There is no better place to spend a quiet, late Sunday afternoon then in the Saxon town of Prejmer (Tartlau in German). The town is only 20 minutes north of Brasov, and a real gem. Coming here you might really think that time does indeed stand still.




The Prejmer 15th century citadel is one of the most impressive fortifications. Its outer defensive wall is the thickest of the remaining Saxon structures - almost five meters (over 15 feet)! With more than 270 remarkably well preserved rooms on four levels, Prejmer was built to house the entire community in the event of siege. Each door was numbered and had a different pattern on the outside (hearts, cross, stars, circles, etc.) representing the family who would reside there.



We imagined peering down the shoot to the enemy below and hurling pitch on his head! We imagined the use of the “outhouse” to ensure that fecal matter was not inside the dwelling for health and to avoid disease. We imagined families storing their food and supplies in the attics above the rooms.




Normally the citadel is closed on Sundays, but to our delight, the Gothic Evangelical church was hosting a small children’s choir. We enjoyed an hour-long concert echoing through the walls as we wandered exploring along the top of the outer defensive wall! An hour of amazing discovery, imagination, and photographing light (special thoughts go to our Boston friends who would have loved to be photographing with us).



With evening approaching, we scurried off to explore the neighboring Saxon village of Harman (Honiburg in German) with its 16th century citadel. Although it was closed for the evening, the keeper opened the door at 7:30 p.m. allowing us to photograph and enjoy the grounds. Smaller than Prejmer, it houses a 15th century church with a 52 meter high clock tower.




The entire region between Brasov, Sibiu, Sighisoara, Medias and Aiud is filled with these wonderful Saxon fortified churches. Some of them are well preserved, others are being restored. The experience is unforgettable. These are places where time seems to lose its meaning, and where you do not have to try hard to imagine life centuries ago. And in the stillness of a 600-year old church, or in the soft sunlight of a 500-year old fortification’s yard, you realize that in spite of much historical, cultural and technological change, the human spirit is the same now as it was centuries ago. - BGR & HSR