Transylvania, probably the most famous historical region of Romania, is also known for its minorities, especially the Hungarians and the Germans.

The last ones started to colonize Transylvania in the 12-13th centuries, being invited by the Hungarian kings who wanted to develop the area's economy, use the colonists as defenders of the borders, and enclose the local population formed by the Romanians.

The German colonists, mistakenly named as being Saxons, started to build their towns. Some of them became important urban centers, like Brasov or Sibiu; others remained just small towns scattered around the hills of Transylvania.

Many of these small villages have fortified churches, today being unique in Europe. Some of them are very well preserved, like those from Biertan, Prejmer or Viscri, while others are just ruins and far from the tourist roads. It’s the case of the church built on the hill right near the town of Garbova, Urwegen in German.

The top of the hill boasts a small cemetery protected by a concentric wall, about 3 meters tall. In the middle of the cemetery lies the ruins of the church, built in 1280. In the shape of a Romanesque basilica, the church was simple.

What makes it so interesting is that the church has no roof, which makes it look peculiar.