Fortified Church – Csíkkarcfalva
The Great Lady of Csík church in Csík is one of the most impressive fortress churches. The church stands on a hill above the village and is surrounded by an oval protective wall approximately eight meters high – this is the tallest of the churches in Csík.
The wall has covered entrances and loopholes running around it; the gate tower dates from the turn of the 15th to the 16th centuries. The exact origin of the defensive wall is disputed in the literature, but the ensemble is one of the most complete examples of fortified churches in the Szekler villages.
The church in the village is already mentioned in the papal census of 1332; the west wall of the nave is probably from the 13th century. It was rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 15th century; the sanctuary remains from this period. In 1796, the western part of the medieval nave was demolished and the church was expanded with a Baroque nave.
The fortress church is still the living Roman Catholic parish church of the village, and at the same time it is one of the most important monuments of medieval architecture in Csiszta.
Visit: To view the interior of the church, it is advisable to arrange an appointment in advance with the parish. More about the fortress churches: Faith sealed in stone.
Photo: Ferenc Jánoska (Franci66) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
City:
Csíkkarcfalva