Kick-off of construction works in Curciu
For years, the Fortified Churches Foundation has been working intensively on concepts for expanding the use of historic churches and fortresses in order to open them up for the future. This year, the >>
Merry Christmas!!
The Team of the Fortified Churches Foundations wishes you a Merry Christmas!
Fröhliche Stimmung und besinnliche Momente in Holzmengen
Vorweihnachtliche Traditionen, lokale und regionale Handwerksprodukte, Weihnachtsmusik und eine fröhliche Stimmung haben den Weihnachtsmarkt in Holzmengen (Târg de Crăciun la Hosman) auch in seiner vierten Auflage zu einem unvergesslichen Adventserlebnis für Groß und >>
“Roof Program 2022”: Important interventions at fortified churches
One of the most important activity segments of the Fortified Churches Foundation of the Evangelical Church A. B. in Romania is the so-called roof program. Within the framework of this initiative, important and >>
Members of the German Bundestag visit fortified churches
Five representatives of the parliamentary group of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) from the German Bundestag visited Bucharest, Brașov, Cincșor, Hosman and Sibiu from October 5 to >>
Kirchenburgen-Wanderausstellung im Oktober in Kärnten
Since October 1, 2022, the traveling exhibition Transylvanian Landscape of Fortified Churches – A European Cultural Heritage of the Fortified Churches Foundation is located in the premises of the Romanian Honorary Consulate of >>
Apold Heritage Lab: Visitors day and round-trip
Since July 18, a summer school for professionals and future specialists in the field of monument preservation has been taking place at the Apold fortified church: the Apold Heritage Lab. The participants come >>
HANDS ON CONSERVATION III | A heritage community
If you ask us what is new about each edition of the HANDS ON CONSERVATION III Summer School, it is first and foremost the team spirit that connects the participants around common interests >>
Second spring for Vingard
The construction site at the Lutheran church of Vingard, which started in March, was successfully completed in May. During a church service on the occasion of the handover, new perspectives opened up for >>
Siebenbürgens Kirchenburgenlandschaft: Veranstaltung in der Botschaft von Rumänien
Am 17. Mai lud die Botschafterin von Rumänien in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Adriana Stănescu, zu einer Veranstaltung mit dem Thema „Zukunftsperspektiven für die Siebenbürgische Kirchenburgenlandschaft“ in die Botschaft Berlin ein. Die Ausrichtung des >>
Professionals look after fortified churches of Magheruș and Ormeniș
The detection of structural defects at the earliest stage is crucial for the preservation of historic buildings. Time and again in the past, it has happened that emergency interventions were not carried out >>
Children enjoy themed cultural visits in Cristian
After two years of restrictions and online schooling, children are going out into nature again and schools together with guides and various associations are organizing thematic excursions of exploration and discovery. On Wednesday, >>
Mobile app for discovering the fascinating landscape of fortified churches in Transylvania
Experience Fortified Churches / Descoperă Biserici Fortificate / Kirchenburgen Entdecken, the official app of the Fortified Churches Foundation, is an interactive tool to discover and experience the rich cultural heritage of Transylvania’s fortified >>
Ormeniș: Renovation of the fortified church has begun
Already at the end of March the construction site at the fortified church of Ormeniș (church district of Sighișoara) was opened. Now, on April 5, 2022, a detailed inspection took place on site >>
Rescue for Vingard begins
At the baptismal font of the Lutheran church of Vingard (church district of Sebeș), the first stone was laid on March 7, 2022 to save the sacred architectural jewel. Representatives of the District >>
Bruiu: Further steps towards rescue
On March 4, 2022, the official opening of the construction site on the southeast bastion of the Bruiu fortified church took place. The Fortified Churches Foundation, the Sibiu Church District and the Cârța >>
Human suffering and threatened cultural heritage
Nothing about war is as terrible as the human tragedies caused by the outbreak of violence. Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine in recent days has already left several thousand dead and injured. Hundreds >>
Insights into the collaboration with Tudor Pavelescu and his team at Modul 28
(Sibiu, February 2022) Fortified Churches Foundation (FCF): Historic buildings have played an important role in your portfolio since the beginning of your work in the field of architecture. Can you tell us where >>
Frank-Walter Steinmeier remains German Federal President
On February 13, 2022, Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected for the second time to the highest office of the Federal Republic of Germany by the 17th Federal Assembly. The Fortified Churches Foundation, of which >>
Satisfied review and hopeful outlook
A new year has begun, also for the Fortified Churches Foundation. New perspectives and an optimistic zest for action join the old challenges, which the team will meet with its usual passion. Unfortunately, >>
Merry Christmas!
The Team of the Fortified Churches Foundations wishes you a Merry Christmas!
Weihnachtsmarkt in Holzmengen
Wir laden Euch herzlich zum diesjährigen Weihnachtsmarkt in Holzmengen ein! Wir erwarten Euch am Samstag, den 18. Dezember von 15 bis 20 Uhr mit einem schönen und vielfältigen Programm, tollen Produkten aus dem >>
Fortified churches represented at the first Ecotourism Fair of Sibiu County
The first Ecotourism Fair, organized last weekend by Sibiu County in the pavilion of the Astra Multicultural Museum in Sibiu within the framework of the Wandering Years (Anii Drumeției) program, showed the interested >>
New edition in three languages
Already four years ago, the Fortified Churches Foundation published the booklet “Churches and Fortifications in Transylvania” with short descriptions of selected buildings, which is extremely popular among Transylvanian travelers. Now, the product is >>
Volunteer professionals preserve Transylvanian cultural heritage
In Movile and Hosman this August and September, young professionals from different fields restored outbuildings of the fortified churches. The work stays were coordinated through the organization European Heritage Volunteers. Young experts from >>
Church of Hetiur near Sighișoara to be rescued
The dean of the district of Sighișoara, Dr. Bruno Fröhlich, the building and monument preservation experts of the Fortified Churches Foundation, Ecaterina Gál and Sebastian Bethge, as well as Mr. Alfred Back from >>
Planned works on murals force roof repair
At the end of June 2021, the representatives of the Mediasch Church District, the Fortified Churches Foundation, architect Alina Curea and the companies involved in the project met at the Church of Șmig >>
Opening of the construction site at the fortified church of Șoarș
On an extremely sunny and hot 23 June 2021, representatives of the Evangelical Church, the Romanian cultural authorities and experts from the building industry met on site at the Church of St James >>
Call for donations – Fortified Church in Alțâna
After the collapse of the vault above the central nave of the fortified church of Alzen the first inventories have begun. The impressions are sad and shocking, but the situation is by no >>
Securing work in Ruși completed
For the team of the Fortified Churches Foundation, “Corona-times” do not mean a standstill at all: construction work was on the schedule in the past months. In the parish of Ruși (church district >>
Invitation to the digital travelling exhibition of fortified churches
Since a few weeks, the touring exhibition of the Fortified Churches Foundation can also be viewed online. This was made possible by a grant from the Bavarian State Ministry for Family, Labor and >>
Panel discussion on the future of fortified churches
A panel discussion on the future prospects of the Transylvanian Saxon fortified churches took place on 11 February at the Romanian Embassy in Berlin. The occasion was the conclusion of a project to >>
Happy Easter! Frohe Ostern! Paște fericit! Boldog húsvéti ünnepeket!
Parteneriat cu Asociația European Heritage Volunteers
Pe 11 februarie 2020, Fundația Biserici Fortificate împreună cu Biserica Evanghelică C.A. din România a încheiat un parteneriat de colaborare cu organizația non-guvernamentală European HeritageVolunteers. Documentul a fost semnat la Ambasada României de >>
Roof of the church in Daia saved
The church building including the fortification and bell tower in Daia (church district of Sighisoara) has been the focus of the Fortified Churches Foundation for many years. With the support of the “Ambassador’s >>
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 >>
Germany promotes the preservation of the landscape of fortified churches
The Fortified Churches Foundation, the leading and coordinating office of the Evangelical Church A. C. in Romania (ECR) for the preservation and sustainable use of the fortified church landscape, receives a special grant >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
Focus >> November
The fortified faith – church castles in Transylvania Sometimes a project starts on a detour, so that even its authors seem to be surprised about its origin. Jürgen van Buer’s interest in >>
Focus >> Bogeschdorf
A look of the altar of Bogeschdorf Bogeschdorf is situated in the Zwischenkokel area and north of Mediasch – in the 14th century the village belonged to the Mediasch chair as a free >>
Expert visit within the framework of the Romanian-German joint programme
From 10 to 14 September, the Fortified Churches Foundation welcomed two experts from the architectural office of Dr. Krekeler to Transylvania. The aim of the visit was to strategically and conceptually process the >>
Focus >> Galt
Fortified church in the shadow of the Galter Berg The fortified church is located on the right bank, 60 kilometres from Kronstadt/Braşov in the south-east of Reps. The village was first mentioned in >>
Birk and Dana just arrived! The Fortified Church Foundation receives Churchfortress-Children
Two new faces will enrich the child and youth work of the Foundation Kirchenburgen from now on. The illustrator Joy Katzmarzik from Mainz designed it on behalf of the foundation. The two figures >>
Fokus >> Reußen
The leaning tower of Transylvania Between Stolzenburg and Marktschelken lies the small village of Reußen. On the way from Mediasch to Sibiu you can admire the leaning tower of Transylvania from the National >>
HANDS ON CONSERVATION
Two eventful and successful workshop weeks ended on Friday – happy participants and trainers, as well as some vivid results and a lot of learned handicraft techniques were the result of the project >>
Vernissage of the Photo-Exhibit “SAȘI” of the Transylvanian Saxons
On Sunday, July 8, 2018, the ceremonial opening of the exhibition of photographer Thomas Duffé (Hamburg, Germany) took place in Hamba. The pictures could be admired for the first time in the fortified >>
Fokus >> Curciu
„This treasury must be preserved“ Interview with the Fortified Church keeper Dana Crişan from Kirtsch/Curciu Teacher Dana Crişan has not been on holiday for three years, the restless keeper of Kirtsch values the >>
Things are moving forward in the village of Movile!
The German landscape planner Jonas Arndt, founding member and chairperson of the churchfortress e. V. Friends of Hundertbücheln-Movile association, was a guest on 3 July, presenting the topic “Fortified churches and their open >>
Joint Project – Fortified Church of Pelișor
Within the framework of the cooperation between the Patrimonium Saxonicum Foundation and the Fortified Churches Foundation, important protective and preventive measures are carried out at selected fortified churches. This initiative is intended to >>
Focus >> The altar of Hălchiu – a magnificent gem of the region
Between Codlea and Feldioara lies Hălchiu – in the year 1377 the village was first mentioned in a royal privilege. It is one of the free villages that belonged to the judicial and >>
HANDS ON CONSERVATION – Summer school
The Fortified Churches Foundation started the project Hands on Conservation, with the financial support from the Administratia Fondului Cultural National. Hands on Conservation is a multidisciplinary workshop, focussing on introducing and training the >>
Focus >> Marpod fortified church – hidden treasure in the Harbach Valley
The fortified church of Marpod lies northeast of Sibiu – in the Harbach valley it stands out cautiously and well hidden behind trees and scrub. The Romanesque basilica, of which only a few >>
Sunshine, shooting stars and a whole bunch of fortified churches
On sixth of April the class of the master’s degree “Strategies for European Cultural Heritage” of the European University Viadrina traveled to Romania to get to know the world of fortified churches and >>
Three-Churches-Project: Students introduce their concepts
On 28 February 2018, eleven students from the 3rd year of the “Coservation and Restoration” course at the University of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu presented their proposals for the use of the >>
Presentation at the trade fair MONUMENTO in Salzburg
From 11th to 13th January the Fortified Church Foundation was represented at the trade fair Monumento in Salzburg/Austria. Its opening marks the beginning of the European Cultural Heritage Year that will provide a >>
2017: A good year for Daia
Thanks to the support of the US-American Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation the project planning and some repair works to the worth of almost 60.000 US-Dollars will be carried out in three fortified >>
First work on the Church of James in Șoarș
The work on the fortified church in Șoarș (near Fog.), which began on 21 August, is becoming increasingly visible: the “back” of the historic dovetail and plain tile with the partial use of >>
Cemetary in Șaeș – gravestones secured
The 49 tombstones, which were knocked over and devastated by vandalism at the end of 2016, were erected and secured again in July. Thanks to the generous donation of an emigrated Saxon from >>
Copșa Mare is to be saved!
The Fortified Churches Foundation has been monitoring the endangered architectural situation of the fortified church in Copșa Mare with concern for some time. Sebastian Bethge, the representative of the Foundation for the Preservation >>
Pelișor – first danger averted
On 3 May 2017 the first emergency measures were carried out at the fortified church of Pelișor. It is located 22km south of Mediaș, in a side valley. For a long time no >>
Donation for Three Transylvanian-Saxon Fortified Churches
U.S. Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation 2016/2017: “Safeguarding three Transylvanian-Saxon fortified churches: best practice for traditional crafts and community building” The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that Ambassador Hans Klemm is donating >>
Bell Tower in Idiciu: small intervention – great effect!
The Fortified Churches Foundation has repaired the bell tower of the Protestant church in Idiciu with an emergency measure as part of the roof programme. This was preceded in spring by the collapsing >>
The whole world amazed by Transylvania’s Landscape of Fortified Churches
As every year the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin was an important date for more than 100,000 tourism professionals and around 60,000 thousand visitors. The Fortified Churches Foundation presented the landscape of >>
107 Transylvanian Churches and Fortifications in your Pocket
The Fortified Churches Foundation is proud to present the new pocket-sized booklet titled „Churches and Fortifications in Transylvania“. It was published in the first weeks of 2017 and can now be obtained in >>
Module „Fortified Churches“ as part of history class
The curriculum of Romanian 7th-grade history class includes the subject of “Romanian minorities”. The topics of history and traditions of the German minority in Transylvania are studied quite profoundly – very tangible topics >>
Medieval gem in danger
In November 2016, the church of Ormeniș was hit by burglary and vandalism and has been severely affected: window panes destroyed, locks and doors broken open and parts of the organ damaged. Pastor >>
The Future of Religious Heritage in Europe
From 9 to 11 November the European association “Future for Religious Heritage” invited it’s members and other participants to the 2016 Biennial Conference titled: “Tourists, Travellers & Pilgrims – Encountering Religious Heritage in >>
Students of Architecture fascinated by the Fortified Churches
It is dark in the bacon chamber of the fortified church in Agârbiciu. Bacon has not been stored here for a while but the numbered hooks on the ceiling timbers are still witnesses >>
New Travelling Exhibition about the Landscape of Fortified Churches in Transylvania
The Fortified Churches Foundation is currently producing a travelling exhibition titled: “The Transylvanian Landscape of Fortified Churches. A European Cultural Heritage”. The concept and production were developed and organized in cooperation with the >>
Two presidents under one church roof
German Federal President Joachim Gauck, who was on a state visit in Romania and Bulgaria in the middle of June, visited Transylavania on 21 June, accompanied by his Romanian colleague, President Klaus Werner >>
Monument specialists at the fortified churches in Felmer and Șoarș
On 25 July 2016, the fortified churches of Felmer and Șoarș (near Fog.) were full of activity: people between cameras on tripods, ladders on the walls, papers, sketches and drawings. Preparations for care >>
Tătârlaua: Frescoes from the 14th century discovered!
In Tătârlaua, district Alba Iulia, well-preserved and artistically valuable wall paintings were discovered in the course of a plaster study in the choir. The restorer Lorand Kiss led the preliminary investigations. This art >>
Transylvania – Reychmut Country
At the end of June, 6 students of the conservation and restoration course at the HAWK (University of Applied Sciences and Art) travelled from Hildesheim under the direction of Dipl.-Rest. Ralf Buchholz, Prof. >>
First a teachers’ house, then a shoemaker’s workshop, soon a project house in…
…Movile – a small, inconspicuous, remote place in the upper Harbach valley. Here you will find everything: movement and awakening, relaxation and return, outlook and hope, tradition and innovation, encounter and salvation. The >>
15 churches and fortified churches in 5 days – SEK 2016
From 6 to 12 April the master-graduates of the course of study “protection of European cultural heritage” at the Europe-University Viadrina in Frankfurt/Oder visited the landscape of fortified churches. The 13 participants spent >>
The fortified churches arouse great interest at the ITB in Berlin
Es war eine ereignisreiche Woche für die Mitarbeiter der Stiftung Kirchenburgen, die in Berlin zum sechsten Mal in Folge an der weltweit größten Reisemesse Internationale Tourismusbörse (ITB) teilnahmen.
Arne Franke in Transylvania
The monument conservator and art historian Arne Franke visited Transylvania between 22 and 28 February. The reason for his trip was to continue his research work for a large travelling exhibition on the >>
Constituting Board Meeting
On 17 Feburary the initial meeting of the executive board of the Fortified Churches Foundation took place. Participants were Prof. Dr. Paul Niedermaier and Friedrich Gunesch as members of the board, Philipp Harfmann >>