Biertan

Biertan
Biertan fortified church
Location in Sibiu County
Location in Sibiu County
Biertan is located in Romania
Biertan
Biertan
Location in Romania
Coordinates: 46°8′23″N 24°31′25″E / 46.13972°N 24.52361°E / 46.13972; 24.52361
CountryRomania
CountySibiu
Established1224 (first official record)
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2024) Mircea Dragomir[1] (PNL)
Area
97.26 km2 (37.55 sq mi)
Elevation
388 m (1,273 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-01)[2]
2,239
 • Density23/km2 (60/sq mi)
Time zoneEET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Postal code
557045
Area code(+40) 0269
Vehicle reg.SB
Websitewww.comunabiertan.ro

Biertan (German: Birthälm; Transylvanian Saxon dialect: Birthälm/Bierthalmen/Bierthalm; Hungarian: Berethalom) is a commune in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania. The commune is composed of three villages: Biertan, Copșa Mare (German: Gross-Kopisch; Hungarian: Nagykapus), and Richiș (German: Reichesdorf; Hungarian: Riomfalva), each of which has a fortified church.

Biertan is one of the most important Saxon villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, having been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1993. The Biertan fortified church was the seat of the Evangelical Lutheran Bishop in Transylvania between 1572 and 1867.

The route of the Via Transilvanica long-distance trail passes through all three villages in the commune.[3]

  1. ^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
  3. ^ "Terra Saxonum | Via Transilvanica". www.viatransilvanica.com (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-08-14.