Biertan fortified church

Biertan fortified church tickets: which one to buy

The fortified church of Biertan stands on a hill in the village of Biertan in Transylvania, Romania, surrounded by three rings of walls, and a small admission is charged. It is one of the Saxon villages with fortified churches listed by UNESCO, and it is the most famous of them. Biertan is about thirty kilometres from Medias and about eighty kilometres from Sibiu, and it is often visited on tours of Transylvania that include Sighisoara, about half an hour away, Viscri and other Saxon villages.

A car or tour is the easiest way to reach the village, as public transport is limited. The village has guesthouses and restaurants, and staying overnight lets you enjoy the quiet atmosphere. The church is Lutheran and still used for occasional services. The climb to the church is short but steep, through covered wooden stairs. A guide at the entrance usually explains the lock and the marriage prison in English and German.

Visiting Biertan fortified church: what to see

The Transylvanian Saxons, German settlers who came to the region from the twelfth century, fortified their churches to protect themselves from Ottoman and Tatar raids. The church at Biertan was built between 1490 and 1522 in a late Gothic style, and it was the seat of the Lutheran bishop of Transylvania from 1572 to 1867. The church is surrounded by three rings of defensive walls, with towers and gates. Inside, the church holds the largest Gothic altarpiece in Transylvania, with twenty-eight painted panels, and a carved stone pulpit. The sacristy door has an extraordinary lock with nineteen bolts that could be opened by a single key, and it won a prize at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900.

In one of the towers is the marriage prison, where couples who wanted to divorce were locked up together for weeks, sharing one bed and one plate, until they were reconciled. The church's pews are carved and painted with floral designs. The organ, from the nineteenth century, is still played for concerts. The fortifications include bastions, a gate tower and covered walkways. The bishop's tombstones stand in one of the towers. The church's altarpiece shows scenes from the life of Christ in a style influenced by German painting. The village's houses, painted in pastel colours, surround the hill. The churchyard offers views over the vineyards of the valley.

Biertan fortified church opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open daily from spring to autumn, with reduced hours in winter. Summer is the busiest season, especially when tour groups arrive in the middle of the day. Spring and autumn are beautiful in Transylvania, with green hills or colourful forests. The annual gathering of Saxons, who return to Biertan from Germany in September, brings a festival. Winters are cold and snowy. Allow about an hour for the church and fortifications, and combine the visit with Sighisoara and its medieval citadel. Viscri, another UNESCO fortified church village, is about an hour's drive and is known for its connection with King Charles III.