1. History
First there was a Romanesque church erected in the twelfth century on this position. Later the Saxons enlarged this church and added elements of the evangelical rite sometimes by covering the Romanesque ones.
Saint Mary Evangelical Cathedral, Sibiu
The divine music of the famous organ
Where? When? How much does it cost?
Saint Mary’s Evangelical Cathedral is located in Huet Square, and its spire can be seen from afar. In the historical area of Sibiu there are signs that guide you correctly. The visiting schedule is as follows: Monday 12 – 17, Tuesday – Thursday 10 – 17, Friday – Saturday 10 – 20, Sunday 11 – 17. To visit the cathedral you have to pay 10 lei for an adult ticket, 5 lei for a ticket with low fare. You can benefit from free multilingual guidance. There is an extra charge for visiting the tower.
About the Evangelical Cathedral
The Evangelical Cathedral in Sibiu is a Gothic-style building. It is the parish church of the evangelical community and hosts daily religious services in German. In German it is called Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche. It is registered as a historical monument. The construction was started in 1371 and finished in 1520. It is made of stone. Its height is 73 meters.
from the Romanesque church
Evangelical Cathedral
Evangelical Cathedral
2. Tombstones
On the north wall, there are 67 tombstones, including Georg Hecht’s (the oldest, from 1496), Baron Samuel de Brukenthal, and other personalities who lived before the 19th century. Surprising is the presence of the tomb of ruler Mihnea Vodă cel Rău, assassinated in 1510 on the way out of the church, and since his mother was Sasoian, he was accepted here.
tombstones
tombstones
3. The cathedral and its tower
Inside, the arched vaults and the height of the church stand out. The tower has 7 levels and in its upper part swe disting 4 turrets. The tower can be climbed. The altar is wide, bright and open. Here is also the baptismal font where the current president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, was baptized. This was improvised from a bronze cannon by a skilled craftsman. Believers, but also tourists, can rest and recline on the benches in the church.
old altar fresco
altar
baptism
arched vaults
interior fresco
interior of the church
4. Organ
On the balcony is the choir of the church. The first organ installed here is from the 16th century, then a large one was installed a century later. The current organ, which is famous, was put in place in 1914 and is the largest organ in South-Eastern Europe. There are also several other small organs in the church. We had the good fortune and the pleasure to come across several artists playing the small organs from the altar, enjoying the divine, soothing music emanating from the pipes of the organs.
big organ
small organ
big organ
5. Georg Daniel Teutsch
In front of the cathedral and at the same time in the courtyard of the Samule von Brukenthal National College (German high school) there is a statue of Georg Daniel Teutsch, Saxon evangelical bishop, who lived between 1817 and 1893. He was known as a teacher, theologian, historian and politician.
statue of Teutsch
Teustch
Conclusion
Saint Mary’s Evangelical Cathedral is a symbol of evangelical worship in Romania and is a remarkable tourist attraction in Sibiu. The organ music is sublime.
You can read a tourist guide of SIbiu here https://mytravel.express/en/ghiduri-mte/sibiu-tourist-guide/
All the best!
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