The Transylvanian Saxons (or ‘Die Siebenbürger Sachsen’ as they are known in standard German as well as ‘Siweberjer Såksen‘ or ‘Soxen‘ in the Transylvanian Saxon dialect) are perhaps the most significant major German ethnic group of Romania and doubtlessly one of the most renowned from Central and Eastern Europe. They are part of the broader…
Below is a personal top of 5 most interesting Transylvanian Saxon fortified churches boasting of both architectural and historical beauty. 5. Grossau (Standard German)/Grīßau (Transylvanian Saxon dialect) Grossau (Romanian: Cristian) is supposedly one of the oldest settlements of the Transylvanian Saxons, being settled at some point during the 12th century. However, the locality was first attested in…
Here’s a top of five Transylvanian Saxon fortified cities you should definitely visit while travelling in Transylvania, Romania. 5. Rosenau (German)/Rusenå (Transylvanian Saxon) The Rosenau citadel (Romanian: Cetatea Râșnov) was built in 1215 by the Teutonic Knights. The German name of the citadel stems from the German word ‘rose’. During the 19th century, the Ancient…
The Transylvanian Saxon dialect is a dialect of the German language that was mainly spoken in Transylvania, Romania prior to 1989, before most of the Transylvanian Saxons emigrated abroad. In Transylvanian Saxon, the dialect is known as ‘Siwweberjesch Såksesch’ (often simplified as ‘Såksesch’), whereas in standard German it is known as ‘Siebenbürgersächsisch’ or as ‘Die…
Schäßburg is a very well preserved medieval town located in Transylvania, central Romania. In Romanian it is known as Sighișoara and in Hungarian as Segesvár. In the Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Schäßburg is known under the names Schäsbrich and Šesburχ. This medieval settlement was also known in Latin as ‘Castrum Sex‘, given the fact that it…
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