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Via Transilvanica
The Road That Unites
Did you know that Biertan, in addition to its many qualities, serves as a stop along the path known as Via Transilvanica? Often referred to simply as "Via," this tourist and cultural trail stretches 1,400 km, beginning in northern Moldavia at Putna and winding southwest to Drobeta Turnu-Severin on the banks of the Danube, crossing Romania.
It's called "Via Transilvanica" because much of the route runs through Transylvania. Starting from Putna, it traverses mountains, reaches the Bistrița area, descends through Szekler Land, veers right through the northern Saxon region, stops in Alba Iulia, descends toward the Mountains, crosses them, and continues into Banat and eventually to the Iron Gates.
This path is also known as "the road that unites" because it connects regions, people, and diverse cultural areas.
Walking it allows you to experience Romania from one end to the other.
This trail was conceived by the Tășuleasa Social Association. The idea began to take shape in 2018, marking 100 years since the Great Union, when the first signs and milestones were established. Like a fairy tale, it flourished, culminating in its inauguration in October 2022 in Alba Iulia, the site that hosts Romanias union celebrations to this day.
Today, the road is fully marked—just follow the orange "T" signs on a white background—and at every kilometer, you can admire a unique sculpted andesite milestone. No two milestones are identical, even if some designs repeat. Thus, Via Transilvanica stands as one of the largest sculpture exhibitions in the world. Whether walking, cycling, or riding, travelers can discover, admire, and photograph 1,400 sculptures. Which will be your favorite?
In this segment of the Via known as “Terra Saxonum” (the land of the Saxons), the path runs alongside the Târnava River, keeping a distance from it. It cuts through hills and valleys that once sheltered settlers who arrived here 800 years ago in search of a better life. The path isn’t easy, but it’s not difficult either. We might say it resembles the tone of the Saxon dialect: going up and down, up and down.
In Biertan, you arrive on the Via from the east after passing through Copșa Mare. You walk along the edge of the forest when the imposing hill with the fortress presents itself on your left. The fortified church in Biertan, with its three layers of walls, resembles more of a fortress than a place of worship. On the next stretch of road—descending the hill—your gaze is drawn to the fortress until you descend into the village.
After stopping in the center, which invites you to climb up to the fortress, the Via turns right, circling the high hill now to your left and leading you behind it, where it can be more easily conquered. You arrive at the top of the hill and continue along its ridge through a beech and oak forest.
You find yourself back in Biertan, but the village is far below, beneath your feet, while the majestic fortress, the most famous among the Saxons, looks like a toy. The Via leads you further south toward the "village of the wealthy": Richiș or Reichsdorf.
You’ve arrived, seen the fortress, but do you want to take a few steps along Via Transilvanica? Choose a direction. You can follow the "T" signs westward, and in less than 2 km, you’ll reach a small meadow on a hill for your first viewpoint over Biertan. On your return, you can take the same path.
Want more? Head east, follow the T's, and in 5 km, you’ll reach the milestone that overlooks the former episcopal seat of the Saxons. Be sure to have the "Hiker's Guide" from the ViaTransilvanica.com site and the GPX file handy.
Building this path was no easy task. But it provides the perfect means to discover Romania and its people, step by step, region by region, with attention and patience, arms wide open to embrace all that the road and its places have to offer.
Text by Ioana Pătrășcoiu, documented and written as part of the 2024 Heritage Lab workshop. The audio guide is a project by the Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association and the Biertan Town Hall in the ”Culture & Cultures: Connecting the dots” project, co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration.
Tur audio realizat în cadrul proiectului Culture&Cultures. Connecting the dots în anul 2024.
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Proiectul nu reprezintă în mod necesar poziția Administrației Fondului Cultural Național. AFCN nu este responsabilă de conținutul proiectului sau de modul în care rezultatele proiectului pot fi folosite. Acestea sunt în întregime responsabilitatea beneficiarului finanțării.
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