Malancrav

And on to Malancrav which our research says is a must for travellers curious to discover authentic and rural Transylvania.  Surrounded by forests and rolling hills it dates from early 14th century and today is the village with the largest German ethnic population in the region.  

Unlike other free Saxon villages in the area, Malancrav was the property of the Apafi family which meant that locals were part of the serfdom system that was only abolished in the 19th century.

Of course it also has a Fortified Church, said to be one of the most beautiful in the area.

We parked on the edge of the village as the road through was unmade and set off on foot.

Horse and cart and bicycle are still common forms of transport.

And the geese certainly made very loud noises when I approached.

When we reached the church the entrance was well and truly shut so we stood around debating what to do when a lady appeared.  To cut a long story short she was also here visiting churches having been born in Romania but now living in Germany and she found a phone number to ring and arranged for the keyholder to come and let us in. 

Meanwhile we wandered further up to the Apafi Mansion which was for centuries the property of the Apafi and later of the Bethlen family.  After being confiscated by the communist authorities, the house was in ruins in the early 21st century but now after years of restoration it is apparently open as a one-of-a-kind guest house.  Unfortunately it too was firmly closed. 

It had a beautiful display of several Zinnia species and so of course I helped myself to a few seeds.

Finally the lady with the key to the church arrived and let us in.  The grounds and the buildings were beautifully maintained.

Fabulous display of Rudbeckia but no seeds.

The 14th-century church has lost most of its original fortifications, but it is unique for its ample interior frescoes which cover 20 meters with 53 Bible stories.  This is the largest Gothic fresco in Transylvania, a region where very few pre-Reformation church paintings still exist.  The altar is another precious piece, donated hundreds of years ago by Mihai Apafi.

This scene depicts the death of the Virgin Mary.

I was fascinated with the old keys and asked the caretaker if I could photograph them, she agreed but when I went to move them to a suitable place I think she thought I might steal them

It was possible to climb the 5 wooden staircases in the church tower which apparently gave a fabulous view of the entire village - once again we decided not to.

We were very grateful for the other visitor who got access for us and was able to get a few of our questions translated as she spoke German.