Fortified Church Bălcaciu

The oldest part of the church is the fortified choir. The chancel, 10.2 x 6 m, is closed on five sides. The choir square is spanned by a cross vault. Above the vault there are three defensive floors and a battlement with a wooden parapet, it rests on the triple stepped buttresses and wooden consoles in between. There are key embrasures built into the choir walls. In the north of the choir there is a barrel-vaulted sacristy with two upper floors.

The classical altar dates from 1823. The central image is a crucifixion, painted by Franz Neuhauser. It is flanked by two Corinthian columns. Life-size wooden sculptures of Moses and John are placed on the outside of the altar. The altar has a strongly curved cornice crowning, above which can be seen an haloed eye of God and two wooden angels. Below the main picture is a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, executed by Hannenheim.

In the Middle Ages the church was surrounded by two ring walls. The inner ring was removed in 1807. The outer wall originally had a pentagonal tower and five square towers. The pentagonal tower was demolished in 1933. Another tower to the north has also been demolished. Along the two ring walls there were one-roomed cottages, which were also demolished in 1954-1960; they were mostly two-storied. The ring wall is 5 meters high, with embrasures at 4 meters. It is built of mixed masonry. The tower in the south-east of the ring wall is a shell tower that has recently been extended inwards and covered with a barrel vault. The entrance to the castle is through a bastion, which is now used as a castle keeper's apartment. The other towers are in front of the circular wall. They have pitched roofs and vaulted rooms inside that were used as wine cellars.