Fortresses of faith : a pictorial history of the fortified Saxon churches of Romania / written and photographed by Alan Ogden.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ogden, Alan, 1948-

Contributor:

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fortress-churches--Romania--Transylvania--Pictorial works.

Fortress-churches.

Romania--Transylvania.

Church buildings--Romania--Transylvania--Pictorial works.

Church buildings.

Church architecture--Romania--Transylvania--Pictorial works.

Church architecture.

Transylvania (Romania)--Description and travel--Pictorial works.

Transylvania (Romania).

Transylvania (Romania)--Church history.

Germans--Romania--Transylvania--History.

Germans.

History.

Genre:

Pictorial works.

Physical Description:

132 pages : chiefly illustrations, plans, maps ; 27 x 31 cm

Place of Publication:

Iași ; Portland, OR : Center for Romanian Studies, 2000.

Summary:

As the second millennium begins the story of the Saxon settlers in Transylvania assumes a particular historic pertinence. For nearly a thousand years, these stalwart people from the Rhine valley and thereabouts played a key role in the diaspora in the second half of this century. Fortresses of Faith focuses on their magnificent architectural legacy -the fortress- churches or kirchenburngen of the Seibenburgen. After a comprehensive introduction covering history, architecture, and dcor, the author takes us on an enthralling photographic tour, helpfully arranged for travelers into the areas surrounding Sibiu, Medias, Sighisoara, Brasov. His black and white photographs poignantly capture the moody images of these stone war-horses of Christendom; many of which are now without congregations and prey to the dilapidation of time. This book is a superb photographic record with a broad appeal to overseas descendants of Transylvania Saxons, tourist and students of Romanian history. This is the

Contents:

Chapter I The Great Trek Out and Back 9

Chapter II The Five Hundred Year War 13

Chapter III Built by the People for the People 17

Chapter IV "In God Do We Trust" 21

Illustrations from the Sibiu Area 25

Illustrations from the Medias Area 47

Illustrations from the Sighisoara Area 89

Illustrations from the Brasov Area 111

Index of Town and Village Names in German, Saxon, Romanian, and Hungarian 125

Ground Plans of the Kirchenburgs 128

Suggested Tours 132

Map of the Western Lands

Map of the Eastern Lands.

Notes:

Includes maps on lining papers.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

ISBN:

9739432085

OCLC:

45003604