Biertran near Sibiu, Fortified Church of Transylvania UNESCO WHS in Romania

Описание: Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993. Biertan was founded by Transylvanian Saxons in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary. It was allowed to organize a market, placing it in competition with Mediaș and Moșna; it was also the see of the Saxon Lutheran Church from 1572 to 1867. This accounts for the elaborate church and its defenses.
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary and built in Late Gothic style with Renaissance touches, also have rib vaulting. A defensive level above the choir has parapets and a battlement. A second, wooden, level was demolished in 1803. The polyptych altarpiece has 28 panels executed between 1482 and 1513 by a painter likely trained at Vienna and Nuremberg. In the center, there is a sculpted group: a crucifix with Jesus Christ hanging, Mary standing and Mary Magdalene embracing the cross.
The King granted the town the right to bear arms when the Ottoman army was frightening the surroundings. Instead of building fortresses around the towns, the Transylvanian Saxons chose to fortify their churches. The church has three rows of exterior fortifications linked by nine gate towers. The first, with four towers, dates to the 14th century; the second was built together with the church, and has a series of reinforcing arches; the third, also with towers, is from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Summer 2025 Family Trip. Nearly 20000 photo and video have been taken by me on 3-week, 5914 km on land, trip on 3 rented cars in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. All 8 UNESCO Heritage sites of Hungary, most of the UNESCO WHS of Bulgaria (7) and Romania ( 8) were visited on this trip with me, my wife and our 3 children of 3, 7, and 16 years of age; total 23 UNESCO WHS and more than 70 destinations were visited during this 23-day (including flight) trip.
Those make up only a small minority among 399 UNESCO World Heritage sites and 87 countries that I have visited. In addition to 100s of cities, towns, museums churches and cathedral there many dozen of mountains and trails that I hiked or climbed by myself or with my children and wife as high as Peak Lenin 7134 m, including Elbrus ,5642 that I climbed to the summit 5 times with my wife and children as young as 8, 9,14 ( in 3 different expeditions with children), Ojos del Salado ( stopping 40-50 m below the summit watching my 9-year old son Peter summiting this highest volcano on Earth 6893 m ), John Muir Trail ( 360 km in 12 days) , Capital Peak with 7 year old Yunona Bukasova, North to South Rim of Grand Canyon, 42 km in 17 hours with 5 and 7 year old Alice and Yunona and so on .

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