1. VISCRI
Students: Badea Alexandru Gabriel
Dumitru Simina Maria
Scarlat Răzvan- Cristian
Group: 8214, IMAPA
Coord. teacher: Lect. Dr. Mihai Daniel Frumușelu
2. About the village
Viscri, is a village in Bunesti the county Brasov , Transylvania , Romania.
With a history that goes back to the 12th century, Viscri is today one of Romania’s
most famous villages.
Viscri is only one of the Saxon villages of Transylvania. Of course, is a special one,
due to his great fortified church which is part of UNESCO World Heritage.
Still now, Viscri is a small village, with no more than 500 inhabitants, from which
only about 27 are Saxons..
3. Prince Charles of
Transylvania
Viscri is also known due to the great job in restoring done by the Mihai Eminescu Trust, the
foundation patroned by The Prince of Wales..The village became famous after Prince
Charles of Wales bought an old house there in 1996, which he renovated. After a while, he
bought his first house in Romania in Viscri, which was one more reasons for which every
year thousands of tourists come to see the home of the Prince of Wales and the village of
Viscri.
4. Traditions
In the last couple of years, the village was part of an ambitious community project of
rediscovering and reviving traditions that almost disappeared from local life. The blacksmith
brothers will show you how they make horseshoes and nails the old fashioned way, while
the hard-working Gheorghita will explain how he burns hand-made bricks and tiles in an
incandescent earth oven. Plus, locals still use horse carts and you can always go for a ride
to the pastures outside the village, while in the evenings you’ll enjoy a mouth-watering
dinner prepared only with fresh local ingredients.
5. What to see in Viscri?
• ViscriFortifiedChurch
Unlike other Transylvanian fortified churches, Viscri was built around 1100 by the Szekler
population and taken over by Saxon colonists in 1185. This explains why this unique gothic
church displays a plain straight ceiling rather than a traditional vaulted one. In the 14th
century, the eastern section was rebuilt and around 1525, the first fortification walls with
towers were added. In the 18th century, the church was endowed with a second defensive
wall.
6. The
LandscapeThe environment surprises by the wide variety. The
wonderfull meadows are bordered by wilde forests of oak and beech.
The rolling hills crossed by pathes invite you to long walk. All kind af
birds chirp around.
Walk along the peaceful streets. Look to the old fatades. Feel
the atmosphere.
7. The Blacksmith
Workshop and
the FeltmakersIs a good one. More than making horseshoes, he is making hinges for
windows and doors, nails and many other things.
A group of women was teached to make felt. Yes, they are making
feltshoes and hats by hand, from wool to the final product. You can buy nice
things at a good price.
8. The Museum of
the Church
The church also harbors a small museum about the traditional life in a
Saxon village. Another fascinating experience is to walk around the
peaceful village and observe the traditional life and charming architecture.
there are also several workshops in Viscri and travelers can learn more
about the Transylvania heritage by visiting one of the them.
