For almost three centuries the village was the seat of the Lutheran bishops of Transylvania, and its late Gothic church holds a magnificent carved altarpiece with dozens of painted panels. Look out for the sacristy door with its ingenious lock, and for the famous “marital prison”, where quarrelling couples were locked up together until they made peace.
The church is reached on foot through a covered gateway and stairway in the walls, past defensive towers that once sheltered villagers and their supplies in times of danger. From the ramparts there are fine views over the village square, the rows of Saxon houses on the main street and the vineyard terraces on the surrounding slopes. The village itself is quiet and rural, best enjoyed with a slow walk around its lanes.
Biertan is visited on our East Balkans: Albania to Romania in 14 Days tour, on the same day as Sighișoara, as part of a journey through the Saxon heartland of Transylvania.
Biertan is a short drive from Sighișoara and is at its best in the soft light of the early morning or late afternoon, when the church glows above the roofs. Late spring to early autumn is the most pleasant time to visit. Facilities in the village are simple, so it combines well with a stay in Sighișoara or Sibiu.
Gallery photos: Daniel Rosca (CC BY 3.0), Andrei kokelburg (CC BY-SA 3.0 ro), Neighbor's goat (CC BY-SA 3.0 ro), -wuppertaler (CC BY-SA 4.0), Diana Popescu (CC BY-SA 3.0 ro), GerritR (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikimedia Commons
