UNESCO World Heritage Sites | Fortified Saxon Churches — Viscri
First of all, I’d like to welcome you to my first travel blog series, an idea that started from my desire to share my trips online to give fellow travellers advice on the places I visit in order for them to have real and useful insights and learn some local tips on those places prior to their journeys.
Viscri was established in the early 12th century by a Hungarian population. More than 200 years later, in the late 1300s, the village faced a cultural exchange when Saxons from today’s part of northern Germany colonised Transylvania, a region which, back in the day, was ruled by Hungarian kings.
Strategically located on the highest position in the village and with a great vantage point, the fortified Evangelic Church of the village is a good example of how villagers would spend their lives, in the likely event of an attack, when the map of Europe was nothing like the map we know today and when people were living with the uncertainty of tomorrow, whether it was going to be peaceful or not (in those past times living with a constant fear was quite frequent as one would not expect when the enemy might come to siege the area).
Back in the day in the 13th century, when attacks from migrating ethnic groups to villages in the area were rather frequent, peasants had to come up with ideas to help protect villagers from such events and to oversee the surroundings for possible enemies from the highest nearby point. So this is how all fortified churches in Transylvania became both a religious place where people would come to worship God and also a space where they could protect against potential attacks.
The fortified church in Viscri(photo above) has been listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for 2 decades now. Many visitors come from all corners of the world (after having heard about this village from HRH Prince Charles of Wales) to walk down its pebble-covered alleys and streets, which makes the village regain its medieval charm. HRH Prince Charles of Wales discovered the village (together with other rural settlements) from around Transylvania when he was researching on His ancestors.
The Prince claims to have found documents that show how Vlad the Impaler (best known in Halloween-related stories and literature as Dracula, the world famous vampire) is related to His Highness, which can only mean that they are family relatives. So on His quest to find answers and see where some of His family originates from, Prince Charles found authentic medieval villages in Transylvania (a region of Romania) dating back to the 1100s. But what really made Him fell in love with the centuries-old Saxon villages from around this famous region of Romania are the very long history of these archaic places, their impressive cultural heritage that stood the test of time, as well as the amazing buildings and fortified churches that were built 8 centuries ago.
“How do you get there?” you may be asking right now. Well, that is a good question because Viscri is located a few kilometres away from the national road, accessible via a bumpy road that hasn’t been maintained recently. But nothing comes without a bit of sacrifice, so we decided to start driving. As soon as we arrive, I notice the beautiful rural architecture of the old Saxon houses, standing one next to another, similarly to the buildings depicted in perspective paintings, each colored in a nice bright color and proudly welcoming visitors as they are immersing into the village and its centuries old history.
Time seems to be passing in a more relaxed and slower pace in Viscri. If you’ve visited Transylvania already, you may have noticed that the Romanians who were born in this region are calmer than the rest, but here in Viscri it seems like even the villagers’ animals are enjoying a calmer life, as the air is fresh and the village isn’t crossed by a motorway or a road with busy traffic.
The residents of the village are nice to tourists and, occasionally, you may see gates opened to their granges(usually they keep their gates closed) and this way you can get a glimpse of how a traditional rural Saxon household is structured and organised.
On a very short break I took as I was walking around the main road of the village, I found a wooden bench under an old tree. I spent a few minutes sitting on the bench, time that allowed me to have a look at the road I had just walked on and enjoy the views of the houses. By the time I was having a snack, a goat approached the tree next to me-she was eating the grass around it, it was probably her “brunch” as it wasn’t noon yet.
Shortly after that, I was heading to the fortified church, located on the top of the hill and surrounded by a graveyard. On my way to the Evangelical church, I see a sign letting pedestrians know that locally baked bread is sold nearby.
This reminded me of another cultural custom Viscri is known for: handscaftmanship. The villagers are proudly making their own food, clothing and household products. For instance, the Foundation that Prince Charles of Wales has opened recently in the village(2 years ago at the time I am writing this) is supporting the local craftswomen and craftsmen by different means that allow them to get a decent living. This is also beneficial to the community because this project is aimed at preserving the craftsmanship of Viscri.
The UNESCO listed fortified church has guarded the village from its current location for almost 8 centuries, with great panoramic views over the surrounding plateau. Although the fortifications and the church have 6 towers in total, only few of them are opened to visitors.
I highly recommend to climb up the stairs and get to the top level of the towers. The 360 views are stunning and worth the climb. There’s even a small museum inside the fortifications with exhibits ranging from traditional clothing to furniture and many other items a Saxon resident from the 13th century Viscri would need/use.
Inside the church, the intricate original paintwork is still visible on the wooden structures, such as balcony panels, pews, altar and other incredible historic elements that are at least 4 centuries old.
If you’re planning to stay in Viscri for a few nights, there are B&Bs in the village, including the B&B owned by Prince Charles of Wales which is maintained by His staff members. Here in the village you can also go for lunch at one of the restaurants that are always glad to welcome new guests and offer good food prepared in their own kitchen. A restaurant, for instance, is located in the barn of an old Saxon household which has been renovated accordingly and it is neatly decorated on the inside.
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