Fortified Church of Biertan - Sibiu, Transilvania

Fortified Church of Biertan - Sibiu - details and images

Late Gothic style church was built between 1486 - 1524 and was limited to the configuration of the land on which it was built.

Fortifications are older than the church. Can be seen several stages of construction: the first building, dating from the fourteenth century, the second of about the same time with the church and the third centuries XVI and XVII century. The three concentric walls were connected by gate towers.

The entire site has six towers and three bastions. In the north-east of the church was the Clock Tower, the first enclosure wall, with windows and pulling a wooden bridge. The clock above the pyramidal roof and still works now. Bell Tower North Tower will mausoleum where the tombstones of the high priest of the church and bishops buried Biertan.
In the south tower was Catholic, which is a chapel dedicated Saxons who did not want to go to Protestantism. Tower Hall is located on the west side of the church, which is both a gate tower that connects the inner wall and the middle walls. This passed and the road for carts.

In the south there are two gate towers, called Gate Towers, one corresponding to the third enclosure wall and the other corresponding to the second wall. Bacon Tower inside the Tower is called for martial law here that while food is deposited.
In the eastern bastion (Prison Tower) was the dungeon where according to legend were once imprisoned husbands and their wives if they were fighting. Were given a single plate, spoon, fork, cup and a single bed throughout the stay. Usually, there came out in May reconciled without recourse to justice.

Access inside the church is through a scale of 100 meters long, which starts from the village's central square, near the guard tower. At the end of it there is a large rock that Sunday, were seated those who did bad things during the week to be seen by the entire community.

The church has three halls with equal heights. The entrance is through three gates: the west, north and south. The piece de resistance of the church is the altar polyptych, the largest in Transylvania, composed of 28 panels, made between 1482 and 1513 by a painter who was probably formed in the cultural atmosphere of Vienna and Nurnberg. In the center of sculptures representing the altar was a crucifix, which features the Virgin Mary, Jesus and Mary Magdalene embracing cross. On the two side panels of the upper register are the visions of Ezekiel and the Emperor Augustus.

Due to the original closure, which still functions, the vestry door enjoys international fame, being awarded at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. This is a representative example of medieval Saxon manufactory. Seven of Asia Minor rugs woven together with other flags, including guilds, cristelnitele and doors to the north, south and west parts are also invaluable.

It kept three medieval bells. Bell dating from the early fifteenth century and is inscribed in Gothic minuscule. Bell can be dated to the middle fourteenth century and bears the same inscription in capital letters and small bell is inscribed year alone. A fourteenth-century bell was requisitioned in World War. Bell clock that beats at the gate, in turn, an inscription.

In 1704 the strong fortress was taken by surprise by curuti, and dilapidated. They stole the precious vessels of worship, and invaluable documents in the search violated the tombs of the bishops of treasure. Later, in 1783 a bastion was demolished to make way for the premises of a school for girls, and in 1840 the prison cells have been transformed into a guard house

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