Fortified Church Roadeş

The church-fortress stands on a hill west of the village. A noble family of Comites was mentioned in the 15th century. Around 1500 the village of Roadeş belonged to the Sighişoara Chair. A Gothic church, probably a basilica, dedicated to Saint John was built in the 14th century. In spite of a later enveloping process, one can still recognize on the ground floor of the west tower of this old church a porch opening on four sides via pointed arches. The west portal had a richly decorated jambstone. At the end of 15th century the church was rebuilt into a church-fortress. The tower was heightened and provided with a defence storey. The present-day tower roof, which was built at a later date, is a truncated pyramid with a bell storey crowned by an octagonal helmet. An outjutting defence storey on brick arches was built above the buttress-supported church hall, but it was demolished at the beginning of 19th century along with the defence floor over the choir. Partly two-storey galleries were built in the western, the southern and the northern wings of the hall church. The barrel vault with penetrations in the church hall was built in the 17th century. The Late-Gothic star ribbed vault in the choir has been preserved to the present day. The oval enclosure wall was fortified by four towers placed in front of the wall. Three towers are still extant today. A zwinger was built out in the south in the 17th century; it has a gatehouse with mansard roof in the north-east. The timber wall-walk on the inner side of the defence wall has been partly preserved.