Moşna Fortified Church

The fortified church in Ighişu Nou was built in the 14th/15th century as a hall tower-less Gothic church with narrow chancel. The chancel was heightened in the late 15th century with an additional defence level. A tower was constructed in the front hall, with the staircase built in the thickness of its walls. The small octagonal stair tower on the northern side has been built only later. Similar to many churches in the Mediaş area, this one also preserves some very valuable stone masonry: blooming roses on the impost of the tracery on the chancel windows and a very rich ornamentation on the profiled western portal. The massive western tower still maintains its original hip roof and the wooden defence level.
The church is surrounded by a complete defence wall with the remains of a fortified granary on the north side, as well as a horseshoe-shaped bastion on the southern side, which closes the narrow outer bailey.

Although the construction date of the church is unknown, its chancel was built in the late 14th century. In order to offer protection from the hillside, the chancel was fortified by adding three more defence levels, thus rising far above the nave. The upper fortification system can be accessed through a small spiral staircase and is situated above the rib vault. The ring wall built one century later, once over 6m tall, was downsized and its gate tower converted to a house for the castle guardian. The western Gothic portal features stylistic characteristics specific for the Mediaş area. A Neoclassic side gallery characterizes the nave’s interior, while the Baroque altar dominates the chancel. Here, next to the Gothic tabernacle and dated to the same period, one can find the beautiful portal to the sacristy. Another interesting characteristic is the wooden roofed staircase leading to the fortress.

At the beginning of the 14th Century a small hall church was initially erected. In order to defeat the many attacks the chancel is heightened and provided with machicoulis at the beginning of the 16th century. At the end of the same century, a wall boasting four defensive towers oriented towards the four cardinal points surround the church. The first floor of the bell tower was habitable, equipped with a smoke funnel. The second floor has small bays on every corner, each having three embrasures, a construction detail that can be found in Thuringia, Germany. Very interesting to visit is the gate tower, a massive structure on 5 levels, three of them equipped with defensive systems and a parapet walk on the highest level.