Biertan Fortified Church – UNESCO Site

Info

The church is located in the Biertan village, Sibiu County.

Opening hours:

  •    April – May: Sunday-Saturday from 10:00-13:00; 14:00-17:00;
  •    June-August: Sunday to Friday from 10:00-13:00; 14:00-19:00; Saturday from 10:00-13:00; 14:00-17:00;
  •    September – October: Sunday to Saturday from 10:00-13:00; 14:00-17:00;
  •    November-April: Tuesday-Sunday from 11:00-15:00.

For the key you can call 0040 749 231 199 (minimum 5 persons). Contact: Consistoriul Districtual Evanghelic CA Medias 0040269/843483

You can get information from the tourist information centre or from the information panel found in the village centre.

To get a nice view over the entire village you have to follow the tourist trail that runs through the terraced west hill.

Entrance fee: Yes

Discover

Located between Mediaş and Sighişoara, the fortified church of Biertan (Birthälm) is a true Gothic beauty. In 1993 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ensemble consists of three rows of entrenchments, seven bastions and the church itself which was built between 1493 and 1522 in the late Gothic style.

Its interior decorations (paintings, sculptures, furniture) inspired from the Gothic and Renaissance styles are impressive. You will also notice the imposing organ and the altar, one of the biggest in Transylvania. This was created by craftsmen from Germany and Austria and it is embellished with 28 paintings depicting biblical scenes.

The village’s medieval structure and the traditional old Saxon houses with Baroque influences from the 16th and 19th century will transport you to archaic times. Don’t forget to take a bike ride around Biertan village to admire the fairytale-like scenery.

From 1572 to 1867, Biertan was the spiritual centre of the Trasylvanian Saxons when it became the residence of the Evangelical Diocese.

Did you know?

The treasure door built in 1515 is unique in Europe due to its locking system consisting 19 bolts. In 1910 this unique door was awarded at the Paris World's Fair.

Conservation facts

Despite the passage of time the fortified church of Biertan is in a good state of preservation. Minor rehabilitation work was done and some are still being done now, but the original architecture remains almost intact, as the original decorative elements date back to the 1500s.

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