Hosman Fortified Church

Hosman fortified church stands in the centre of the village of Hosman, Nocrich commune, Sibiu County, in the Hârtibaciu valley. It is the Evangelical church of the former Saxon community (Holzmengen in German), and from the village the ridge of the Făgăraș Mountains can be seen in the background. The church was built in the 13th century as a Romanesque basilica, and its stylistic features date it to the 1270s. Around 1500 the bell tower was raised and given a wall walk on corbels. The aisles were demolished in 1794. The two rings of walls, built in the 15th century, are joined by the gate tower, which still has its wooden portcullis. Of the original basilica, the west portal and the piers with the arcades that once separated the nave from the aisles survive. The Romanesque portal has capitals and friezes with fabulous animals, fantastic figures and biblical scenes, and a relief with two figures is set into the tower above it. Visitors can also see the two rings of walls with traces of the wall walk and arrow slits, the defensive towers and the gate tower. Since 2018 a Christmas market has been held each year inside the fortress grounds. The fortified Evangelical church ensemble is a category A historic monument, LMI code SB-II-a-A-12400, comprising the church (SB-II-m-A-12400.01), the inner wall with two towers, a bastion and the gate tower (SB-II-m-A-12400.02) and the outer wall with two towers (SB-II-m-A-12400.03). The parish house is run by the CEPIT Hosman association (a European youth meeting centre), which is also involved in preserving the fortress.