Description

The Black Church, one of the symbols of Brasov, is the parochial church of the Evangelical Church C.A. from Romania. The current name was given after the fire in 1689, that covered the entire city and turned the church into a ruin. Initially the church was named the Feast of Saint Mary. After the Reformation it was known as the “Great Church”, but the popular name after the fire, the “Black Church”, was officially accepted in the 19th century.

The Black Church is the largest sacral construction in Romania, the largest church-hall east of Vienna and one of the largest medieval places of worship from St. Stephen’s dome in Vienna to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

Except for Turkey, the Black Church has the largest collection of oriental carpets in Europe, dating from the 15th-16th centuries. In the tower of the Black Church is the largest mobile bell in Romania, with a weight of approx. 6,000 kg.

Inside, the visitor can discover countless objects of art: the critselniţa (1472), the mural painting of St. Mary (1476), the neogothic altar (1866) along with many other pieces made of gold and funeral stones of the personalities of Brasov. At the back of the church are two permanent open exhibitions, which tell the history of the Black Church and the life of the reformer Johannes Honterus.

Until recently the treasury of the dwelling was largely overlooked, until, in 2002, the specialists discovered its value. Including clothing from the Middle Ages, it is by no means inferior to the large collections in Danzig, Halberstadt, Brandenburg and Stralsund, but is not currently available to the public. In the coming years, however, the treasury will be restored by specialists.