The village of Biertan has one of the most renowned fortified churches in Transilvania, Romania. Built between 1493 and 1522, over the site of a previous church, it is contained within two concentric fortified walls, with seven towers and two bastions.

The village itself has maintained its medieval character: the two roads that lead into it are the same they’ve always been; most of the houses, particularly in the village center, still have the same architecture, and you’ll be hardpressed to find but a few modern buildings there.

You get to it by driving through gentle rolling hills and crop fields. Forgotten by time (and by modern real estate development), it’s as if you’re going back through time.

The fortified church stands in the geographical center of the village, right next to the spacious, riverstone-paved village square.

It’s a good idea to take a walk around the outer fortified wall before going in, to get a sense of the place and its layout.

The current entrance into the fortified walls is through an arched passageway with a long row of steps up the hill, which leads inside the inner courtyard.

The church itself stands on top of the hill, inside the inner courtyard.

The exterior and interior have been stripped of the sculptures and decorations seen on other period churches, as became the custom with Reformed churches, which shunned what they saw as “excessive decoration” and actively destroyed the relics which reminded them of the “old religion”.

Certain delicate motifs endured though.

The inner courtyard affords beautiful views of the village, made even better from the vantage point of the towers and inner walls.

Some aspects of the church and village life are preserved through exhibits, such as this gravestone for a religious notable, or tools of the trade for a carpenter.

Don’t forget to explore the space between the inner and outer walls, which I think is the most romantic of all.

Here is a gallery of photographs you can see full-screen:

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Antique door, fortified church, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Climbing the steps that lead inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Inner courtyard, Biertan, Romania.

Inside the church, Biertan, Romania.

The village brook, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Doorway inside the church, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

A view of the village from inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Doorway to the church, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

Climbing the steps that lead inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Inside the church, Biertan, Romania.

A period room depicting a carpenter’s family life. Biertan, Romania.

Biertan, Transilvania, Romania

A view of the village from inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Village square, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

A view of the village from one of the towers inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Church entrance as seen from one of the towers, Biertan, Romania.

A view of the village from inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Historical gravestones, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

A medieval door lock, Biertan, Romania

Inside the church, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Historical gravestones, Biertan, Romania.

Climbing the steps that lead inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

The village brook, Biertan, Romania.

A period room depicting a carpenter’s family life. Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Historical gravestones, Biertan, Romania.

Inside the church, Biertan, Romania.

Outside the entrance to a medieval church in the village of Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

Village square, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Old door handle, entrance to the church, Biertan, Romania.

Inside the church, Biertan, Romania.

Courtyard inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

A period room depicting a carpenter’s family life. Biertan, Romania.

Notice the ceiling architecture as well. Interior of the church, Biertan, Transilvania, Romania.

A view of the village from inside the inner walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Outside the walls of the fortified church in Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.

Between the inner and outer fortified walls, Biertan, Romania.