Yearly Archives: 2019

21 posts

Workshop AvantGuards – Open Fortified Churches

The debate within the framework of the seminar organized by the Fortified Churches Foundation on the topic of “Open Fortified Churches: transparency, innovation and awareness” brought to light a number of perspectives and considerations that we also wanted to examine in the organisation of the AvantGuards workshop. Participants were representatives […]

1:0 in the fight against rainwater

The church building in Apoș near Agnita suffered for years from a lack of use and care after the migration of the German-speaking Protestant population. Only recently, the private association “Villa Abbatis” of the tourism entrepreneur Mihai Barbu took over the administration of the church after the acquisition of the […]

HANDS ON CONSERVATION II

Eleven participants and two trainers met from 19 to 30 August in the church castle of Pelișor for the summer school HANDS ON CONSERVATION II. The Fortified Churches Foundation together with the association P.A.T.R.U. (Patrimoniu, Arhitectură, Tradiție, Rit și Universalitate) had taken over the organization of this ten-day workshop. Architects, […]

Focus >> Hosman

700 years: Hosman is celebrating! In 1319 the Harbachtal municipality of Hosman/Holzmengen was first mentioned in a document under the name “Holzmenia”. On the occasion of the 700th anniversary, a large celebration will take place on 3 and 4 August 2019 on the initiative of the Hometown Community (HOG). – […]

Further emergency intervention in Copșa Mare

The structural damage that occurred above the west gallery of the Protestant church in Copșa Mare (church district of Mediaș) could be secured. As part of an emergency intervention by the Fortified Churches Foundation, not only was the endangered part of the vault supported in June 2019, but two excavated arch bricks were also […]

Focus >> Filitelnic

A castle under reconstruction Filitelnic is a small village in the district of Mureș – it lies in the southern side valley of the Târnava Mică River, approximately 20 km from Sighișoara. The fortified church is located on a hill in the northeast of the village. The first documentary mention […]

HS Coburg and University of Bamberg visit Transylvania

For one week, the students and professors of the joint course of studies “Digital Monument Technologies” of the University of Bamberg and the University of Coburg travelled throughout the Transylvanian landscape of fortified churches. The initiator for the students’ stay was Prof. Dr. Olaf Huth from the HS Coburg, head […]

Focus >> Tătârlaua

An Art historical jewel Tătârlaua (Taterloch) lies in the district of Alba about 15 kilometers northwest of Mediaş (Mediasch). The first documentary mention of the village dates back to 1332. The Gothic hall church dates from the 15th century. A special sight in Taterloch is the Gothic altar, which dates […]

Registration for our summer school 2019 HANDS ON CONSERVATION II is now open!

HANDS ON CONSERVATION II is a workshop for traditional carpentry, focussing on introducing and training the participants in traditional crafts techniques and materials, at the fortified church of Pelisor, Sibiu county. The Fortified Churches Foundation started the project HANDS ON CONSERVATION II, with the financial support from the National Architects […]

Focus >> Valchid

Small and fine castle The small fortified church is a little off the beaten track in a left side valley of the river (Große Kokel). If one takes in this side valley the way to Copșa Mare (Großkopisch), one can make a stop here. Southwest is Biertan (Birthälm), northwest Şoarş […]

Exemplary work of the “HOG Holzmengen” at the fortified church

In the five days from 1 April, the HOG Holzmengen (community of emigrated Saxons) was very hard-working – some important measures were taken in and around the fortified church. The results are really impressive! The individual projects were discussed in advance by the advice and introduction of Sebastian Bethge, the […]

Minister of State Prof. Monika Grütters visits Transylvania

Monika Grütters, Commissioner of the German Federal Government for Culture and the Media (BKM), visited the Evangelical Church A. B. in Romania and the Transylvanian fortified church landscape on 15 April. The visit of the CDU politician took place in the run-up to meetings at ministerial level in Bucharest and […]

Focus >> Şoala

Castle on the hill Şoala lies about six kilometres east of Arbegen on the right side of the Weißbach river. The village consists of only two streets – the fortified church rises on a hill. From the 15th century Şoala/Schaal belonged to the district of Schelk as a free municipality. […]

Around 150 visitors at the panel discussion in Berlin

The announcement of the Fortified Churches Foundation to organise an event from the series KirchenburgenGespräch on Tour (fortified churches panel discussion abroad) for the first time aroused great public interest. On 8 March 2019, the almost 150 visitors experienced an exciting panel discussion entitled “Travel – Save – Restore” in […]

Focus >> Măieruș

Church Castle near the Ghost Forest The village of Măieruș is the northernmost municipality in the Burzenland, 30 kilometres from Kronstadt between the so-called Ghost Forest and the old river. Măieruș was first mentioned in 1377 under the name “villa nucum”. At that time the village formed an administrative unit […]

Focus >> Romos

Church in the Mureș Valley Romos is located east of Oraștie in the district of Hunedoara, on the left tributary of the Mureș River. The village is one of the oldest settlements of the Transylvanian Saxons, first mentioned in 1206. From 1532 Rumes belonged to the Chair of Oraștie. During […]

Rescue work in Dobârca

At the beginning of February, the so very urgent and important securing work could be carried out at the fortified church in Dobârca. After many discussions and site visits with local actors and various construction companies, it was now possible to erect an emergency roof. Instead of the collapsed choir […]

Fortified Churches Foundation receives support from Hessen

The Fortified Churches Foundation is also dependent on donations to secure its long-term work, i.e. on donations to expand its capital stock. From Wiesbaden came now energetic support for it. When Michael Sauter visited Transylvania in May 2018, this was not only an educational and recreational trip for him, but […]

Support Association to the Fortified Churches Foundation

On 19 January the annual general meeting of the German Support Association of the Fortified Churches Foundation took place in Berlin. The Executive Board reported on its work in 2018, which was primarily aimed at supporting the work of the Foundation, but also included accompanying activities in Germany. Donations received […]

Focus >> Holzmengen

The church castle takes the floor Ladies and gentlemen, dear fellow castles, I must tell you that it is already a curious thing what one experiences as a church castle: For centuries one stands around in world history, and all sorts of strange guests pay a visit to one. I […]