reformation time. The Gothic altar is a veritable work of art done more than 600 years ago, decorated on top with a crucifix and the statues of Saint Mary and Saint John.
Malancrav Fortified Church
Travel tips
For a panoramic view of the village, go up to the church tower.
Find out more about local traditions by visiting the artisans of the village.
9. The fortified church of Valea Viilor
Location: Valea Viilor, Sibiu County
The last UNESCO Heritage Site from our top fortified churches from Transylvania, Valea Viilor is one of the best examples of this original architectural style. Dating from the 15th century, the church dominates the village with its imposing dimensions and two strong towers that rise above the fortification walls.
Its defensive system is one of the most advanced in medieval Transylvania, integrating also a visible aesthetic element. Besides the Western tower, both the choir and the nave were heightened — with four stories in case of the choir — and provided with loopholes and interior corridors that connected the wall-walks from the towers.
Travel tips
The church is open for visitors until 5 pm from March to November.
10. The fortified church of Alma Vii
Location: Alma Vii, Sibiu County
Last but not least, you should definitely stop in Alma Vii, a small village with a beautiful fortified church of its own. Built two centuries after the village was first mentioned, in 1289, the initial hall church was fortified gradually to resist potential attacks.
Recently restored through the care of the Foundation Mihai Eminescu Trust, the church is one of the many attractions of the village. Its local traditions, green surroundings, and typical architecture make it a great weekend destination if you’re looking to try a more slow-paced life even if only for a few days.
Travel tips
The area around the village protects many species of plants and animals, around 100 species of birds and 70 species of butterflies.
In the end
Many more fortified churches from Transylvania are worth visiting. These original historical monuments best represent the legacy of the German colonists who came to Transylvania hundreds of years ago, protecting the borders in exchange for land and freedom. Dominating the landscape of their villages, these fortified churches are amazing works of art, combining the spiritual, cultural, and defensive roles to save their communities for centuries.
Most of these monuments are included in our tours in Transylvania. More tours on www.uncover-romania-tours.com
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