Inside the Ramparts--Romania

We're high in the wall around a fortified church in the village of Prejmar (Tartlau), not far from Brasov where we are spending two days. The church was built in the 12th century, and after repeated invasions by the Ottomans in the succeeding years, major fortifications were built, providing space to shelter the residents (at least 50 families) and their animals. The walls were up to five meters thick and 12 meters high, enabling the defenders to move about freely, as you see here.

It's probably the most important fortified church in Romania, which has many of them. It's in Transylvania, which historically has a significant German population, and it is clearly a monument that they take great pride in. That was clearly expressed in the extended conversation in German that I had with the local lady who sold us our tickets.

We also visited Bran Castle--hughly commercialized due to a tenuous connection with Dracula, and Rasnov Fortress which overlooks Brasov. But Prejmer/Tartlau was by far the most interesting.