BIERTAN

It is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993.

Biertan is one of the most visited villages in Transylvania, being the center of the Evangelic Diocese for over 300 years. As any other Transylvanian Saxon Community, it had an urban organization with Franconia style of the rows of houses around the central square overlooked by a grandiose fortress-church.

The fortified church was built in the 15 Century. Even the most ingenuous burglar would have been intimidated by the double wall of the fortress and by the remarkable door of the sacristy (safe box) locked by the 19 locks. The fascinating engineering of these locks operated by a single mechanism, won the First Prize, at the Paris World Expo in 1900.

At the church foot one can see some small buildings, including a small bastion, used to discourage couples to divorce. The couple was locked in the bastion for 2 weeks, sharing the same bad and cutlery. This method seemed to be successful. Only one couple, who was subject of this experiment, proceeded with the divorce, according to historians.

Biertan used to be “the capital of wine” but unfortunately the vineyard being abandoned after 1990. However, dr Ladislau Rosenberg started to study here phototherapy, producing natural therapeutic medicines.

How to get there:
By car: 2.5 hour drive (from Brasov on E60)
By train: you can take the train only until Sighisoara. There are no regular buses to Biertan. For train time table please check here

Distance from Brasov:
150 km from Brasov
30 km from Sighisoara

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