Tarteln

Tarteln (Rom. Toarcla) is a village in the municipality of Groß-Schenk, Brașov County, in Transylvania, Romania. Many say that the village is a second Tartlau of the county. It is situated on the border between Sibiu County and Brașov County. Today 200 souls live in Tarteln. The village was formerly predominantly inhabited by Saxons, who emigrated after 1990. They left behind their houses and the old evangelical church from the 13th century.

Tartlau was mentioned in the famous “Cosmographia” written by Honterus, and also appears on the oldest map of Transylvania from 1532 as Tartyl/Tarteln. This small community has produced an impressive number of intellectuals over time: twelve priests, three doctors, two supreme commanders in the army, one major, nine teachers and three lawyers.

At the entrance to the village one finds a statue, and nobody knows who carved it and placed it there. Some say the statue is a “trovant” (a living stone) and call it “The Thinker of Tarteln” or “The Stone of Ghell.”

Author: Zîmța Andreea
Date: 20.11.2017

For photos from Tarteln, please click: Photos from Tarteln