Fortified Church Aţel

The village belonging to the Mediaş Chapter was mentioned once as a town in the 15th century the 14th century. The king granted the place the right to hold fairs and weekly markets. The Comites of the noble house Tobiassy of Aţel played an important role in the 15th and the early 16th century Transylvanian history. At the beginning of the 14th century, a three-aisled pier basilica with transept and bell tower takes was built in the western part of the village. The cross section of the pillars is either square or a compound one made of round engaged pillars with capitals or overhanging profiles.. The capitals consist of cornices and decoration with floral patterns, animals and masks. The first storey of the tower has lancet arch arcades to the north and to the south, the second storey has a west gallery, which opens onto the nave; there are traceried windows on the third storey and the fourth storey is the old belfry; there are four gargoyles here preserved from an earlier roof. In 1420, the bell tower was heightened by two floors and a defence floor with an open truss-frame supported wall-walk was built. The west portal displays an intrados that is six-fold stepped by round and pear-shaped moulding. The capital frieze consists of scrollwork, rose bloom, grape and vine leaf decoration. There is an engaged trefoil arch above the south entrance, in whose field we see the reliefs of two fish. There are fragments of mural painting in the attic of the vestry; they depict the legendary battle of the Saint Ladislaus with the Cumans. The vaults in the nave and in the choir were built in the second half of the 15th century. The choir was heightened and provided with a defence storey. There is a three-bay sedile in the south wall of the choir; engaged crockets and cleft fleurons form the Late-Gothic decoration above the ogee arches; the decoration recalls the architectural sculpture in Moşna. One can assume that the master Andreas Lapicida was also at work here, and similarly in the case of the 1499-dated vestry portal. The church had a double enclosing wall, with a fortified entrance in the southeast corner. There was a sitting room with a Gothic traceried window and a corbelled garderobe in the gate tower. The inner curtain wall was demolished in the 19th century. The school was built west of the church from this material.