Mediaș is the second largest town in Sibiu County and occupies a central position in the Transylvanian Plateau. Built by the German settlers in the 13th century, its name comes from the Hungarian word for the sour cherry (vișină in Romanian), “meggy“, from which comes the Hungarian name of Medgyes. The Romanian name originates in the German version, Mediasch. In this article we will walk through the old center during a very cold afternoon…

Mediaș has walls that are still visible. It also has some interesting historical sights. It is an old community, being founded (according to tradition) in the year 1146 and first mentioned in documents in the year 1267 (as Mediesy). However, human traces from the Stone Age have been found in the area. Here is a view (from outside the walls) of the Roman Catholic Church, which is also a Franciscan Monastery.

And here is the entrance of the same church, built in the 15th century.

The interior was quite beautiful, with floral motifs on the ceiling of the entrance.

And here is a view from the inside (through the protecting bars, as the church wasn’t open for visiting).

Another sight is the Greek Catholic Church, built in the first half of the 19th century (year 1826) by the Bishop Ioan Bob (the same bishop who built the Bob Church in Cluj-Napoca).

And here is a detail that says “prima biserică românească de zid ridicată în interiorul cetăţii oraşului“, which approximately translates to “the first brick Romanian church built inside the city citadel”. It is important perhaps to mention that Romanians used to live outside the city center, typically in the outskirts, while the Germans and the Hungarians used to live in downtown. The history taught in Romanian schools says that the Romanians used to be considered a tolerated nation (“națiune tolerată“) in the past, having also a tolerated religion (“religie tolerată“), namely the Christian Orthodox belief. This was considered an inferiority – a kind of “second hand citizens” – something that has always generated resentments and is still a delicate subject nowadays.

This quite adorned building is the Stephan Ludwig Roth High School. It is quite unique, the architecture being different from the surrounding buildings. Next to it is the Saint Margaret Evangelical Church, perhaps the most famous sight in town.

I decided to walk around the church and the images will show you a rather eerie medieval feeling and also an advanced degree of decay. First, we must say that St. Margaret’s Church (Margarethenkirche in German) is a Lutheran church, first documented in 1414 and rebuilt in 1437 following the end of some strong Ottoman raids. It is built in the Gothic style by the ethnic German Transylvanian Saxon community, at a time when the area belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary. It was initially Roman Catholic, then it became Lutheran following the Reformation.

The church has fortifications, the first ones being mentioned in the year 1453. Here is the Tailors’ Tower (Turnul Croitorilor).

One detail I find particularly interesting are the cobblestones from the pavement, very medieval…

When I looked up, I had a strange feeling of oppression, of suffocation. This happens because the walls are very close and the place is very narrow.

Here is the Mary’s Tower (Turnul Mariei), part of a chapel and a historical monument in its own right, hosting some unique frescoes.

And here is a view of the birthplace of Stephan Ludwig Roth (Geburtstagshaus Stephan Ludwig Roth).

Stephan Ludwig Roth was a Transylvanian Saxon intellectual, teacher and Lutheran pastor. An Austrian citizen, he lived in complicated times and his name remained in the history of Romania.

Here is a detail of the façade of his house. He took part in the events of 1848 and remains in history as someone who sought balance and moderation…

A view of the tower of the church from the Stephan Ludwig Roth House.

The Bell Tower (Turnul Clopotelor) seen from inside the Castle Square.

As we reach the limites of the old center, we encounter the Steingasser Tower (Turnul Pietrarilor), also a museum.

And as we exit the old citadel, it is perhaps important to say that the streets of the town are a car’s graveyard, as they are riddled with many deep potholes. There are presently few places in Romania where the roads are in such a poor condition and Mediaș might get the top position. Then, I felt extremely uneasy when I stopped at a petrol station and there was a palpable tension created by the customers inside who kept looking at me and evaluating my belongings. It is a place where I hope to never return…