Transylvania - Peculiaritis of Heritage tourism

Peculiaritis of Heritage Tourism

Along history, Transylvania's territory has been inhabited by Romanians alongside Hungarians, Germans (Saxons), Szeklers, Armenians etc. This is the reason why the architectural heritage that one may see today in Transylvania, whether represented by civilian, military or religious edifices, bears the stamp of different cultures and civilizations; it displays a wide range of approaches and styles, a fascinating blend of Romanesque, Gothic, neo-Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, Sécession, neo-Byzantine elements.

Churches, which make up the bulk of heritage in Transylvania, are eloquent examples in this connection, as several styles would often coexist and superpose within one and the same monument. Art styles correspond to certain denominations, for instance the Romanesque architecture, the Baroque decorations and the murals are currently associated with the Catholic faith. What is interesting to note about Transylvanian churches is that transition from one creed to another occurred within one and the same ethnic community. Initially Roman-Catholic, the Hungarians turned to the Protestant Church, whether Calvinist or Unitarian during the 16th century Reform. A similar situation was recorded with the Saxons who shifted to Lutheran Protestantism. Of the three privileged 'estates' in medieval Transylvania, it is only the Szeklers who remained faithful to the Catholic Church. The bulk of the Romanian population was consistent with the Orthodox faith, though in the 18th century, under the rule of the Hapsburg Empire in its reforming stage (rule of empress Maria Teresa and her son Joseph the 2nd) and hoping for a better political status, many of them turned to the Greek-Catholic Church. For travellers who may be interested in well-preserved medieval vestiges, Transylvania is no doubt a first hand cultural-tourist destination. In this connection, the Saxon settlers, i.e. peasants, craftsmen and merchants, who lived in southern and south-eastern Transylvania between the 12th -20th centuries have left an indelible mark. They have designed the main seven medieval towns in Transylvania, i.e. Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Bistrita, Sebes, Medias. Precinct walls, towers, bastions, bridges, staircases, narrow streets, vaults, squares, civilian and public houses, or churches were raised in order to protect their town's inhabitants from the frequent raids of the Tartars or of the Turks during the Middle Ages. As an effective defensive system was to be found for village communities, too, the Saxons have built the fortified churches, an architectural formula which is now coined to be unique in Europe. For though the Saxons used construction techniques similar to medieval towns all over Europe, the about 200 peasant fortified churches which have withstood the lapse of time and can be visited today in Transylvania look quite different from one another. Their rich diversity is due to the specific ground on which they were raised, to the particular skill and talent of their master-builders, to the economic potential, defense requirements and own taste of the peasant community which commissioned them. Moreover, visitors will be delighted to discover that many of them would still provide religious service for their villagers, with some of them still serving as food stores for the farmers' own grains and hams held under the vicar's strict care. But apart from the surviving traces of its past, from its beautiful landscapes and many riches whatever travellers may find all by themselves in Transylvania is the spirit of the places they may visit, the vital energy of the people they may meet. For though strongly attached to their own norms and traditional cultural values, these people cannot escape the natural flow of history, the rapid processes of modernisation of today's world, on its way towards globalization and standardization.