Whereto? Saxon villages in Transylvania
What we recommended you last time - Rosenauer fortress - is somehow part of the medieval heritage that German civilization has left on these lands. Some 900 years ago :) Germans from Saxony (at that time it also included Nordrhein-Westfallen with the Koln diocese) were brought by the Hungarian King Geza II to strenghen the borders of the teritory that was subject to the Hungarian Crown.Those who came colonized the lands in the South of Transylvania and started a new life here. Civilized and christian people, the saxons - we call them sashi - left a deep mark upon the rural environment they encountered in Romania changing it radically.
Dealu Frumos
Socially and spiritually it was the church that stood in the center of the saxons' lives. This explains the huge stone cathedrals they've built throughout the centuries. On the other hand, the architecture of their villages deliberately placed the church in the center while the houses developed radially around it. Why so?
Starting with the 14th century frequent trukish invasions would churn up the country. Being ready to give up their houses, the saxon peasants would leave much of their belongings behind and take refuge inside a fortress where there was only food and water they needed in order to survive. Churches began to be fortified. Huge stone walls were built around and as time was passing and the population increased, old walls were crushed down and rebuilt sorrounding a larger area round the church.
Evanghelist Church in Dealu Frumos
The fortresses had control towers and deposits where peasants kept their provisions. Romanians were hardly tolerated within the saxon area, they had their own dwellings at the outskirts of the villages but Germans would mostly see them as we see today the gypsies living on the waste grounds near the city.
Valea Viilor
This is how 900 years passed. In the early '90s, as the communist period was over, saxons left the country massively. Gypsies took over the abandoned villages while only a few of the saxon heirs, the very old ones, still lingered in Transylvania. Gradually Romanians began to rebuild the cultural heritage left behind by saxons and the German inhabitants came back to re-claim their belongings. Many of the houses today are being taken care of by Romanian villagers on account of the German owners who come here during summer.
Mosna
Prince Charles himself was amazed at the beauty of these villages and he got involved in a wide restauration process for some of the 300 fortified churches in the area, Mosna (Meschen) being the first one he visited.
We recommend: Biertan - it is one of the most important saxon villages on Tarnave (the rivers crossing the lands) with one of the best preserved cathedrals.
Malmkrog - it is older than the mountains and, curiously, evangelic services still happen here, there are alomst 30 saxon families in the village. It is hard to get there, the road is awful but once you're there... you'll figure it was definitly worth it.
Tip - the tower is magnificent, it is 700 years old and much of the material it was made of is still standing! Well... we dare you to climb it! The cracking strairs have never been changed, just fixed here and there, there is nothing but wood... 700 year old wood that you have to climb through a mole tunnel up to the top where the boards creak and squeak and a 2 tons huge iron bell hangs down on them. :) It's awesome.
Mosna - Meschen. If you are here during summer you'll be surprised to see how villagers will treat you. The tower where poeple used to keep their provisions is still being used for that and in summer time they have bacon and other stuff in there which they give to tourists along with a small glass of tuica - romanian plainca(vodka), remember? :)
Valea Viilor, a village near Copsa Mica - ex-most poluted town in Europe... And then again: Dealu Frumos, Ighis, Apold... till you get to Sighisoara, which we'll talk about in a separat article. :)
