The fortified church from Biertan

Dominating the hill in the heart of the village, the imposing Biertan fortified church seems to come off a painter’s easel. Biertan is among the most visited Saxon villages in Transylvania, with its fortified church appearing on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1993.

The present church was built in 1522. The Late Gothic style architecture predominates, with Renaissance influences, this being the last church-fortified hall of this kind in Transylvania. Starting from 1572 Biertan became the Evangelic Episcopal See for three centuries. The church boasts the largest polyptych altar in Transylvania, consisting of 28 painted panels, while the pews dating from the 16th century are considered the most valuable in Transylvania. The famous door of the sacristy is an amazing medieval gem with its impressive complex system of 19 locks, rewarded at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900.

One of the tourists attractions here is the reconciliation room, an austere space destined to a sort of couple therapy that seemed to work successfully. Those who had enough of married life were jailed for a few weeks in this room, until they came to their senses. Meanwhile, the couple shared a small table and a single bed, a single dish, one spoon and one jug for water. Legend has it that a single couple remained adamant in its decision to split, but even they put up with one another eventually.

Photo and text SOURCE: http://www.sibiu-turism.ro/Culture-and-Heritage-Religious-Heritage-Fortified-Churches-The-fortified-church-from-Biertan.aspx