Located on a side road away from the national road that links Braşov and Sighişoara, the village of Viscri (Deutschweisskirch) is home to the Viscri fortified church, initially Roman Catholic, and following the Reformation Lutheran. The weisskirch (white church) in the village refers to a chapel built by the Székely inhabitants who lived there prior to the Saxons' arrival between 1141 and 1162. In the 13th century, the Saxons built a Romanesque hall church that integrated the chapel but also introduced changes.
In the 12th century, fortifications began to be built around the chapel. Forming an oval and made of river and field stone, the south, east and northeast walls have survived; these are 7m in height. The entrance is through the southeast wall, to which two towers and two bastions were added in the 14th century. The south tower, built into the wall exterior, had three floors and a battlement resting on wooden corbels. The topmost level kept its parapets, with their oak border and moveable logs that could shut in defenders. The south bastion battlement and roof were joined with those of the south tower.
Viscri fortified church is part of the UNESCO WHS site Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania, about which I wrote here.
About the stamp
The stamp, depicting the Romanian actress Valeria Gagealov (born 1931), is part of the series Golden Stars of Stage and Screen, about which I wrote here.
References
Viscri fortified church - Wikipedia
Viscri / Deutschweisskirch - Fortified Churches
Sender: Carmen şi Cătălin Jucătoru
Sent from Râşnov (Braşov / Romania), on 05.08.2015
Photo: Mioritics
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