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TAPU / ABTSDORF
The church
The church stands on top of a hill and is surrounded by an oval precinct. Its three equally high naves were built in uncut stone. Its stylistic elements, specific of late gothic, indicate it was built in the 15th century. Two strong pointed arches separate the choir from a pentagonal apse on the east and from the main nave on the west. The choir is long and narrow and has a cross-ribbed vault.
The thickness of its walls indicates that a tower was meant to be built over it, as had been done on the nearby churches of Agarbiciu and Axente Sever. This did not happen, though, probably because of insufficient funds. The pointed arch windows of the choir still have the tracery mouldings and on the northern wall there is a Eucharist shrine with a canopy above it.
The fortification
The mantle wall was built with stone brought both from the river and from quarries. It is 6 metres high and had two rows of battlements and a wall passage on brackets, of which only little remains.
The Catholic chapel that was kept until 1852 is an element that proves the peaceful manner people managed to live together in that community. After it was dismanteled the stones and bricks were reused to build a school.
You can find more information about this church and many others on this CD dedicated to the fortified churches in Transylvania.
Documentary movie - 15 EUR
Johann Schaas, curator of the Saxon church in Richiş (Germ. Reichesdorf, Reichersdorf, Hungarian Riomfalva) shares his beautiful memories using the Saxon dialect, about Transylvanian places that he loved and refused to leave, although it was against the historical constellation of the time. Documentary movie, 52 minutes. Subtitles: Romanian, English, German, French, Italian, Hungarian.
