Evangelical Church At Biertan

Background

The fortified church in Biertan was built in the middle of a village founded in 1283, with the first mention of the church following in 1402. Between 1500 and 1525 the church underwent major renovations and was rebuilt as a hallenkirche, or hall church. To this day, it still preserves remnants of the beautiful Gothic and Renaissance decorative elements like the triptych altar, the portal, the vaulting, and the pulpit. The fortifications, consisting of two (and part of a third) ring-walls on the top and the base of the hill fortified with different types of towers, are testaments to the struggle for survival during constant Tartar and, later, Turkish attacks between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries.

How We Helped

WMF has a long history of involvement at Biertan. Work first began in the early 2000s. Together with the Transylvanian Saxon Foundation, WMF worked to restore the roof and staircase and to improve drainage in the churchyard. Following the initial conservation efforts, additional concerns remained. In 2009, WMF began a second round of work that included restoring the church portals, replacing the floor, and controlling the vegetation threatening the integrity of the structure. Focus also shifted to improving public access around the fortifications with specific emphasis on emergency stabilization initiatives and safety measures for visitors.

Why It Matters

In 1993, Biertan was one of seven villages in Transylvania with fortified churches inscribed on the World Heritage list. Together, these churches and their surrounding villages offer a unique view of the cultural landscape of southern Transylvania, characterized by a specific land-use system, settlement pattern, and organization of the family farmstead that have been preserved since the late Middle Ages. In addition, Biertan specifically is the site of many notable elements. The triptych altar, built between 1483 and 1513, boasts the biggest Transylvanian painted wooden altar, and the limewood lecterns are particularly valuable due to their exquisite inlays.