Cisnădie
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| County | Sibiu County | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Town | ||
| Mayor | Johann Krech, Democratic Forum of Germans of Romania, since 2004 | ||
| Area | 138.56 km² | ||
| Population (2002) | 17,871 | ||
| Density | 112 inh/km² | ||
| Geographical coordinates | |||
| Web site | Cisnadie.Ro | ||
Cisnădie (German: Heltau, Transylvanian Saxon: Hielt, Hungarian: Nagydisznód) is a town in Transylvania located at 10 km of Sibiu.
As of 2002, it has a population of about 17,871. Cisnădie was mentioned for the first time in a document from the year 1204 under the name "Rivetel". In the 12th century Saxon collonists settled here, and in 1323 the german name "Heltau" is mentioned. The town is flourishing, particulary the guilds of sickelsmiths and woll weaves. (Weaving has remained the traditional occupation of the town population until the 20th century, when large textil factories have been build.) Cisnadie shared most of Transylvanias eventfull history. The town supported several raids, starting with the 1241 raid of the Mongols and continuing with Ottoman attacks. The plague did not spare the town, neither did the fire or political agitations. In 1806 under Emperor Franz of Austria, Cisnadie/Heltau renewed its market right, proving prosperity. The two World Wars demanded their tribute, and in 1945 large parts of the German population has been deportet to the Sowiet Union. 1948 all factories are nationalized and run under the Communist regime. With its fall most of the factories collapsed, but in the last years the economic situation is ameliorating.
[edit] Sights
The most important architectural sight of Cisnadie is the fortified complex located in the town center. Originally built in the 12th century as a romanesque basilica, the church was fortified during the 15th century, to protect the local population of Saxons against repeated Ottoman raids. The fortification process included the construction of fortified towers over the two side entrances and the choir, the building of a double structure of defence walls, a moat and several defensive towers along the walls. Simultaneous to the fortification work the church itself sufferd a gothicization process. The altar inside the lutheran church, which forms the center of this complex, is an wing altar/triptych from the 15th century, realized by the school of Veit Stoss jr.
The complex is very well preserved and besides beeing an medieval architectural place of interest, it offers a variety of thematical expositions:The Museum "Cisnadie/Heltau throughout 12 centuries" located over the old Ossarium, A Museum of Medieval Defensive Structures located in the northern sidetower, A Museum of the History of the Communist Era and some alternating Art Expositions (some will be ready only at the beginning of 2007, the year Sibiu will be Cultural Capital of Europe).
[edit] External links
- Official website (ro)
- Website of the Evangelic Parish - contains history of the fortified complex and description of the expositions (de)
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