The Balkans

Saschiz, were we visit finest fortified churche. On the premises of a Romanesque church, a great fortified church was erected in 1493. A couple of preserved documents certify subsidies given by the Province of Sibiu from 1494 to 1525 for the construction of the church. It draws attention by the expressive beauty of its proportions, and by a rigorous adaptation of a typical fortification's elements to the requirements of a church. The fortified level is placed over the nave and choir, making the edifice look like a huge bastion. The bulwark of the wall-walk is pushed forward by the bracket over the massive arches placed on top of the stone and brick buttresses.

Sinaia Monastery II

Sinaia Monastery

Sinaia were we visit Sinaia Monastery also called the cathedral of Bucegi Mountains, is the first construction in the area of the present resort, being built at the end of the 17th century by spatar Mihai Cantacuzino, after his return from the Sinai Mountain. This is where the name of the monastery came from, name taken by the town as well. It is said that Mikhail Cantacuzino and his family went on a trip to the holy places. One day he reached an Orthodox monastery on Sinai Mountain, with Saint Catherine as its dedication day. Impressed by what he had seen and felt in the holy lands, when he came home he decided to build a monastery with the same name as Sinai Mountain.