Visit Biertan: A Unesco Medieval Saxon Village In Transylvania

The fortified church

The main attraction here is the Fortified Church of Biertan. It was built between the 15th and 16th century, in the Gothic style and with Renaissance influences. The church was the religious center for the Transylvanian Saxons and today it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

An interesting thing inside the church is the impressive door of the vestry, built in 1515. This door, a medieval technical masterpiece, has an ingenious locking system with 19 bolts that slide in four directions into the massive stone frame.

Inside the fortified walls of the church, you’ll find the Clock Tower. Its original mechanism was made in the 16th century and it was replaced with the current one in 1883.

Another interesting thing you’ll see here is the Matrimonial Prison. This was a room inside the fortress for couples who wanted a divorce. They were given a single bed, a table, a chair, a spoon, bread and water, forcing them to share everything and hopefully restore communication and give up the idea of divorce. This early mediation technique seemed to work quite well in the village, because for 300 years there was only one case of divorce.

Other things to do in Biertan

Besides exploring the fortified church and the inner courtyard, you can walk around the village, admire the unique Saxon houses and visit local artisans. One of the local artists is Ion Constantinescu and he lives close to the Fortified Church. His works have been shown in national and international galleries, and you can find beautiful paintings of the castle and much more at his workshop.

Since 1990, all the Saxons meet once a year in Biertan, on the first Saturday after September 15th. After the church service, they have a parade of folk costumes and a craftsmen’s fair to celebrate their traditions. This is a great opportunity for travellers to immerse themselves in an old European culture and discover a completely different part of the world.

How to get to Biertan

Coming from Sighisoara, follow the DN14 road to Medias. After about 18 km / 11 miles, you will reach the village Saros where you’ll see a sign pointing you toward Biertan. You’ll make a left on a secondary road and after an 8 km / 5 mile drive through beautiful scenery, you will reach Biertan.