Daia Fortified Church

The three-aisles hall church originates from the 15th century, when the aisles of the former Romanesque basilica were heightened. The chancel and the nave were vaulted, and the walls of the side naves were replaced with octagonal pillars. A tower was built for the first time on the western side of the church and together with the nave and the chancel it was strengthened by adding defence levels between 1504 and 1507. From the fortification measures of the 15th and 16 century, the outer ring walls and three defensive towers have been preserved. The inner wall was demolished in the 19th century, but its path it is easy to track on the exposed foundations. On the north side a storage building equipped with loopholes survived the centuries. The church boasts several treasures in its interior: the neoclassical organ altar from 1821, a Gothic tabernacle, the pulpit and wooden galleries built in 1760.

The late Gothic aisle-less church was built between 1493 and 1525 replacing a Romanesque basilica. It was provided with a defence level sustained by high buttresses and extended over the nave and the chancel, which is only a little less narrow than the nave. The lierne vault of the nave was reconstructed in 1878.
The interior furnishing is mainly Baroque, except the Gothic pew in the chancel, which is richly decorated with carvings. On the exterior walls fragments of writings were preserved. From the initial defence wall only the northern tower is still preserved. In 1677 it was provided with a distinctive spire, similar to the clock tower of Sighişoara.

After the old church was destroyed, a new construction was erected between 1521 and 1524 and finds itself in a well-preserved state today, as well as the polygonal ring wall strengthened by towers in each corner. The southern tower was replaced in 1819 with today’s bell tower. The aisle-less church with polygonal chancel was provided with defence level and machicolation between the buttresses from this construction phase.
The parapets of the 18th century three-side gallery inside the church are decorated with floral motives and paintings illustrating different fortified churches. The organ above the altar was installed in 1832 on the substructure of the original 1716 altar. One of the oldest inscriptions from Transylvania can be found behind this altar: 1524 is the year when the construction works of the church were completed.