Romania is a stunning country to visit as a tourist because it has such a wide array of different choices to offer to its visitors. Those who are fans of cultural and historical sites will not be disappointed by Romania, as the country has a plethora of different sites which have been afforded UNESCO World Heritage Status. One such UNESCO site is the Biertan fortified church in the beautiful region of Transylvania. Although it is one of many Saxon fortified churches in Transylvania, many Romanian citizens believe that this is one of the finest examples of a fortified church in the entire country. Biertan and the area around it were originally settled in during the twelfth century by German colonists who were sent to the area by the King of Hungary. Because of the location of the village, the villagers found themselves constantly under threat from potential invaders, including invasions by the Ottoman army and the Tatar army from the East. Knowing that they would be targeted by invaders encouraged the German settlers to build special fortifications to protect some of their treasured community buildings, such as the churches. If they were attacked, these buildings were designed to act as places of protection for the communities, as well as being able to withstand long, drawn out sieges. Because of the many skills and talents of these settlers, the town of Biertan thrived until it included about 5000 people in the sixteenth century. Like many of the towns in the area, the town of Biertan was a very cosmopolitan place, and it actually went by three different names depending on the language of the speaker; one name in Romanian, one in Hungarian and one in German. Since its peak, the population of the village has now been in decline, due to a number of factors, including World War Two and Cold War politics. There are now about 2500 people in the Biertan commune area. Despite there being other Saxon fortified churches in the area, Biertan fortified church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the whole of Transylvania. When you take note of some of the wonderful features in the church, you will surely understand why. There are 8 different towers and thousands of beautiful icons spread throughout the church. The giant organ is also impressive, with nearly 1300 different pipes. Just one of the interesting and unusual sights which you can see in the church can be spotted on the door of the sacristy.
The intricately designed lock includes 19 different deadbolts which all lock at once, in three different directions, with just one turn of the key. The lock itself was deemed so magnificent that it even won a prize for innovation at the Paris World Expo in 1900. It is therefore no surprise that this is where the villagers choose to store their most valuable items in times of trouble. Another sight in the Biertan fortified church which is well worth seeing is the matrimonial prison. This room was used as tool to encourage citizens of the town to reconsider any divorce proceedings which they may have started against their spouse. If anyone in the village declared that it was their intention to seek a divorce, they would be locked in this room for a whole week with their partner. The room itself is minimally furnished and would force the inhabitants to share and compromise with each other, in order to be able to survive comfortably. Villagers claim that in over 400 years of use, only 1 couple who spent a week in the room continued with their divorce proceedings after they were released. Biertan fortified church is a place of cultural, historical and religious significance. Visit Biertan fortified church for an experience you won't forget.
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