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Er-leben im Herzen Rumäniens
The Harbachtal, or Valea Hârtibaciului in Romanian, is a true hidden gem in the heart of Transylvania. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the more famous Carpathian routes, you will find a gentle, almost untouched hilly landscape here between Sibiu (Hermannstadt) and Sighișoara (Schäßburg). Continue reading “My Travel Tip: The Harbachtal in Spring”
Hermannstadt, or Sibiu as it is called in Romanian, is undoubtedly a cultural center and a magnet for visitors from all over Europe. The gently renovated alleys, the large squares, and the lively hustle and bustle invite You to linger. But those who seek the true, original Transylvania must leave the beaten tourist paths. Only a relatively short drive away from the pulsating city, a place hides in a gentle hilly landscape where time seems to have stood still: the valley of Urwegen, often also mentioned in the context of Apold.
This travel report takes You to a place of silence. A place that tells of a volatile past and, for me as a photographer, represents an inexhaustible source of inspiration.
The history of Urwegen is deeply rooted in the settlement of Transylvania by German-speaking immigrants, the Transylvanian Saxons. As in so many villages in the region, life here over the centuries was characterized by hard agricultural work and the constant threat of external enemies. To protect themselves from Ottoman and Tatar raids, the villagers began to fortify their church in the Middle Ages.
Urwegen holds an architectural and historical peculiarity: The complex is one of the last preserved Gräfenburgs (Count’s castles) in Transylvania. Originally built as the residence of the local nobles – the so-called Gräfen – it was only taken over and further expanded by the village community over time.
A fortified church was created. High ring walls, defense towers, and loopholes still bear witness to the unconditional will to defend the community. The church was not only the spiritual center but, in case of emergency, the last refuge for the entire village. For generations, the complex was maintained, expanded, and repaired until the massive geopolitical changes of the 20th century altered the face of the village forever.
With the mass exodus of the Transylvanian Saxons after the political changes of 1989/1990 in Romania, many villages were left almost deserted. In Urwegen, too, this turning point is clearly felt. The fortified church, once the pulsating center of a lively community, now stands mostly silent and imposing in the landscape.
The current situation is a mix of melancholic decay and hopeful preservation. While some parts of the ring wall cannot hide the traces of time and weather, there are always efforts by local initiatives, foundations, and former residents to secure the structure. The roof of the church was secured in the past to prevent water penetration. A walk through the courtyard of the fortress is like a journey into the past. You can literally feel the history in the old, hand-hewn stones and the massive oak wood of the battlements.
As a photographer, I am always looking for motifs that speak their own language and convey emotions. Urwegen offers a fantastic backdrop for this. Here are my preferred photo spots:
Arrival from Hermannstadt (Sibiu): The drive with Your own vehicle or a rental car takes just over an hour, depending on the exact route and road conditions. Leave Sibiu in a westerly direction. The last few kilometers lead over easily navigable country roads that wind picturesquely through the hilly landscape. Use a navigation system so You don’t miss the exact turn-off into the valley.
The key to the fortified church: As with almost all remote fortified churches in Transylvania, the gate is not simply open. To visit the interior of the complex, You have to find the key keeper. Usually, there is a small note with a phone number (often in Romanian or German) hanging on the main gate. Alternatively, it is worth asking respectfully at the direct neighbors of the fortress, often in house number 1 or the parsonage opposite. The local people are usually very helpful. A small donation for the maintenance of the church following the visit is always highly appreciated and helps directly with the preservation of this cultural heritage.
Urwegen is not a place for fast tourism. It is a place for explorers, for people who can embrace the silence and seek beauty in the imperfect. Take Your time to explore the valley on foot, speak with the few people You meet, and let the special atmosphere of this hidden jewel work its magic on You.
Renovating a 150-year-old building comes with many challenges. One of the most severe mistakes made with old buildings is the use of modern building materials like cement or synthetic resin-based plasters. These materials seal the historical masonry, trap moisture, and inevitably lead to massive structural damage.
The only professional solution for preserving old building fabric is a return to a traditional binder: lime. In this post, I will show in detail how lime mortar is used for masonry and plastering, and which special techniques are necessary for damp areas such as plinths, garden walls, and even the bathroom (Tadelakt).
When repairing load-bearing walls or laying new historical stones, a pure lime mortar is essential. It adapts to the thermal and static movements of the old house.
A pure lime plaster is the best insurance against mold. Due to its naturally high pH value (alkaline), it deprives mold spores of any basis for life. Additionally, it absorbs moisture when humidity is high and releases it when the air is dry.
Here we reach the limits of normal non-hydraulic lime. Areas permanently exposed to heavy moisture or even splashing water (foundations, the exterior plinth of the house, or freestanding garden walls) require a different approach. Non-hydraulic lime does not set under wet conditions and would be washed away.
The solution is hydraulic lime.
NHL (Natural Hydraulic Lime) is burnt from special limestones that naturally contain clay minerals. These clay components ensure that the lime hardens not only through CO2 from the air but also through a chemical reaction with water. It becomes stronger than non-hydraulic lime and is frost- and water-resistant, yet remains breathable and softer than cement.
In the plinth area, the masonry often draws salt-laden moisture from the ground. Here, a special plinth plaster made of NHL (usually NHL 3.5 or NHL 5) and coarse, open-pored sand is applied. This plaster acts as a “sacrificial plaster”. It allows the water to evaporate while the harmful salts crystallize on the plaster surface. After 10 to 15 years, this plaster becomes saturated, crumbles off, and is renewed. The historical masonry behind it, however, remains intact.
If no NHL is available, normal lime putty can be made hydraulic by adding pozzolans (e.g., brick dust from crushed old roof tiles or volcanic trass). The Romans already used this technique for their aqueducts. The brick dust reacts with the lime and makes it waterproof – ideal for the tops of garden walls that are exposed to rain without protection.
The antique Moroccan plastering technique Tadelakt proves that lime can also be highly water-repellent. It is the perfect, seamless alternative to modern tiles in a historical farmhouse.
Tadelakt uses a special, strongly hydraulic shell lime. It is applied in several thin layers. The crucial step is compaction: before the plaster fully hardens, the surface is polished with a smooth semi-precious stone (e.g., agate) under strong pressure in small, circular movements. Finally, pure olive oil soap is applied. The fatty acids of the soap react with the highly alkaline lime to form water-insoluble lime soap.
The result is a fascinating, slightly wavy surface that is waterproof but remains breathable. It is perfectly suited for shower walls or as a splashback in a country kitchen. Visually, Tadelakt offers a depth and liveliness that industrially manufactured tiles can never achieve.
Since the plinth area is the most common problem zone in old houses, here is the exact procedure for a breathable renovation plaster based on hydraulic lime.
When the last snowfields in the Romanian Carpathians melt at the end of March and the first wildflowers bathe the valleys in a delicate green, Transylvania reveals its most authentic side. Forget the overcrowded Bran Castle or the classic Dracula myths. Transylvania in spring is a place of longing for true explorers, individual tourists, and lovers of rugged nature and centuries-old culture.
The late March and early April sun wakes the sleepy villages from their winter slumber. The air is still crisp, but the roads are free from the summer tourist crowds. Now is your chance to immerse yourself in authentic rural life and experience the warm hospitality of the locals unfiltered.
While Viscri is now well-known to many, you will still find absolute tranquility in villages like Mălâncrav (Malmkrog) or Cincșor (Kleinschenk). These fortified churches, built by the Transylvanian Saxons, sit majestically in the rolling hills. In spring, you can stroll for hours through the old apple orchards here without meeting a single soul.
For nature lovers, the Apuseni Nature Park is an absolute must. The karst mountain range is riddled with caves, gorges, and dense forests. A hike to the Cetățile Ponorului (Fortresses of Ponor) is particularly impressive right now, as the meltwater rivers give enormous power to the waterfalls and underground cave systems.
Admittedly, Sibiu is no longer a secret. But the Astra Museum, located just outside the city and one of the largest open-air museums in Europe, truly unleashes its magic on a clear spring day. Strolling between the historic mills and crooked wooden houses on the lakeshore is wonderfully peaceful.
Romanian cuisine is just like the landscape: wild, hearty, and heartwarming. After a long spring hike, there is nothing better than stopping for a bite and tasting the real Transylvania:
To explore these Transylvania insider tips on your own, a rental car is essential. The main roads are very well maintained, but to get to the truly untouched places, you will also have to drive on gravel roads. Use small guesthouses (pensiunea) instead of large hotels; here, your money flows directly into the local community, and you will get the best insider tips.
Pack your hiking boots, download offline maps, and embark on your Transylvanian adventure. Drum bun (Have a good trip)!
Now it’s your turn: Have you ever traveled to Romania or are you currently planning your first trip there? What is your personal insider tip for individual tourists? Be sure to let me know in the comments below – I look forward to hearing from you!
In January, I use my remaining vacation days to drop by Cincu (Großschenk) again. This time I chose the date deliberately. Not (only) because of the construction progress, but because of a historic event: For the first time in over 25 years, an Urzelnlauf (Run of the Loles) is taking place this weekend. Continue reading “Januar 2017”
Today things are getting serious. It is August 19, 2016. A date that will change my life. At 09:00 AM, Laura and Urs arrive at our guesthouse in Brașov (Kronstadt). My motorbike group for this year has to do without their guide for half a day – but for a good reason: I am buying (my) a house. Continue reading “3 .. 2 .. 1 .. mine!”
Imagine someone pressed the pause button thirty years ago and then left the room. That is exactly what arriving in Gherdeal (German: Gürteln) feels like. When you turn off the main road and approach the village via the dusty, unpaved track, you instantly leave the hustle and bustle of the 21st century behind you.
I first visited Gherdeal in September 2016. The month before, I had bought a house in neighbouring Cincu (Großschenk) and was busy getting to know the surroundings on the one hand, and looking for historical building materials to renovate my house on the other. Continue reading “Forgotten Transylvania: Why a visit to Gürteln (Gherdeal) is worth it”
In October, when the morning fog hangs in the valley, the most important time in the gardening year begins for me. While others are putting their beds to rest for the winter, I am putting hope for next year into the ground: Winter garlic.
Many ask me: “Why do you plant garlic just before the frost?”
As a hobby gardener in Romania, I have learned that the timing determines the size of the bulb. Here is my guide, based on the clay soils of Transylvania, but applicable to any organic garden.
October is not chosen by chance. I am using a biological mechanism here called vernalization. For garlic (Allium sativum) to form large bulbs next year, it needs a cold stimulus.
If planted from mid to late October, the following happens:
Planting garlic is precise craftsmanship. If you are sloppy here, you will only harvest tiny cloves. This is how I do it in my garden:
1. Preparing the Planting Material
I never use garlic from the supermarket (often chemically treated against sprouting or from the wrong climate zone). I use seed garlic from the region.
Important: I only break open the bulbs immediately before planting. I choose only the large outer cloves. The small inner cloves go into the kitchen – if you plant small, you harvest small. The protective skin of the clove must not be damaged.
2. Preparing the Soil
Garlic is a moderate feeder but dislikes fresh manure. I loosen the soil deeply with a digging fork to prevent waterlogging. Waterlogging in winter is the death of any garlic clove (risk of rot).
3. The Right Technique for Planting
I draw seed furrows or make individual holes. The clove goes into the earth with the root end facing down.
4. Frost Protection through Mulching
Since we can have harsh winters here in Cincu, I cover the bed after planting with a thin layer of leaves or straw. This protects against bare frosts and keeps the soil alive.
Once the cloves are in the ground, the work is done. Winter garlic is the most rewarding crop for us gardeners. It grows while we sit inside by the warm stove. Harvesting usually takes place in July, when two-thirds of the leaves have turned yellow.
Whoever picks up the spade now in October will be rewarded in summer with a taste that money can’t buy.
Imagine this: endless forests, mystical mist-covered valleys, wild Carpathian peaks, and remote villages that look like they’re frozen in time. If You’re into nature and landscape photography, Romania is a true paradise! You’ll find untouched nature, incredible biodiversity, and lighting conditions that will make Your camera sing. Continue reading “Romania – Your Dream Destination for Breathtaking Nature and Landscape Photography”
This bread goes perfectly with savory toppings like cheese or sweet spreads like honey – and of course on its own with butter!