Saschiz fortified church: the Saxon stronghold of Keisd
The Saschiz fortified church (German: Keisd) is a late Gothic Lutheran hall church in Mureș County, Transylvania, built by the Saxon community in 1493–1496 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage group of fortified-church villages. Its colourful tower roof can be seen from afar, and a restored refuge fortress stands on the hill above the village.
Saschiz once had seven churches and was nicknamed Siebenkirchen. Only one is still a fortress, and its tower was raised in 1677 by a Tyrolean master who copied Sighișoara’s Clock Tower.
The history of Saschiz fortified church
Saschiz, called Keisd in German, is first documented around 1308, although people lived here long before. Until the end of the 13th century the settlement was inhabited by Székelys, after which Transylvanian Saxons settled and became the majority. In the 14th century the village rivalled Sighișoara in importance, and it kept a notable position until the 18th century. In 1663 Prince Mihály Apafi I called a session of the Diet of Transylvania in its church. At that time the village had seven churches, which earned it the nickname Siebenkirchen.
In 1493 the Saxons began a large late Gothic church on the site of an earlier Romanesque basilica, dedicated to Saint Stephen of Hungary. The main structure was finished in 1496, and the whole work was complete by 1525. Payments from the authorities in Sibiu towards the building survive from 1494 to 1525. Between 1503 and 1507 the village also received a papal indulgence, and it was released from quartering troops and supplying the army of the Kingdom of Hungary.
The church is a hall church of quarried stone, strengthened by 22 high buttresses. The nave is very wide and long, and the choir closes on three sides. A defensive level of brick was added above the choir, and two more above the vaulted sacristy, reached through two small brick towers on the western side. Arches resting on the buttresses carry the parapet of the defensive floor.
The complex was once ringed by a strong wall, whose line is now marked by a fence. The northern tower is the only part that survives, standing about 10 metres from the church. In 1677 it was raised by a Tyrolean master builder, who took the Clock Tower of Sighișoara as his model. A fire in April 1714 destroyed most of the buildings of the village and melted the three bells of the tower, and the tower was renovated in 1832. The vault of the nave was rebuilt in 1878, while the organ dates from 1786.
Earthquakes in 1977, 1986 and 1990 damaged the church and tower. In 1999 Saschiz, with five other places, was added to Biertan to form the UNESCO World Heritage Site of villages with fortified churches in Transylvania. On the hill above the village stands a refuge fortress from the 14th century, which has now been restored.
Curiosities about Saschiz fortified church
- At its height Saschiz had seven churches, hence the nickname Siebenkirchen, “seven churches”. Traces of four of them can still be found.
- The tower was built to resemble the Clock Tower of Sighișoara, in the form that tower had before its fire of 1676.
- At a window on the upper floor of the tower stands a small figure called Bogdan, which accompanies the strokes of the clock.
- A stone of the refuge fortress on the hill carries the year 1343. The fortress had six bastions and a well 60 metres deep, and legend says a tunnel once ran from the bottom of the well to the village centre.
- Another legend says the hill is haunted by a protective giant carrying a noose, who is said to make ghostly sounds on one night each year.
- Among the church’s treasures is a Gothic chalice made more than 500 years ago by an unknown artist.
Tours near Saschiz Fortified Church
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting Saschiz fortified church: what to see
- Look at the church itself: the wide hall, the 22 buttresses and the brick defensive levels. Inside, the decoration is mainly Baroque, with a Baroque altar of carved wood and the 1786 organ, while the richly decorated choir pulpit is Gothic.
- The tower with its multicoloured roof, twelve dormers and four small corner turrets stands about 10 metres from the church and can be seen from far away.
- The refuge fortress lies on a hill about 2 km from the village centre. It has been restored and the trees that hid its ruins have been cut down.
- Saschiz lies right on the DN13 (E60) road between Sighișoara and Brașov. Sighișoara Clock Tower is about 13 km away, Dârjiu and Viscri fortified churches about 18 km, and Rupea Citadel about 26 km.
- Check the current opening hours before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Saschiz Fortified Church is
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Photos of Saschiz Fortified Church
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Questions
Where is Saschiz fortified church?
It stands in the village of Saschiz (Keisd) in Mureș County, Transylvania, on the DN13 (E60) road about 20 km south-east of Sighișoara.
Is Saschiz fortified church a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. In 1999 Saschiz was added, with five other places, to Biertan to form the World Heritage Site of villages with fortified churches in Transylvania.
When was Saschiz fortified church built?
Construction began in 1493 on the site of a Romanesque basilica. The main structure was completed in 1496, and the whole work was finished by 1525.
Why does the tower look like the Clock Tower of Sighișoara?
When the tower was raised in 1677, the Tyrolean master builder took the Clock Tower of Sighișoara as his model.
Why was Saschiz called the village of seven churches?
Besides the fortified church, the village had six other churches, so it was unofficially known as Siebenkirchen. Traces of four of them still exist.
What can you see near Saschiz fortified church?
Sighișoara Clock Tower is about 13 km away, the fortified churches of Dârjiu and Viscri about 18 km, and Rupea Citadel about 26 km.
Also nearby
Clock Tower of Sighișoara
Sighișoara · gate tower with a figure clock and a museum
13 km away
Viscri Fortified Church
Brașov · UNESCO-listed Saxon fortified church
18 km away
Dârjiu Fortified Church
Harghita · UNESCO Székely church with 1419 frescoes
18 km away
Rupea Citadel
Brașov County · spiral fortress on a basalt cliff
26 km away