Transylvania: 5 UNESCO Heritage Sites You Can See in One Day

Just under 10 km from Brașov lies the village of Prejmer. It’s small, charming, and seemingly steeped in tradition. The entrance is dominated by houses and villas of people commuting to Brașov, but once you pass them… wow! You’ll find well-kept gardens, old houses with a Saxon flair, large gates, and barns in the yards, all preserving that fortified home vibe.

As a Saxon village, Prejmer was first documented in 1240, but we’re convinced the settlement is older; they probably just didn’t want to declare it for tax purposes. We were led to believe this after a bit of research, where we found that the Prince of Hungary sent some Teutonic knights to establish a settlement on the banks of the Tărlung River (a bit suspicious, right? That’s pretty much the settlement) back in 1211.

Here, you’ll find a large fortified church. It had walls 3-4 meters thick and 12 meters high, complete with bastions, iron gates, and drawbridges, surrounded by a wide water-filled moat. The reason for this fortification wasn’t just to protect the church’s treasures… Prejmer’s location was strategic—it was the first settlement in the Burzenland, right at the exit of the Buzău Pass, meaning the gateway from Wallachia into Transylvania. There were many Turkish attacks in the area. It was included in the UNESCO heritage list in 1999 and is considered the largest and best-preserved fortified church in Eastern Europe.

We lingered for about an hour, imagining what life was like here in the past, before moving on.

We headed west and smoothly traversed the Bogății Forest—a true wonder. The winding roads led us through such dense woods that in some places, not a single ray of sunlight could break through. The road is in great condition, and as soon as you emerge from the forest, you arrive in Rupea—a secluded little town with a fortress perched on a hill. We had visited the fortress before; it’s old and in ruins, and we always hear promises of renovations. However, it isn’t part of the UNESCO heritage list.

From Rupea, we took a half-hour detour to Darjiu, in Harghita County, amidst majestic forests and gentle hills. The fortified church in Darjiu is the only one of its kind included in the UNESCO heritage list, built by the Szeklers. All the others are Saxon or Romanian. When we arrived, we were a bit disappointed by the pseudo-Gothic style of the church, which lacked imposing fortifications or traces of battle. However, the beauty became apparent once we entered the courtyard. The sense of community surrounding this church is incredible. The locals, true caretakers, work tirelessly to renovate and repair everything possible without losing its charm.

It is a Unitarian church, and services, baptisms, and other events take place regularly; the priest is very involved in the community, and everyone seems happy and smiling.

One unique feature of the church is the murals, which are rarely found in fortified places of worship. There are frescoes dating back to 1419, depicting biblical superstars from both the Old and New Testaments, such as Saint Ladislaus, Apostle Paul, and Archangel Michael.

An interesting aspect is the rooms within the walls. We’re not quite sure what they were originally used for, but now the villagers store food there, like in cellars. The locals refer to the fortification as “the fortress of the bacon”… We didn’t have a chance to taste any, nor were we particularly hungry, knowing a hearty meal awaited us.

It was 12:30—time to go!

We’ve all heard of Viscri, and the praise for this picturesque place is not unfounded. It’s a small, well-kept village with friendly people, proud of their home and eager to show you more. Its secluded position off the main road, just a few kilometers from Rupea, has allowed it to remain unchanged by technology and infrastructure, with locals often dressed in 17th-century costumes on the streets.

Although there are archaeological traces dating back to around 1100, this village was only recognized later, likely to evade taxes. Here’s a delightful quote from archaeologist Mariana Dumitrache in *Cercetări arheologice și ale istoriei arhitecturii în zona Rupei*:

“The secluded position of the settlement also explains its relatively late appearance in documents. It wasn’t until around 1400 that ‘Alba ecclesia’ (alias Viscri) appears in a register of localities for paying taxes owed to the episcopate of the county of Rupea (Kosd). By around 1500, Viscri is listed among the free communes of the Rupea Chair, with 51 households, three shepherds, a teacher, and two poor people.” … The poor!

The fortified church is stunning and deserves its place in the UNESCO heritage list, extremely well-preserved both inside and out. It’s no wonder that Prince Charles and the Mihai Eminescu Trust chose this location to showcase the beauty of Transylvanian villages to the world.

The landscape is complemented by… a LOT of wool socks. Two Germans started a trend in the 1990s by asking a few women from the village to knit socks and trade them—initially for food, later for sale. Now, the team consists of 125 skilled housewives who send thousands of pairs of socks, gloves, and handwoven sweaters to Germany every year. It’s a great opportunity to get a better price and purchase something made in a bygone style.

It’s lunchtime, and we’re hungry. We arrived in Saschiz, where a speed limit of 30 km/h greets you at the entrance, as if urging you to take your time and admire the beauty of the place. We enjoyed a “zamucă” at the inn in the center and stopped by Pivnita Bunicii to stock up on jams, preserves, and organic zacusca, made only from fruits and vegetables grown in the village. Then, we decided to see what UNESCO found in this village that led to its inclusion in the heritage list.

Apparently, in its heyday, Saschiz was a very competitive place, rivaling Sighișoara for the title of capital of the Saxons in Transylvania. Notable Hungarian figures of the time, such as Mihai Apafi I, the prince of Transylvania for nearly half of the 17th century, held a “diet” (meaning assembly, not famine) in the church in Saschiz. Speaking of the church, it’s quite interesting. It has very tall, imposing walls, and the main tower resembles a sharp pyramid, with glazed tiles in various colors like the scales of a snake. The clock tower resembles the one in Sighișoara, a nod to the competition I mentioned earlier.

It’s known that Sibiu made a significant contribution to the construction of this Gothic building, aiding in the fortifications. Inside, there’s a fascinating Gothic chalice created by an unknown artist, over 500 years old and preserved in perfect condition. The church was erected in 1493, on the remnants of an old Roman basilica.

On a hill not far from the village is the Saschiz Peasant Fortress, where all the villagers could take shelter in times of war. It features very high walls, a dominant position, towers, bastions, and a well with a deep 60-meter shaft, which legend says connects to a tunnel leading to the center of the village. They didn’t let us explore, but we’ll definitely read more about it!

It’s late afternoon, and we’re tired from the journey, thirsty, and looking to combine sightseeing with fun. Sighișoara is the perfect place for that. It’s an old city. Very old.

Originally named Castrum Sex, it was built on the remnants of a Roman settlement at the beginning of the 12th century (on paper, so it could be older if we’ve learned anything from this trip). The Sighișoara citadel, or the old town, is spread across two terraces along the banks of the Târnava Mare River. The surrounding walls total 930 meters in length, are up to 14 meters high, and are well-preserved. There are nine towers, and interestingly, these towers used to house the guilds. There was fierce competition among craftsmen; for example, if blacksmiths from Brașov brought locks to the market in Sighișoara, it would cause a stir—confiscations, scandals, fines.

The Clock Tower stands at 64 meters tall and serves as an imposing entrance to the citadel. We read all this while relaxing on a terrace, enjoying a cold beer, so we knew what we were exploring around us. To reach the School Hill, the upper terrace of the citadel, where a school dating back to 1600 is located, you have to climb many steps. We’re still debating whether there are 713 or 734, as it felt like we climbed more than we descended. If you’re lucky enough to catch the medieval festival, you’re in for a blast. You can try your hand at a duel with a knight, shoot a bow, or learn about the crafts of the time. In the evening, torches are lit, and the place comes alive with young people and tourists, filled with music, drinks, and good cheer.

Although we planned to return to Brașov, the charm of the city, the journey back to the Middle Ages that the festival provided, the few beers we had, and our exhaustion convinced us to enjoy our morning coffee right there in the Sighișoara citadel.