Viscri Fortified Church

The hall church erected in the 15th century was fortified at the beginning of the 16th century by surrounding the precincts with an oval wall with loopholes, five defence towers and with a later added outer bailey. In the same time two defence levels were built above the chancel, only to be demolished in the 19th century and replaced by a hipped roof. A bell tower with Baroque roof replaced the medieval gate tower in 1862.
Inside the church the organ built by Samuel Maetz in 1825 can be found, as well as the 16th century pews and font. The valuable late Gothic pre-Reformation altar, which was built in the 16th century, was brought to Saint John’s Church in Sibiu.
In the 19th century the fast growing community required more space. Therefore, above the existing 17th century gallery, painted with floral typical regional patterns, another gallery was built. The later was then prolonged in the chancel, where another level was added under it.

The 13th century late Romanesque pillar basilica was early prepared for battle by demolition of the side naves and fortification of the central nave and the tower by adding defence levels. The chancel was heightened in 1500 by adding a defence level with machicolations. The 1847 added tower marks the present image of the church. The interior impresses with its tall and narrow proportions, underlined by the two-story balcony on the northern side, erected between 1680 and 1775. The railings were painted by the Roessler family, grandfather and grandson. The fortification wall, originating in the 14th century was strengthen by four towers and had grain storage rooms on the inside.

The fortification in Roadeş consists of the former aisle-less hall church with polygonal chancel and bell tower built in the 14th century. The church was fortified in the 15th century and the tower was surrounded by a massive wall, which enclosed the former open entrance atrium. The chancel and the nave were provided with defence levels on buttresses and loopholes. Sideways a two-level sacristy was built and the tower was heightened by five levels and a defensive platform. Most of the defensive systems of the chancel, nave and the tower were demolished in the 19th century.
The church was surrounded by a curtain wall with outer bailey and five defensive towers. Only three of them still stand today. The interior features a late Gothic chancel vault, a partially two-level gallery painted with images of the Roadeş church in its Baroque phase, before the demolition of its defence levels, as well as the 1838 organ. The valuable winged altar from 1533 has been moved to the Saint John’s Church in Sibiu.

In February, 2016 it came to a partial collapse of the tower.