The Fortified Church of Biertan (Birthälm), Sibiu County

April 7, 2023October 5, 2023 Koen 0 Comments

This destination guide covers a visit to the Saxon fortified church of Biertan (Birthälm) in Sibiu County, Romania.

The road to Biertan

Having visited the Saxon fortified churches of Criț and Meșendorf, it was time to continue my road trip through Transylvania.

I would head from Brașov County into Sibiu County by taking the DN13 towards Sighișoara, from where I would head west on the DN14.

In the town of Șaroș pe Târnave I would get off the main road and drive a few miles south to the town of Biertan.

I’ve visited Biertan and its Saxon fortified church before, but as it’s such an impressive sight I didn’t mind stopping there again.

road biertan — *On the road towards Biertan. ©Paliparan*

transylvania road trip — *Driving through the rolling hills of Transylvania. ©Paliparan*

Town centre

As you arrive at the town centre of Biertan, the hilltop Saxon fortified church can be seen towering above all the other houses.

The combination of its hilltop location, immense size, and the fortifications surrounding it make the Saxon fortified church in Biertan one of the most picturesque sights in all of Transylvania.

Biertan (called Birthälm in German by the Transylvanian Saxons) is a small but rather cute town.

Founded by Saxon settlers in the 13th century, Biertan quickly grew into an important market town that rivalled even the larger city of Mediaș nearby in importance.

Surrounding the town square are a few typical Saxon houses, as well as the general school and town hall.

The fortified church of Biertan has always been one of the most important in all of Transylvania.

Between 1572 and 1867 it even was the the seat of the Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania.

saxon fortified church biertan birthälm — *The Saxon fortified church of Biertan as seen from the main square. ©Paliparan*

biertan main square saxon houses birthalm — *Saxon town houses surrounding the main square. ©Paliparan*

biertan town square — *Biertan town square. ©Paliparan*

biertan birthälm — *The local school building. ©Paliparan*

main road — *Main road running through town. ©Paliparan*

Lunch

Before I embarked on my visit of Biertan’s fortified church, I stopped for lunch at the only restaurant in town called Medieval Unglerus.

The restaurant serves some good Romanian fare for affordable prices and offers both indoor and outdoor seating.

I took a seat on the terrace and enjoyed a plate of tochitură, a delicious meat stew accompanied by polenta, an egg, sour cream, and grated cheese.

Apart from the restaurant you also find a bank, ATM and some small supermarkets in Biertan.

Church fortifications

Biertan’s Saxon fortified church is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and is open every day of the week from 10am to 5pm.

To visit the fortified church, visitors must purchase an entrance ticket that costs 15 lei (€3).

As you enter the premises you will instantly notice how impressive the fortifications are.

The Saxon fortified church in Biertan is encompassed by three layers of walls, and its fortifications include two baileys and several defensive towers.

The fortifications were built in different stages, starting with the inner ring in the 14th century, and the outer two being added in the 16th and 17th centuries.

To access the inner courtyard of the church compound, visitors must ascend a covered wooden staircase that is around 100 meters long.

biertan birthälm fortified church — *Entering the fortified chuch of Biertan. ©Paliparan*

*The fortifications of the church consist of three sets of walls and several guard towers. ©Paliparan*

covered staircase biertan — *The covered staircase. ©Paliparan*

covered staircase — *Covered staircase that leads uphill to the church courtyard. ©Paliparan*

Towers

Upon reaching the top of the hill and entering the church compound, I decided to first take a look at the fortifications outside before heading into the church itself.

Of the defensive towers surrounding the church, the Mausoleum Tower is perhaps the most interesting as it contains some epitaphs and grave slaps of several bishops and priests.

The Catholic Tower, situated in the southern part of the church complex, was used by the few Transylvanian Saxons of Biertan who adhered to the Catholic denomination even after the majority of their fellow citizens had converted to Lutheranism following the Reformation.

Inside the tower, visitors can admire some faded yet beautiful frescoes adorning the walls.

clock tower — *The Clock Tower and the church. ©Paliparan*

fortified church birthälm — *Several defensive towers were built around the hilltop church. ©Paliparan*

mausoleum tower — *The Mausoleum Tower. ©Paliparan*

Views

From the ramparts and towers of the fortified church, you have some excellent views over the town of Biertan and the surrounding countryside.

The ramparts also serve as a great vantage point from which visitors can view the multiple layers of fortifications surrounding the church.

biertan birthalm fortified church — *From the ramparts and towers you have a great view over Biertan and the surrounding hills. ©Paliparan*

gate tower biertan birthalm — *The Gate Tower down the hill. ©Paliparan*

biertan birthalm — *View over the town of Biertan. ©Paliparan*

rampart view biertan birthalm — *View from the ramparts of the fortified church. ©Paliparan*

view transylvania — *Rampart view over the town and surrounding countryside. ©Paliparan*

Church exterior

The fortified church of Biertan is a magnificent example of Late Gothic architecture and was constructed in the 15th century.

Biertan’s massive, three-aisled hall church was built on the site of an earlier Romanesque church.

The church’s structure appears almost like a square block due to the limited space available on the hill.

While the nave is only 26 meters long, it is 20 meters wide and 16 meters high, giving it an impressive and imposing appearance.

biertan fortified church — *The Late Gothic church of Biertan. ©Paliparan*

church turrets — *The church has a couple of small turrets. ©Paliparan*

church entrance — *Church entrance. ©Paliparan*

Inside the church

The ceiling of the church features a beautiful net vault, which is an advanced form of the ribbed vault that emerged during the Late Gothic period.

Several historical flags of the guilds of Biertan, such as the Tailor’s Guild and Shoemaker’s Guild, can also be found inside the church.

As in many other Saxon churches in Transylvania, several beautiful Ottoman rugs are also displayed inside the church.

At the church altar you can find a magnificent winged altarpiece.

The central part of this altarpiece displays the crucifixion of Jesus, while the surrounding paintings portray the life of the Virgin Mary, to whom the church is dedicated.

biertan church — *Biertan’s church is a hall church with three naves and a wonderful net vault. ©Paliparan*

Biertan's church is a hall church with three naves and a wonderful net vault. ©Paliparan — *The central nave with pulpit. ©Paliparan*

altar biertan church birthalm — *Church altar. ©Paliparan*

altarpiece biertan birthälm fortified church — *The magnificent altarpiece. The German text reads “Jesus Christ yesterday and today and therefore also in eternity”. ©Paliparan*

*View from the altar towards the back of the church. ©Paliparan*

pulpit organ — *Pulpit and organ. ©Paliparan*

wooden benches — *Wooden church benches. ©Paliparan*

guild flags birthälm fortified church — *Several guild flags are displayed in the church. ©Paliparan*

biertan church sacristy — *The sacristy of Biertan’s fortified church. ©Paliparan*

Walking through Biertan

Having visited the church, I headed back downhill to walk a bit through the town.

Whether you look at it from up close or from further away, Biertan’s fortified church remains a stunning sight.

If you have the time, it’s really worth it to wander a bit around town or to hike up into the surrounding hills to admire the church from a distance.

*Traditional Saxon houses in Birthälm as the town is called by German speakers. ©Paliparan*

saxon houses — *More traditional Saxon houses in the outskirts of town. ©Paliparan*

biertan houses — *Houses in Biertan. ©Paliparan*

*The fortified church as seen from the outskirts of town. ©Paliparan*

old houses — *Old town houses. ©Paliparan*

biertan fortified church transylvania birthälm — *Locals walking towards the fortified church of Biertan. ©Paliparan*

biertan birthälm saxon fortified church — *The Saxon fortified church of Biertan (Birthälm). ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

The Saxon fortified church in the town of Biertan (called Birthälm by the German-speaking locals) is one of the most impressive in all of Transylvania.

Due to its hilltop location, three layers of fortifications and towering shape, Biertan’s church certainly makes for an impressive sight.

It’s great fun to explore the fortifications and defensive towers and to admire the fine views from the ramparts over the town.

The Late Gothic church itself is also stunning, featuring a beautiful net vault ceiling and a magnificent winged altarpiece.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Visiting the Saxon Fortified Churches of Transylvania‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

Koen

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