Hamba Fortified Church

The church, which still preserves many parts of the former Romanesque basilica, was built during the 13th century and fortified in Gothic style in the 15th century. In the same time the Romanesque chancel was heightened by adding a defence level, a lierne vault was built above the nave and a ribbed vault in the chancel. During its fortification phase the side aisles of the western tower were replaced by turrets, which were demolished later on. Its defence level was also replaced in 1854 by the current spire.
The interior is decorated with lively colored galleries. The painted pews in the aisles were brought here for security reasons from the church in Drăuşeni. grossscheuern2016_portalAlmost nothing remained from the defence wall that was once surrounding the assembly.

The church’s architecture displays numerous characteristics of the Romanesque basilicas in the Sibiu area: a compact central nave, Gothic ribbed cross vaults at the side aisles, arcades with round arches resting on square pillars and arched windows at the clerestory, all dating back to the 13th century, same as the apsidal of the southern side aisle. The chancel was modified during the 15th century, when the pointed windows, the rib vault and a defence level were added. The defence wall was built in the same time and still features a small chapel on the eastern side. The penetrated barrel vault on transverse arches in the central nave was built in the 18th century. The interior preserves the 18th/19th century pew and the paintings, which were restored in 1988.

Erected in the 14th century on the northern borderline of the Royal land, the castle was, due to its strategic position, an outpost of Sibiu and secured the main road to Mediaş. The oldest part of the mighty fortification is the bell tower with three levels, boasting a Gothic chapel on its ground floor. The western wall of the castle with crenels and loopholes was built in the 15th century. On the precincts the construction of a Gothic church was started, but most probably it was never completed. Still preserved are the southern wall of the main nave and the ogival arches to the side aisle. The machicoulis on the western wall of the church prove that the attic should have been used as defence platform. The entrance to the castle leads through a tunnel in the north-eastern side of the assembly and further on a tower opens access to the fountain’s outer bailey, an oval precinct partially collapsed in 1872.

The villager’s fortress was conquered in 1529 and 1706 and the attacks mainly destroyed a second ring wall, which also surrounded the parish church built in the 14th century. The interior space covered with ribbed lierne vault it is endowed with valuable 16th century Baroque pieces, as the altar from 1773, the pulpit, the pews, the font and the organ.
The villager’s fortress was left deserted in 1719 when the plague stroke and in the 19th century it was used as a source of material for other buildings of the community.