A fortified church is a church that is built to serve a defensive role in times of war. Such
churches were specially designed to incorporate military features, such as thick walls,
battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interv ...
s, and
embrasure
An embrasure (or crenel or crenelle; sometimes called gunhole in the domain of gunpowder-era architecture) is the opening in a battlement between two raised solid portions (merlons). Alternatively, an embrasure can be a space hollowed out ...
s. Others, such as the
Ávila Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Saviour ( es, Catedral de Cristo Salvador) is a Catholic church in Ávila in the south of Old Castile, Spain. It was built in the late Romanesque and Gothic architectural traditions.
It was planned as a cathedral-fortress ...
were incorporated into the town wall. Monastic communities, such as
Solovki Monastery, are often surrounded by a wall, and some churches, such as
St. Arbogast in
Muttenz
Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17,000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is located in the district of Arlesheim and next to the city of Basel.
History
Under the Roman Empire a hamlet called Montetum e ...
,
Switzerland, have an outer wall as well. Churches with additional external defences such as
curtain walls and
wall towers
A fortified tower (also defensive tower or castle tower or, in context, just tower) is one of the defensive structures used in fortifications, such as castles, along with curtain walls. Castle towers can have a variety of different shapes and fu ...
are often referred to more specifically as
fortress church
A fortress church (german: Kirchenburg) is a particular type of church that, in addition to its religious functions is also used by the local population as a retreat and defensive position, similar to a refuge castle. A fortress church usually imp ...
es or ''Kirchenburgen'' (literally "church castles").
Most fortified churches may be found in parts of Europe for example in the
Dordogne
Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is name ...
region of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, fought over by
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
in medieval times, and in
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
, during the
Ottoman invasions. Fortified churches were also built in places controlled by
colonial empires, such as one in the Philippines at the scene of the
siege of Baler
The siege of Baler ( fil, Pagkubkob sa Baler; es, Sitio de Baler) was a battle of the Philippine Revolution. Filipino revolutionaries laid siege to a fortified church defended by Spanish troops in the town of Baler, Aurora, for 337 days, from ...
.
Belarus
Although many fortified churches in various styles existed in the lands of
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
, only a handful survived until the present. The most famous include Christian Orthodox churches in
Muravanka
Muravanka ( be, Мураванка) is a village in Belarus. It is located in the Shchuchyn District of Grodno Region.
The village is famous for its fortified church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Name
The village received its na ...
, and
Synkavichy, as well as Catholic fortified churches in
Kamai and Ishkold'. In addition to Christian churches Belarus also has the ruins of several
fortified synagogues, of which the Chief Synagogue in
Bykhaw
Bykhaw ( be, Бы́хаў, Łacinka: ''Bychaŭ'', ) or Bykhov (russian: Бы́хов, pl, Bychów, yi, italic=yes, Bihov, , lt, Bychavas) is a town in the eastern Belarusian Mogilev Region. It is located 44 km south of Mogilev (M on the D ...
is most notable.
France
About 65 fortified churches are found in the
Thiérache
The Thiérache () is a region of France and Belgium united by similar geography and architecture, including the presence of hedgerows, grassland, hilly terrain, scattered settlements, and traditionally-built stone or brick houses with stone dividi ...
region of northern France, near the Belgian border.
Germany
Several fortified churches have been preserved, especially in the German states of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
,
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
and
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Dar ...
. Examples are the churches of Kleinbreitenbach in
Plaue
Plaue is a town in the Ilm-Kreis district, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated on the river Gera, 11 km north of Ilmenau, and 8 km southwest of Arnstadt. The former municipality Neusiß was merged into Plaue in January 2019. Plaue sta ...
,
Kößlarn
Kößlarn is a municipality in the district of Passau in Bavaria in Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and ...
,
Grafengehaig,
Großrückerswalde
Großrückerswalde is a municipality in the district Erzgebirgskreis, in Saxony, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after ...
,
Mittelsaida,
Büchenbach/Erlangen,
Kriegenbrunn/Erlangen,
Morsbach/Künzelsau,
Espendfeld/Arnstadt,
Finkenbach-Gersweiler, ''St. Wolfgang'' in
Rothenburg Rothenburg is a German language placename and refers to:
Places
*Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
*Rothenburg, Oberlausitz, Saxony, Germany
*Rothenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
*Rothenburg, Switzerland, Canton of Lucerne, S ...
, and the fortified church of
Wenkbach.
Ireland
Several fortified churches survive from the medieval period, including
Hospital Church (
Knights Hospitaller
The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...
),
Taghmon Church,
Old St. Mary's Church, Clonmel and
St Finian's Church, Newcastle.
Poland
A rare surviving example of a fortress church used for defensive purposes is the
Church of St. Andrew in
Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
, one of the oldest and best preserved
Romanesque buildings in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. Located at ul. Grodzka street, it was built by a medieval
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
statesman
Palatine
A palatine or palatinus (in Latin; plural ''palatini''; cf. derivative spellings below) is a high-level official attached to imperial or royal courts in Europe since Roman times. Sieciech Sieciech (mid 11th century AD – early 12th century AD) was a medieval Polish magnate and statesman.
Biography
All information about Sieciech has come down from the chronicler Gallus Anonymus. He was a count palatine at the court of duke Wład ...
in 1079–1098. St. Andrew was the only
Romanesque church in Kraków to withstand
the Mongol attack of 1241.
Portugal
Some medieval fortified churches, monasteries, and cathedrals survive in Portugal. These buildings were built either in
Romanesque or
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
styles. Romanesque examples are the
Lisbon Cathedral and the
Old Cathedral of Coimbra
The Old Cathedral of Coimbra ( pt, Sé Velha de Coimbra) is a Romanesque Roman Catholic building in Portugal. Construction of the Sé Velha began some time after the Battle of Ourique (1139), when Prince Afonso Henriques declared himself King ...
. Gothic examples are the Church of Leça do Balio and the
Guarda Cathedral
The Cathedral of Guarda ( pt, Catedral da Guarda, Sé da Guarda) is a Catholic church located in the northeastern city of Guarda, Portugal, Guarda, Portugal. Its construction took from 1390 until the mid 16th century, combining Gothic architecture, ...
.
Romania
The southeastern
Transylvania
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the Ap ...
region in
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
has among the highest numbers of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries.
[Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania.]
UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1992-2010 More than 150 villages in the area count various types of fortified churches, seven of them being included in the UNESCO
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
under the name of ''
Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania
The south-eastern Transylvania region in Romania currently has one of the highest numbers of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries. It has more than 150 well preserved fortified churches of a great variety of architectural s ...
''.
Russia
Medieval limestone churches of Russia sometimes resembled towers and could be used for defensive purposes. At least three churches in the Moscow and Tver regions have been described as purpose-built defensive structures: namely,
Kamenskoye Church,
Gorodishche Church, and
Gorodnya Church.
Slovenia
During the
Ottoman-Habsburg Wars from the late 15th to the late 17th century, the
Slovene Lands
The Slovene lands or Slovenian lands ( sl, Slovenske dežele or in short ) is the historical denomination for the territories in Central and Southern Europe where people primarily spoke Slovene. The Slovene lands were part of the Illyrian provin ...
were subjected to constant
Ottoman raids, which reached their peak in the late 15th and early 16th century. During that period, around 300 village churches were fortified in the territory of present-day
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
, with another 50 in the neighboring area of southern
Carinthia.
They were known as ''tabors'' (which in modern
Slovene means "camp"). A dozen of such churches remain today, the most famous of which are the
Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje,
Mount Saint Mary
Mount Saint Mary ( sl, Šmarna gora, german: Großkahlenberg''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, p. 115.), originally known as Holm, is an ins ...
near
Ljubljana
Ljubljana (also known by other historical names) is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. It is the country's cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center.
During antiquity, a Roman city called Emona stood in the are ...
, and
Podbrezje
Podbrezje (; german: Birkendorf''Leksikon občin kraljestev in dežel zastopanih v državnem zboru,'' vol. 6: ''Kranjsko''. 1906. Vienna: C. Kr. Dvorna in Državna Tiskarna, pp. 54–55.) is a village in the Municipality of Naklo in the Upper Carni ...
in
Upper Carniola
Upper Carniola ( sl, Gorenjska; it, Alta Carniola; german: Oberkrain) is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jeseni ...
.
In some cases, entire villages were fortified. Remaining examples are
Šmartno in the
Gorizia Hills
The Gorizia Hills ( it, Collio Goriziano or ''Collio''; sl, Goriška brda or ''Brda''; fur, Cuei) is a hilly microregion in western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. It lies on the right bank of the Soča (''Isonzo'') river, north of the Ita ...
, and
Štanjel
Štanjel (; it, San Daniele del Carso) is a village in the Municipality of Komen in the Littoral region of Slovenia. It is located on the Karst Plateau overlooking the Vipava Valley. In the 17th century it was fortified to defend it against Otto ...
.
United Kingdom
There are several medieval fortified churches near the
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border () is a border separating Scotland and England which runs for between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to as "the Borderlands".
The ...
, where defence was an important consideration until the 17th century, when England and Scotland were united in
personal union
A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, would involve the constituent states being to some extent interlink ...
under King
James VI and I
James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
.
All Saints' Church, Boltongate in
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. C ...
is a fortified church with a fireproof stone-vaulted roof. Also in Cumbria,
St Michael's Church, Burgh by Sands has a defensive tower, and originally had two. The west tower retains its
yett
A yett (from the Old English and Scots language word for "gate") is a gate or grille of latticed wrought iron bars used for defensive purposes in castles and tower houses. Unlike a portcullis, which is raised and lowered vertically using mecha ...
, a door made of interlocking iron bars to repel attackers. An even more formidable yett can be seen at St Cuthbert's Church,
Great Salkeld
Great Salkeld is a small village and civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England, a few miles to the north east of Penrith and bordering the River Eden. At the 2001 census the parish had a population of 445, decreasing to 412 at th ...
, where the ground floor of the tower is tunnel-vaulted, and supports a fireplace above, enabling the tower to be habitable as a place of refuge. The tower of St John the Baptist's Church in
Newton Arlosh is also tunnel-vaulted with very small windows, and has no outer doorway to the churchyard. Entry was inside at first-floor level.
Defensive towers can also be found on the
England–Wales border
The England–Wales border ( cy, Y ffin rhwng Cymru a Lloegr; shortened: Ffin Cymru a Lloegr), sometimes referred to as the Wales–England border or the Anglo-Welsh border, runs for from the Dee estuary, in the north, to the Severn estuary i ...
, for instance St Michael's Church, in
Garway
Garway cy, Llanwrfwy is a civil parish in south-west Herefordshire, England. The population of the civil parish was 430 at the 2011 census. It is set on a hillside above the River Monnow about 6 1/4 miles (10 km) northwest of Monmouth. I ...
, Herefordshire.
Resources, www.users.globalnet.co.uk
/ref>
Gallery
File:St. Arbogast 2.jpg, Fortified church in Muttenz
Muttenz is a municipality with a population of approximately 17,000 in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. It is located in the district of Arlesheim and next to the city of Basel.
History
Under the Roman Empire a hamlet called Montetum e ...
, Switzerland
File:Hrastovlie-Cerkev.jpg, Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje, Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
File:Fort eglise rudelle.jpg, Castle-church of Rudelle
Rudelle (; oc, Rudèla) is a commune in the Lot department in south-western France.
See also
*Communes of the Lot department
The following is a list of the 313 communes of the Lot department of France
France (), officially th ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
File:Krakow kosciol 20071229 1246.jpg, St. Andrew's Church, Kraków
Kraków (), or Cracow, is the second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city dates back to the seventh century. Kraków was the official capital of Poland until 1596 ...
, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
File:Boltongate Church - geograph.org.uk - 65430.jpg, All Saints Church, Boltongate
All Saints' Church is in the village of Boltongate, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Solway, the archdeaconry of West Cumberland and the diocese of Carlisle. A former fortified church, it is recorded i ...
, England, with defensive parapet
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...
File:St angel eglise.jpg, Fortified church in Saint-Angel, Corrèze
Saint-Angel (; oc, Sent Angiau) is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France.
Geography
The Triouzoune flows south-southeast through the commune and forms part of its southeastern boundary.
Population
See also
*Communes of t ...
, France.
File:Prejmer Fortified Church I.jpg, Prejmer fortified church
The Prejmer fortified church ( ro, Biserica fortificată din Prejmer; german: Kirchenburg von Tartlau) is a Lutheran fortified church in Prejmer (''Tartlau''), Brașov County, in the Transylvania region of Romania and the ethnographic area of the ...
, Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
File:Biertan church with protecting walls.jpg, Biertan fortified church
The Biertan fortified church ( ro, Biserica fortificată din Biertan; german: Kirchenburg von Birthälm) is a Lutheran fortified church in Biertan (''Birthälm''), Sibiu County, in the Transylvania region of Romania. It was built by the ethnic Germ ...
, Romania
File:Mosna Fortified Church - side view.jpg, Moşna fortified church, Romania
File:Dealu Frumos Fortified Church I.jpg, Dealu Frumos fortified church, Romania
File:Østerlars Churh, Bornholm.jpg, Østerlars Church
Østerlars Church (''Østerlars kirke'') is a historic building located just north of the village of Østerlars, south of Gudhjem on the island of Bornholm, Denmark. It is the largest and, possibly, the oldest of the island's four round churche ...
in Bornholm, Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
File:Solna kyrka 2012.jpg, Solna Church
Solna Church ( sv, Solna kyrka) is a so-called round church in Solna Municipality near Stockholm, Sweden. It is part of Solna Parish in the Diocese of Stockholm. The church is located on the headland between Brunnsviken and Ulvsundasjön, at t ...
close to Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
File:Munso kyrka 02.JPG, Munsö Church, Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
File:Grafengehaig Kirche 3.JPG, Fortified Church of Grafengehaig, Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
File:Eglise_fortifiee_Prejmer_cour.jpg, Courtyard of the fortified church of Prejmer
Prejmer (german: Tartlau; hu, Prázsmár) is a commune in Brașov County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Lunca Câlnicului (''Farkasvágó''), Prejmer, and Stupinii Prejmerului (''Rohrau''; ''Méheskert''). Located north ...
, Romania
File:Murovanka_Church_1.jpg, Fortified church in Muravanka, Belarus
File:Сынковичи_Церковь_Святого_Михаила_02.jpg, Fortified church in Synkovichi, Belarus
File:Mosteiro Leca Balio (Matosinhos).jpg, Fortified church of Leça do Balio, Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
File:Se de Lisboa Frente.JPG, Fortified Lisbon Cathedral, Portugal
File:Coimbra Old Cathedral - Sé Velha de Coimbra.jpg, Fortified Old Cathedral of Coimbra
The Old Cathedral of Coimbra ( pt, Sé Velha de Coimbra) is a Romanesque Roman Catholic building in Portugal. Construction of the Sé Velha began some time after the Battle of Ourique (1139), when Prince Afonso Henriques declared himself King ...
, Portugal
File:Morsbach Wehrkirche St. Alban und St. Wendelin 01.jpg, The fortified church of St. Alban and St. Wendelin, Germany
File:Kirche Kleinbreitenbach.JPG, Fortified church in Kleinbreitenbach, Germany
File:Flor da Rosa.jpg, Flor da Rosa fortified church, Portugal
File:Baler, Aurora - Saint Louis Church.jpg, Fortified church of St. Louis in Baler, Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
File:St. Munnas Church Taghmon County Westmeath.JPG, Taghmon Church, Ireland
File:Northwestthaddes.jpg, Monastery of Saint Thaddeus, Iran
File:Tranebjerg kirkeC3Turm.jpg, Tranebjerg church, fortified church tower, Denmark
See also
* Saint Catherine's Monastery
Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...
* Tangyud Monastery
The Tangyud Monastery (also written bTang-rGyud, Tangyuth) or Sa-skya-gong-mig Gompa at the village of Komic, two km southeast of Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Hikkim in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India, is built like a fortified castle ...
Video Fortified churches in Transylvania
Notes and references
{{Authority control
Types of church buildings