Fortresses of Faith

For nearly a thousand years, the Saxon settlers from the Rhine valley played a vital role in the history of Transylvania until their diaspora in the second half of the twentieth century. Fortresses of Faith focuses on their magnificent architectural legacy — the fortress-churches or kirchenburgen of the Seibenburgen. After a comprehensive introduction covering history, architecture, and decor, the author takes us on an enthralling photographic tour, helpfully arranged for travelers into the areas surrounding Sibiu, Mediaș, Sighișoara, and Brașov.

Alan Ogden’s black and white photographs poignantly capture the moody images of these “stone war-horses of Christendom,” many of which are now without congregations and prey to the dilapidation of time. It is a superb photographic record with a broad appeal to overseas descendants of Transylvanian Saxons, tourists, and students of Romanian history.

Alan Ogden, received enthusiastic support from historians in Germany and Romania, who shared his vision of sounding the alarm about the uncertain future of this forgotten heritage of Christian Europe. He is the author of Romania Revisited: On the Trail of English Travellers, 1602-1941, published by the Center for Romanian Studies.