Unitarian Fortified Church – Székelyderzs

Unitarian Fortified Church – Székelyderzs

This monument ensemble in the Udvarhely area is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the 15th century, its fortress walls date from the 17th century. Its greatest treasure is the 15th-century murals inside, the most significant of which is the cycle depicting the legend of St Ladislaus, painted in 1419 at the commission of the son of István Ungi – one of the best-preserved St Ladislaus murals.

A wall-walk once ran round the inside of the fortress wall; it was demolished in 1788, when the defensive function was no longer needed. A curious feature of the wall is the storage sheds built against its inner side, where the villagers could keep their belongings and the village could store its grain. The bastions were used for storing bacon and smoked meat.

One of the church's curiosities is a brick with a runic inscription found in 1929, which can still be seen today. Experts date it to between 1274 and 1431. The reading of the inscription is disputed; according to one interpretation it says: Miklós Derzsi, father-priest.

The vault of the sanctuary is decorated with carved stones. Moving right from the pulpit, above the priest's chair, two keystones depict mocking faces. Next, the first keystone bears the coat of arms of the Székely people, the second a plough on a shield, and the third the arms of the Petky family, who played a major role in the church's building history.