Viscri – Saxon VillageMarius STANCA, MIEDAR IMAPA, GROUP 8113University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Romania, 59 Mărăști Blvd, District 1, 011464, Bucharest, Romania

Keywords: viscri, transylvania, saxon village Viscri is one of the most beautiful Saxon villages in Transylvania, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It’s being like this since Prince Charles of Wales had discovered this amazing location, a fairy tale from the forgotten medieval times. Today, almost there is no travel book, brochure or advertise which would not present the image of this frozen in time town.

ABOUT VISCRI The village of Viscri, Weiskirich in the Saxon dialect, is located in the south-eastern part of Transylvania, about 8km (5mi) from the town of Bunesti, the last one been located on E60, 35km (22mi) from the famous Sighisoara. Once you have passed by the town of Bunesti you’ll drive on a bad road flanked by the Transylvanian hills. It was built by the ethnic German Transylvanian Saxon community at a time when the area belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary. Initially Roman Catholic, it became Lutheran following the Reformation. Viscri is a small village, with no more than 500 inhabitants, from which only about 27 are Saxons. People say that Viscri hide the most picturesque fortified church of the Saxons from Transylvania.

INCREDIBLE FACTS • Unlike other Transylvanian fortified churches, Viscri was built around 1100 by the

Szekler population and taken over by Saxon colonists in 1185. This explains why this unique gothic church displays a plain straight ceiling rather than a traditional vaulted one. In the 14th century, the eastern section was rebuilt and around 1525, the first fortification walls with towers were added.

• Viscri is also known due to the great job in restoring done by the Mihai Eminescu Trust, the foundation patroned by The Prince of Wales. What is less known is that the work and the efforts of the foundation covers not only Viscri, but many other Saxon villages in Transylvania.

• Do not miss the Museum of the Church which has many interesting objects. There are furniture and typical tools of ancient crafts. And the few original clothes reveal amazing, charming decoration.

• Enjoy the view from the Tower. Looking all arround from the tower, you will see the tiled roofs of the village between the trees and all the natural surrounding.

“This is wonderful. It’s just like the picture books of childhood.” - John Akeroyd

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSCoordinating teacher: Mihai Daniel Frumușelu

References: - http://http://iloveromania.com/viscri/ - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscri_fortified_church - http://www.viscri-info.ro/