The Minorite Church, Tîrgu-Mureş

The Minorite monks settled in Tîrgu-Mureş at the beginning of the 18th century, hosted by count Keresztes Márton József in his home inside the fortress. As soon as the fortress was turned into an Austrian military headquarters, the houses were destroyed; therefore the Minorites had to move to Curteni, a village a few kilometers away from the city.

It is unknown when the works on the church and monastery dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua began. The inscription on its façade indicates the year 1725, in contradiction with the documents that certify the arrival of the Minorites in Tîrgu Mureş in 1726. Most sources indicate that the works were initiated sometime between 1735 and 1740. The building complex was conceived initially as the most sumptuous religious edifice in town, but was not finalized due to lack of funding.

The first stage of construction was finalized in 1767, in a very sober Baroque style as far as decorations are concerned, but at its best in terms of structural solutions. The complex included the church with a wooden tower and a long, two-storey building attached to the church. In 1892, the entrance and the wooden tower were re-built out of bricks, and at the beginning of the 20th century the monastery was built, turning the complex into an U-shaped ensemble.

The plan of the church is simple. It is made up of a tower, a small pentagonal pro-nave, a nave with a single trave and an altar of roughly the same size as the nave. On the right side of the altar there are two doors that connect it to the monastery. The first room of the monastery is the sacristy, followed by other rooms connected to a long corridor ending with the staircase that leads to the first floor. The roof for both the church and the monastery is made up of bohemian caps reinforced with arcs supported by pilasters. The pilasters of the altar are also decorative thanks to their composite caps. The facades are sober, with no decorative elements. The windows are simple, semicircular, and do not have profiled framings.In time, the monastery building changed its destination several times.

It hosted the Institute of Theology between 1895 and 1914 and the Primary School Teachers’ College between 1945 and 1948, and later was turned into a boarding house for Medical School female students.

Via. Images from here.

The Jesuit Church, Tîrgu-Mureş

At the beginning of the 18th century, one of the most representative Baroque churches of Transylvania was built in Tîrgu-Mureş: the Jesuit Church of Saint John the Baptist. It was erected in the North-Eastern part of the city center and belongs to the Roman Catholic parish.

Jesuit monks settled in Tîrgu-Mureş in 1702 with the purpose of revitalizing the Catholic community. During the first years, they found lodging in the home of Boer Simon, but in 1704 managed to buy a plot of land near the Nagy Szabo house in order to build a church. Facing the diffidence of the mostly reformed population, but supported by Vienna, the Jesuits began erecting the church as late as 1728. Until that time, religious services were held in a small wooden chapel. Architect Hammer Konrad of Schwalbach was entrusted with the building of the church. He had also coordinated the building of the Jesuit church of Cluj, the first Baroque church of Transylvania. It is therefore not a coincidence that the two edifices resemble each other both structure-wise and in what concerns the appearance of the facades. Even though the Jesuits left the town in 1733, before the church was finished, its building was accomplished at the initiative of the Catholic priests who remained in charge.

The rectangular-shaped church of Tîrgu-Mureş is divided as follows: the altar (finalized in 1729), rather large and surrounded by smaller rooms, the central nave (erected in 1734 and covered in 1740), flanked on both sides by three chapels, the entrance area under the tribunes, separated from the rest of the nave by an arch with three openings and having the two towers on the sides (also built in 1734). The central, larger spaces are covered by cylindrical archways with penetrations, whereas the lateral ones are covered by cross archways.

The façade is divided into three vertical registers and two horizontal levels. The first level includes the inferior part of the towers and the façade up to the gable. The rectangular opening of the entrance topped by a small semi-circular gable, the oblong semicircular windows of the middle register with the extremely plastically articulated “eye-brow” cornices, the rectangular windows with the slightly curved long sides, the niches which hold the statues of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francisc Xavierus, the monumental pilasters that mark the towers vertically are all elements of typical Baroque architecture. The superior part of the façade, delimited by a strongly-profiled cornice, includes the triangular gable with its sides slightly curved toward the exterior and decorated with volutes, as well as the two tower roofs shaped as successive bulbs.

The inside of the church is luxurious, with liturgical objects that are true works of art. The main altar, made in 1755 by Anton Schuchbauer and Johannes Nachtigal is of monumental dimensions and has a pseudo-architectural structure with paired columns which support a beautifully profiled entablement with gilded stucco. The main painting of the altar is The Baptism of God, supposedly painted by Michael Angelo Unterberger, a student of the famous Baroque painter G.B. Piazzetta. The main altar also includes the coat-of-arms of the Haller Family, the most important donor, and a painting of the Virgin and the Child. The painting is placed in a typically baroque ensemble made up of a false curtain supported by two putti - sunrays that seem to be springing from behind the painting - angel masks and decorative elements such as volutes. The adornment of the altar is accomplished by the angel statues on the upper area, above the columns, and the two statues in between the columns. The last two represent allegorical characters: Ecclesia embodied by Saint Barbara and the Sinagogue represented by a prophet’s figure. The way body movement is reproduced, the subtle interpretation of the physiognomy, the volumetric and the draping of clothes make of these two statues masterpieces of Transylvanian Baroque art. On the North side of the nave lies another of the church’s piece-de-resistance. It is the pulpit, decorated with wooden statues of the four evangelists: Saint Marc, Saint Matthew, Saint John and Saint Luke, as well as relieves of the crucifixion scene. This was also done in 1755 by Anton Schuchbauer and Johannes Nachtigal, the creators of the altar, with the donations of count Bethlen Miklos and countess Csaky Krisztina.

The paintings of the altars in the lateral chapels: Saint Ladislau, Saint Joseph, Saint John of Nepomuc, Holy Cross belong to the same Michael Angelo Unterberger. The stained glass windows made by the Türke Company of Grottau were installed in 1898. The church was decorated with frescoes only in 1900. Painter Szirmai Antal was the one who decorated the archway with a copy of “The Adoration of the Kings” by Paolo Veronese, in line with the principles of Baroque painting, as well as with the portraits of the Holy Fathers, of Saint Elisabeth, Saint Margaret and the scene of Virgin Mary's assumption.

Via. Photos from here, here, here, here.

Densuş Church

Densuş (German: Demsdorf, Hungarian: Demsus) is a commune in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It seems that the name comes from the Latin Silva Densa (dense forest).

St. Nicholas Church is one of the oldest Romanian churches still standing. It was built in the 7th century with additions made in the 13th century on the site of a 2nd century Roman temple, with some materials from the Dacian Sarmizegetusa fortress. It has a stone tower above the naos. Inside the church there are 15th century mural paintings that show Jesus wearing Romanian traditional clothes.

It is considered that on the setting of the present day church, there was once a Dacian temple dedicated to Zamolxis, upon which the conquering Romans built a temple dedicated to the god Mars. After the Roman administrative withdrawal, the temple became a Christian church, and sermons were held there. Its present form dates from the beginning of the 12th century. Considering its tradition, it dates from the IV century AD, and is considered the oldest church in Romania and South East Europe, and historically its present form dates from the 12th century.

One of the hypotheses about Densuş is that it was once a pagan temple, and to sustain this argument, it is shown that: the altar of the church is closer to the South than to the East, which would suggest that it was once a pagan temple, because all Christian houses of worship have the altar pointing towards the East. Other clues are the form of the roof, which, seen from a lateral perspective, has the form of a bird, to be exact a dove, and above the altar there are two stone lions, united by their tails. Another hypothesis, based on inscriptions found inside the church, holds that it was originally built as a mausoleum to the Roman general Longinus Maximus.

Feleacu Church

Feleacu (Hungarian: Erdöfelek, German: Fleck) is a commune in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located at 7 km from Cluj, the county seat and the unofficial capital of Transylvania.

The village was founded in 1366, when King Louis I of Hungary agreed to the settlement of 20 families of Romanian border guards from Mărginimea Sibiului in a place called in German "Fleck", on the crest of a hill near Cluj.

The Romanian villagers from Feleacu (Villa Olachorum Felek) had to defend the old road leading to Turda against thieves and robbers. Becoming Possessió of Cluj, as a result of donations made by King Sigismund of Luxembourg, this village was removed from the jurisdiction of Prince and Comite, becoming subject of the authority of Cluj county lord. Charged for services, the villagers were exempt from tithe called quinquagesima ovium or the giving of sheep (each 50th yearling and a ewe lamb), exclusive feudal obligation of Romanian communities in Transylvania.

Between 1486-1488 was built the Church St. Paraschiva in place of an older wooden church. Most of historians said that, given the precedents and due the style of some architectural elements, the church was built by the Moldavian ruler Stephan the Great. Some historians considered that assumption unfounded.

The little but charming monument was built in Gothic style, as a church-hall type with two arched crossed spans, Gothic portals, polygonal apse and vault on ribs. It have murals and icons of the 18th century (1760-1765), painted by Nistor from Feleacu.

In the late 19th century was installed here a bust of Stephen the Great on the West of the church, on Gheorghe Sion's expense. The church was restored in 1925 by architect Kos Károly under the patronage of King Ferdinand of Romania, when was added the tower.

In Feleacu Church was copied a Slavonic Missal in 1481, and a Tetra-Evangelism in 1488 by order of Archbishop Daniel who had resided here.

Basarabi Cave Complex

Basarabi Cave Complex is a medieval cave complex located in the town of Basarabi, Constanţa County, Romania.


The complex of cave monuments in Basarabi was discovered in 1957 during the limestone quarry activities. The complex used from the second half of the 9th to the half of the 11th century consists of a number of galleries, dwellings, crypts, tombs, six chapels and a quarry from the same epoch, where limestone was cut out. All the composing elements of the architectural complex are dug into the chalky limestone hill at different levels, into the vertical walls of the ancient quarry.


The main conclusions regarding the location, the role and the significance of the cave monuments were already drawn, though studies about them are not yet finished. Dobruja was under Byzantine Empire rule during those centuries, rule again established at the mouth of the Danube after a short period of its political and military decline from the beginning of the 7th cent. A representative elements series of this archaeological complex is specific for the Dobrujan Romanian population. The limestone deposit exploiting system in open-air scales and terraces, used since ancient times in Roman quarries (including Dobruja) was unknown to migrant populations. Many of the excavated tombs were built according to older, Roman traditions. Two types represent ceramics: the local, Dridu type and the imported Byzantine one, inheriting older, Greek and Roman traditions. Regarding building conceptions, religious frameworks, with apses, central and side naves, though little, keep exactly the plan of Roman-Byzantine basilicas (including those in Dobruja) from the 4th-6th cent. A.D. The entire ensemble, with its rich figurative and symbolic decoration, represents an especially important document for our history, until now unique in eastern parts of Europe.


Decoration consists of human figures, orants, riders, animals, birds, laic and religious symbols etc. A large interest group is represented by fantastic figures like monsters and dragons. These ones, together with also on the walls represented halberds are of northern, Viking origin, a fact also confirmed by anthropological analysis of two skeletons. The same northern origin, accepted by all scientists, is proven by the image of a Viking ship. Beside other elements excavated from the 10th-11th centuries in Dinogetia (Tulcea County), specific also to Vikings, these discoveries were linked to the trade route between Scandinavian areas and Constantinople, known under the name “the route from the Varegs (= Vikings) to the Greek”.


A special attention must be given to the large number of inscriptions carved into the walls, using the Greek, proto-Glagolitic, Glagolitic alphabet and Runic signs. It is proven, that Greek, proto-Glagolitic and Glagolitic alphabets were used by a Romanic population. Recently even a number of Romanian language inscriptions were deciphered, containing specific religious idioms. The language of the Asiatic Runes and mixed inscriptions is still unknown. It may be Proto-Bulgarian, as suggested by a lot of Bulgarian scholars, or Turanic, as implied by Romanian scholars. It is said that the names included are of Romanian (Latin) origin, such as "Petre" and even the possibly Nordic "Rainpilpe".


After the cave complex was discovered, between 1957 and 1962 first protection measures were taken, with a wooden structure covering and protecting it against rain and wind, but this didn't much lower temperature differences. Between 1971 and 1974 final preservation and conservation works took place, especially in the area of the cave churches and galleries. But only three protection-building segments of seven were completed, covering a surface of 924 m². In 1975 these works were stopped as a result of financial difficulties. In 1981 local authorities and an architecture institute elaborated a project to protect segments 4 to 7 of the complex. The main functional elements were to be covered by a building to assure its protection and museum functionality, with platforms for visitors and exhibition spaces, consolidation of the chalky limestone slope, reconstitution of original elements in special rooms and inside the galleries.

Târgu Ocna

Târgu Ocna is a town in Bacău County, Romania, situated on the left bank of the Trotuş River, an affluent of the Siret, and on a branch railway which crosses the Ghimeş Pass from Moldavia into Transylvania. Târgu Ocna is built among the Carpathian Mountains on bare hills formed of rock salt. Târgu Ocna's main industry is salt production, as it is the largest provider in Moldavia. Other industries include wood processing, coal mining, steel producing, and petroleum-based industries.


Diversity of tourism resources available to Târgu Ocna determine the possibility to practice various forms of travel, as: the Spa tourism is favored by the existence of natural factors of course, to base treatment of Măgura Spa Complex and facilities for treatment made by the company Târgu Ocna Salt Mine at underground level IX;



The natural Spa, by mineral water springs (sulfur, chloride, sodium, low bicarbonate, hypotonic, recommended for treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, hepato-biliary, gynecological, chronic rheumatic and respiratory tract); Saline environment (Salina Târgu Ocna), whose microclimate is recommended to treat chronic respiratory diseases (mainly asthma, chronic bronchitis); sedative bioclimate, of mercy, with light shades of stimulation.


On the Măgura Hill slope occur along a line seven mineral springs, whose catchments were furnished and used for over 100 years (1888). The kiosks are made of wood, and the mineral water flows free through plastic pipes in buvetes. Along are shown in the mineralogical composition of water and therapeutic recommendations. Analysis conducted by the National Institute of Recovery, Physical Medicine and Balneoclimatology - showed that the mineral content between 4.139 - 12.793 g/l is relevant for therapeutic internal and external cure.




Troilus Salt Mine is a working mine where the salt is still being extracted by machine and manually. The mine area used as the sanatorium is 240 m from the surface, at the ninth level and is reached by a tunnel 1.75 km long and wide enough in places for two coaches to pass each other. Over 5000 people were treated in this mine last year alone. The reasons given for the improved health, rise in immunity and cures in some cases of patients, is that the air contains no allergens, the temperature and humidity is constant, but the most important factor is that the salt gives off negative ions.


In the heart of the salt mountain there is “Saint Varvara” Church, considered to be the spiritual patron and protector of miners, and every first Saturday of December is the celebration of the church patron.

Here you can find a 3D panorama of this (only, it seems) orthodox church built in a salt mine.

Saschiz fortified church and fortress

Saschiz (German: Keisd, Transylvanian Saxon Kisd, Hungarian: Szászkézd) is a commune in Mureş County, Romania. It has a population of 2,048: 88% Romanians, 5% Germans, 4% Hungarians and 3% Roma. The commune has a fortified church, designated in 1993 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Saschiz has been first mentioned in writing in 1305. In 1419 it counted several guilds, of which those set up by shoemakers, carpenters and house painters. By that time, Saschiz boasted several schools, a hospital, Turkish bath-house and a court-house. On the 12th of May 1678, the town of Saschiz fell under Sighişoara's administrative jurisdiction by a decision of Transylvania's Diet. The settlement is known for its folk pottery (of a zgraphitocobalt type) since 1702, as well as for its folk costumes and fabrics.


On the premises of a Romanesque church, a great fortified church was erected in 1493. A couple of preserved documents certify subsidies given by the Province of Sibiu from 1494 to 1525 for the construction of the church. The township was even given Papal indulgence from 1503 to 1507 and was furthermore exempted from supporting the military troupes with accommodation and supplies as the official Johan Polder had established. It draws attention by the expressive beauty of its proportions, and by a rigorous adaptation of a typical fortification's elements to the requirements of a church. The fortified level is placed over the nave and choir, making the edifice look like a huge bastion. The bulwark of the wall-walk is pushed forward by the bracket over the massive arches placed on top of the stone and brick buttresses. Behind the arches one can see the slits of the loop-holes.


The Church holds one of the most beautiful chalices made by the goldsmiths in Transylvania. The chalice of the Evangelical Church at Saschiz is richly adorned, with its leg decorated with beams, an inscription and a trimming with lily flowers. On the leg of the chalice are carved the portraits of three Hungarian kings, i.e. Stephen, Emeric and Ladislas.


The Tower at Saschiz is one of the most beautiful examples of Saxon architecture in Transylvania. The spire of the Tower has the shape of a pointed pyramid, it is covered with coloured enameled tiles, and is richly decorated. Its top level below the cover of the roof is slightly protruded, being held up by a bracket, and supported on a row of narrow arches that hold the loop-holes on the cornice. Its defensive role was strengthened by the elevation of the vestry with solid masonry. The twelve skylights, three on each side of the Tower, the four turrets on its corners, and the highly pointed spire with its bulb-shaped iron-plated base, make it look like the building that actually inspired it the Clock Tower at Sighişoara.


In the old days the settlement was surrounded by a defensive wall. Its remains are the present enclosure of the premises. The fortified church was also watched over by the stronghold built on the hill next from the village.


The Fortified peasant fortress stands on a wooded hill close to the village and has an ellipsoidal plan, tall walls and towers. The Old fortress of Saschiz, as it is also called, just like the Rasnov fortress, is not a typical fortification for Transylvania. The construction of the refuge fortress evinces the transition from the Romanesque to the Gothic architectural styles in Transylvania, which was put an end to in the 14th century. This is proved by the Fortress' bent roof and loop-holes provided with a wooden beam that would rotate in order to ensure a better aiming at the enemy. This system of arrow loops and fire holes is also to be found at the fortresses of Rupea and Prejmer. The stone walls of the Fortress are 7-9 m tall, and they are fortified by square defensive towers. The towers' names, i.e. the School Tower, the Fire Powder Tower, the Priests' Tower, the Princess' Tower, the Guard's Tower indicate that the village community was well organized. The Old Fortress has kept a 65 m deep fountain to the day.

Dârjiu fortified church

Dârjiu (Hungarian: Székelyderzs) is a commune in Harghita County, Romania comprising of 2 villages: Dârjiu and Mujna. The commune has an absolute Szekler (Székely - Hungarian) majority (98.3%) and it is situated 18 km away from Sighişoara on a county road. Szeklers are a Hungarian ethnic group mostly living in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and a part of Mureş counties. Dârjiu was first mentioned in writing in 1334, but on its present territory have been discovered early human traces dating from the neolithic age.


The village of Dârjiu is home to a 13th century fortified church, which is today Unitarian, and is on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites List. Unitariansm was an official religion in Transylvania from the 1583 Mediaş (Hungarian: Medgyes) parliament. The first bishop was Ferenc Dávid, a local Hungarian-speaking Saxon.


Formerly built in the Romanesque style (14th and 15th centuries), the Church acquired a Gothic aspect in 1640, under the rule of Transylvania's prince György Rákóczi I (1630-1648). Fortified in 1400, it has a rectangular precinct with high walls, strengthened by five towers. The Gate Tower preserves its original aspect, with massive masonry pierced by loop-holes provided with wooden shutters. The fortified church was embellished by Gothic rib vaults; unfortunately, the rib embedding process damaged many of the original murals dating from 1419.


The fortified storey covers both the nave and the choir, while the parapet of the wall-walk supported on corbels is placed over the buttresses. This set-up facilitates the wide opening of the loop-holes below the cornice. Although designed for utility purposes, these loop-holes have a special decorative effect. So has the stairway to the organ, dating from 1837. Placed on the eastern side of the building, the stairway is massively carved in rigorously cut planes. The church has the overall aspect of a bastion, with a high roof and no towers. The precinct is covered by an inner roof below which can be seen the supply cells where the villagers have stored their hams to the day. The church has a big bell dating from 1612, which was donated to it by Ioan Petki, a general in the Székelys' army and a chancellor of Transylvania. In the northwestern corner of the church there is a deep fountain that used to supply water during wars.


The fortified church at Dârjiu is well-known due to its murals discovered in 1887. Their author is master painter Paul, Stephen of Ung's son, born in Slovakia. Educated in an eclectic environment, the painter would blend the Gothic and the Italian Renaissance styles. The artist depicted himself on one of the frescoes. Close to him, on a flag that waves somewhere over his head, there is an inscription in Latin written in Gothic small letters which says "This work was done and prepared by master painter Paul, son of Stephen of Ung, fourteen nineteen A.D. I was writing and thinking of a beautiful girl". This text shows the artist's surprising freedom of expression, as well as the fact that in 1419, the Transylvanian society was not at all far from the Renaissance spirit.


Unfortunately, very few of the initial murals have been preserved to the day. Most of them were effaced when the bracket rib vaults were built, by the end of the 15th century, and also, later on, in the 17th century, when a gallery was added. Murals depict Apostle Paul's Conversion, the Martyrdom of the 10,000, as well as several likenesses of sanctified bishops. The most valuable paintings are those relating to King Ladislas' Legend (In the Pursuit of the Cumanian, The Wrestle, The Cumanian's Defeat and Killing, Ladislas' Rest). The frescoes inside the church are considered the most impressive creations from medieval Transylvania.


The villagers keep their grains in the fortress even today. The same with the ham, bacon, lard and smoked pork products, which are kept in the bastions. As concerns the grains, they can take them home every morning but the pork products only once a week (Internet infos compilation).

Biertan fortified church

Biertan (German: Birthälm, Romani: Biyertan, Hungarian: Berethalom) is a commune in central Romania, in the north of the Sibiu County, 80 km north of Sibiu and 15 km east of Mediaş. 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. It was the seat of the Lutheran Evangelical Diocese in Transylvania between 1572 and 1867. It is one of the most visited villages in Transylvania, being the historically important place of the annual reunion of the Transylvanian Saxons, many of whom now live in Germany.


Biertan is one of the first German settlements in Transylvania placed between the two "Seats" (Mediaş and Şeica) in the Andreean Diploma from 1224. The first attestation of its name has been certified since 1283, in a document about the taxes demanded by the Catholic Capital from Alba Iulia to the Catholic priests from the Transylvanian Saxon communities. As any other Transylvanian Saxon Community, it had an urban organization, being noticed the franconic style of the rows of houses around the central square overlooked by a grandiose fortress-church.


This heavily fortified church sits on a hilltop in the center of Biertan village. The church was mentioned for the first time in 1402; most likely a Gothic basilica, it was completely demolished. The only remains of the original church are some stone vault ribs and a few bosses.


Today’s church is a hall-shaped church with a chief nave and two side-aisles. The four-bay church has a 5/8 apse and was built between 1500 and 1525, during the time of Priest “Baccalaureus Johannis”. The church has net-shaped brick-ribbed vaults over its entire ceiling.




Late-Gothic and Renaissance stone masonry is also preserved, including doorways, brackets, the pulpit, and other items. The wooden furniture, the doors, and the folding triptych date back to the beginning of the 16th century. Inside the church the late Gothic shrine, in the form of a triptych was realized in more stages between 1515-1524. The pews are made between 1514-1523 by Reychmut from Sighişoara and are ones of the most valuable pews of this kind from Transylvania. The Europa Nostra restoration from 1978 to 1991 revealed parts of the former paintings and inscriptions.



The pulpit was made in 1523 by the stone carver Ulrich, from Braşov. The painting on the wood of the pulpit is from 1754. The pulpit is impressive for the biblical scenes reproduction and for the adornment with architectural and vegetal motifs very carefully painted in the transition style from Gothic to Renaissance.


An organ existed in a church since 1523 (the organ player Bartholomaeus is mentioned); it was replaced in 1731, in 1785 (by Samuel Metz), then in 1869, when the Hessian Company in Vienna built a new organ with 1290 tubes, 2 manuals, pedals and 25 registers.



The artist Johannes Reichmuth from Sighişoara made in 1515 the special door of the vestry. The vestry has an intricate blocking system of the door which moved simultaneously 15 lockers. The room of the vestry shielded the treasure of the church and of the village when there was a siedge. In this room there can stil be seen tools of the Transylvanian crafters, paintings, jugs and bowls in Renaissance style.



On the southern part of the upper plateau, the "Catholic Tower" contains preserved fresco paintings from the mid-15th century. The two shielding walls, which partially lie on arches, are strengthened by many towers and a bastion. To reach the upper plateau of the fortress, one must pass four gate-towers. The outer wall, situated mostly at the base of the hill, is strengthened to the west and south by two fortified zwingers with gate towers.