Fortified Church
HălchiuAn Early-Gothic basilica dedicated to Saint Andrew was built in the 13th century and then turned into a hall church in the 15th century. An earthquake destroyed the church in 1802; it was rebuilt as a hall church and then consecrated in 1807. Three pairs of pillar support cross springers and ogival barrel vaults with penetrations. There are wooden galleries in the west wing and in the aisles. There is an Early-Gothic portal on the ground floor of the bell tower, whose jambstone is decorated with fillet-separated, pear-shaped and bead mouldings. A capital frieze displays scenes and small anthropomorphic figures, like the head of an elderly bearded man, falling figures and foliage. In the 15th century, the tower was developed into a keep and provided with loopholes and an outjutting defence storey. The polygonal spire got its present-day form in 1838. There used to be an oval enclosing wall around the church, probably as early as the 13th century. Fragments of the enclosing wall survived in the east until 1895, when the church-fortress was demolished.
Fortified Church
HălchiuAn Early-Gothic basilica dedicated to Saint Andrew was built in the 13th century and then turned into a hall church in the 15th century. An earthquake destroyed the church in 1802; it was rebuilt as a hall church and then consecrated in 1807. Three pairs of pillar support cross springers and ogival barrel vaults with penetrations. There are wooden galleries in the west wing and in the aisles. There is an Early-Gothic portal on the ground floor of the bell tower, whose jambstone is decorated with fillet-separated, pear-shaped and bead mouldings. A capital frieze displays scenes and small anthropomorphic figures, like the head of an elderly bearded man, falling figures and foliage. In the 15th century, the tower was developed into a keep and provided with loopholes and an outjutting defence storey. The polygonal spire got its present-day form in 1838. There used to be an oval enclosing wall around the church, probably as early as the 13th century. Fragments of the enclosing wall survived in the east until 1895, when the church-fortress was demolished.
Around 1528 the double-winged altar is erected. On the mensa stands a predella in shrine form with five niches. Above it rises the central shrine, flanked by two painted fixed wings and two double-painted movable wings. Of the twelve panels, four images of saints are visible when the shrine is open, three of which depict martyrdoms: the crucifixion of the apostle Andrew, crucifixion of Peter, below the beheading of the elder James. On the lower left, Andrew, the patron saint of the Church, is depicted unmasking the devil who, in the form of a young woman, is trying to seduce a bishop. The Passion cycle shows Gethsemane, imprisonment, interrogation, scourging, crowning with thorns, Ecce homo, crucifixion and crucifixion. The altar is 8.1 m high and 7.7 m wide. It impresses with its monumentality and the luminosity and differentiation of the colors. The statues in the altar niches were probably placed at the same time as the panels. They are: Christ with globe and cross in his hand, in four niches the four evangelists and in the five niches of the predella Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Peter and Paul.
Seven oriental carpets from the 17th century are kept in the church.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the western tower was built, which was fortified in the 15th century with embrasures and a wooden walkway. In 1802 the tower suffers earthquake damage, but can be tied with iron clasps. Another earthquake in 1838 destroys the tower roof, which is rebuilt in its present form.
The large bell bears a Latin inscription and the year 1434. It is the oldest bell in the Brasov region.
On the ground floor of the bell tower there is a preserved early Gothic portal - pear bar with coving and round bar. In the left capital frieze naturalistic foliage alternates with floral work. The right capital frieze shows small figural scenes : the head of an old man with beard, falling figures, sitting man in front of a forest.
Around 1435, the inner ring wall is built, which also includes a chapel. A drawing by Andreas Altomonte shows the fortified church in 1727 with the inner ring wall with two fortification towers and the outer ring wall with four towers. The moat surrounding the fortified church was filled in 1864. The fortified church was demolished in 1894-1895. The inner wall was 9 m high and the outer wall 6 m high.
| 1200-1300 | Construction of an early Gothic church. |
|---|---|
| 1300-1320 | The bell tower is built. |
| 1377 | Halchiu is mentioned for the first time in a document in a royal privilege. It is one of the 13 free villages forming a judicial and administrative unit with Brasov. The places are obliged to serve the king together with Brasov. |
| 1400-1500 | Construction of a Gothic hall church, of which a keystone with a stonemason's mark survives. |
| 1435 | The inner ring wall is built, which also includes a chapel. |
| 1510 | In the village live 100 families, 4 widows, 4 poor people, a miller, a servant, a schoolmaster, 5 shepherds and a bell ringer. There are 4 deserted houses in the village. |
| 1526 | Oldest list of names of taxable local residents. |
| 1528 | The double-winged altar is erected. |
| 1599 | Troops of Michael the Brave storm the fortified church six times in vain. Six weeks later, Michael's troops plundered the site and stole the vestments, silver utensils, and altar figures from the church. The following year, the troops burn down the village. |
| 1611 | The village is burned down by Radu Şerban's troops. The place is sacked by the troops of Sigmund Forgach, formerly an imperial army. |
| 1658 | Hălchiu and other seven communities in the region are burned down by Turkish troops. |
| 1705 | Imperial troops plunder the village, as do the Kurucs a few months later. |
| 1718-1719 | The plague kills 552 inhabitants of the village. 29 farms are uninhabited. |
| 1802 | An earthquake destroys the old church. The choir remains standing, but is badly cracked. |
| 1807 | The new large hall church is inaugurated. |
| 1838 | An earthquake destroys the tower roof, which is being rebuilt in its present form. |
| 1864 | The moat surrounding the fortified church is filled in. |
| 1894-1895 | The ring wall is removed. |
| 1926 | General repair and painting of the church by the painter Martin Mendgen. |
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