Slimnic Fortified Church

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.

About this building

For more information visit on this building visit https://kirchenburgen.org/en/location/stolzenburg-slimnic/

Other nearby buildings

Mircea Rareș Țetcu/Wikimedia Commons

Ruşi Fortified Church

The land on which the fortified church in Ruşi was built was not very merciful to the first building erected in the Catholic time, which collapsed and was replaced by a new church in 1636. Despite many repairs, the second church also collapsed in 1780. Still the weak foundation soil, as with the well-known tower of Pisa, will bring fame to the actual church erected in 1782, whose bell tower has a tilt of 1,50 m.
The hall church with square chancel and polygonal closure is home to many valuable Baroque pieces such as the 1641 altar, the 1764 canopy of the pulpit, and the 1805 organ. In 1785 Daniel Knobloch painted the railing of the gallery with Saints and the village’s coat of arms held by two men wearing traditional costumes from Ruşi.

Fortified Churches Foundation

Hamba Fortified Church

Only the masonry of the tower of the hall church in Hamba originates from the Romanesque construction time. Most probably it was repaired after the destruction of the church in 1493 and it was strengthened with a wooden parapet walk. The church itself was not rebuilt, but surrounded by a ring wall. A new construction erected in 1749 survived only until 1830, being replaced by the actual church. The small neo-classical church of harmonious proportions stands empty today, as its inventory comprising the balconies, the pulpit and the pews has been moved to another location.

Tudor Seulean/Flickr

Şura Mare 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.