3423 ROMANIA (Sibiu) - Cârța Monastery

The Cârța Monastery is a former Cistercian (Benedictine) monastery in the Țara Făgărașului region in southern Transylvania in Romania, currently an Evangelical Lutheran church belonging to the local Saxon community. It lies on the left bank of the Olt River, between the cities of Sibiu and Făgăraș, and was probably founded in 1202-1206 by monks from Igriș Abbey (daughter house of Pontigny Abbey), being disbanded in 1494, when the apostolic legate Ursus of Ursinis ratified Cârța Abbey's attachment to the Provostship nullius of Sibiu.

The first buildings of the monastery were built using probably wood. A few years later, a stone chapel, the oratorium, was built close to the original wood buildings. The construction of the main stone edifice started most probably between 1220 and 1230, and occurred in two stages, separated by the Great Mongol invasion of 1241. In the first stage of construction, the main elements are of Romanesque influence. In 1260, the works were restarted under a new architect trained in the mature Gothic architecture, and with the help of a new masons' workshop.

In the fights against the Ottomans (1421-1432) the walls of the monastery got damaged, but in the course of time the discipline also began to become lax. So king Matthias Corvinus closed the monastery in 1474, and donated its possessions to the Catholic Church of Sibiu. In the 16th century the greatest part of the church and of the monastery became ruins. However the western wall of the monastery is still visible nowadays, as also the western wall of the church and the tower. Some outside walls are also standing, the main nave of the church has no roof.

About the stamps

Two of the stamps are part of the series Harry Potter, about which I wrote here. The third, depicting grapes, is part of the series of Fruits, about which I wrote here.

References

Cârța Monastery - Wikipedia

The Cistercian monastery of Cârţa (Kerz) - Welcome to Romania

Sender: Denise
Sent from Glen Head (New York / United States), on 18.01.2020

Photo: Anselm Roth