Burgberg

Burgberg (Romanian: Vurpăr, Hungarian: Vurpód, Transylvanian Saxon: Burchbrich) lies in Hermannstadt (Sibiu) County in Transylvania, Romania.

In the village stands one of the oldest churches in Transylvania. The Romanesque basilica was built in the first half of the 13th century. The basic structure has not been significantly altered and the details of the architectural style of that era are still recognisable today. In the 16th century the church received a bell tower, which once collapsed and was rebuilt.

Particularly noteworthy is the northern portal. In the tympanum two mythical creatures are depicted: a lion-like animal and a figure with a cat's head, fish body, and predator's claws — flanking a plant interpreted as a lily or tree of life. The lily is a symbol of Marian veneration. The tree of life appears at the centre of Paradise and is often interpreted as a symbol of Jesus Christ himself. In mythology the world tree stands as an axis at the centre of the world. Its branches reach towards heaven and its roots extend deep into the ground, making it a bridge between the three worlds — heaven, earth, and the underworld. Like this mythical tree, the Burgberg stone plant and the house of God also serve as mediators between the sacred and the lay, culture and modernity, past and present. (Source: Kirchenburgen.org)

Of the fortification only the outer ring wall has survived. At the beginning of the 17th century the castle keeper's house was built, and in the mid-18th century the old school was erected.

Both the church and the old school are in good condition, having been renovated and restored.

From 1910 until the 1990s Burgberg had its own railway station. The station was the terminus of a branch line of the "Wusch", a narrow-gauge railway. The Burgberg line branched off from the Hermannstadt–Agnetheln line at Cornățel (Harbachsdorf).

The 2011 census recorded 2,557 inhabitants, 38 of German nationality.

360° Panorama

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Author: Zîmța Andreea
Date: 30.04.2018

For photos from Burgberg, please click: Photos from Burgberg