Câlnic Fortified Church

The castle was built in the 13th century to serve as refuge fort for the local noble family. The rectangular fortification wall, its entrance tower and the donjon having residential function survived the centuries. Today the bells floor built in 1879 and covered with the distinctive pointed spire, flanked by four corner turrets stands over the vaulted lower floors of the tower. The noble castle was later taken over by the community, which built the old school in the precincts.
Another important building is the Gothic parish church nearby, which was rebuilt in Baroque style after destruction and has a valuable Baroque altar. It is also possible to visit the ruins of the originally fortified Romanesque church on the hill near the Evangelic cemetery.

During the 13th century a Romanesque basilica was built on a hill outside the village, but only the ruin of the bell tower covered in greenery and the remains of the surrounding boulder wall that was probably built already end of 13th – beginning of the 14th century are still preserved. On the southern side the ruins of a former bastion can still be identified.
The rest of the church was demolished in 1805, the resulting material being used to erect a new building inside the village. The neoclassical hall church is covered with penetrated barrel vault and has a bell tower on the western side. The neoclassical altar was built in 1877 by Fritz Reuschel from Sebeş and the Rieger company built the organ in 1895.

The Romanesque pier basilica built around 1260 was changed to a hall church starting in 1496 when the side aisles were heightened. From the initial building only the walls and the tower remained, which has been integrated into the roof. In the attic of the side aisles the round Romanesque clerestory windows are still preserved, after being covered in 1783 by the construction of the nave’s vault. During this period the chancel was enlarged and the interior decorated with Tuscan columns on the triumphal arch and next to the walls.
The interior furnishing date back to the 18th century. The defence wall with gate tower was built between the 13th and the 15th century. Almost its whole interior side is built with massive two-level rooms and granaries, and behind them the battlement walk. The cells were provided with a protruded pitched roof, for the protection of the villager’s grain chests, which are still exhibited today.