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A Little World |
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Away from the Transylvanian cities, away from the hectic pace of the modern society, there is a little universe, hidden deep in the
Transylvanian plateau: the universe of the ancient Saxon villages. Even now, after the Saxon exodus to the Germanic world, these places
didn't loose their unique charm. In the neighborhoods of Brasov, Vulcan (Wolkendorf) and Cristian (Neustadt) are two typical Saxon villages, little known and even less visited. |
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 Fortified church at Vulcan |
The partly asphalted road to Vulcan seems to guide you to the unknown, towards a world of little elves who once built these long lasting houses, lined up along the main road, each with its own neat yard. The little fortified church has been restored several times, so the current style is rather Baroque than the original Transylvanian Gothic. The citadel walls bring a note of cosines, as if they were made to attract, not to reject the attackers. |
 The organ of the church in Vulcan |
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 Vulcan citadel wall |
Vulcan citadel looks like a miniature compared to Cristian citadel. Extremely old, still preserving a Romanesque portal, this one dates from
the 13th-14th centuries. The strong fortifications intimidate. Some rooms in the citadel wall are still used today as storage for vegetables
and fruits. Designed in the Romanesque style, the church eventually combined several styles as result of the array of restorations. The Saxon architecture is here at home: the village (practically a Brasov suburb) counts many impressing houses, some recently restored, aligned to the main road. |
Cristian church |
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The little universe created by the Transylvanian Saxons still fascinates, after so many centuries of history and even after the great exodus
of the 90s. The atmosphere of these settlements lures you back again and again, because the long lasting buildings created here inspire
balance and inner peace, in a world increasingly material and in a permanent transformation.
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Passage to the fortified church |
Fruits storage in the citadel |
Cristian citadel church |
Cristian citadel |
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Sorin-Alexandru Cristescu, May 2007 |
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For any comments, suggestions, ideas or stories, please contact me at sorin AT incogniterra.org or leave a message below.
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