According to the mayor Marcel Pelei, the church-citadel is part a chain of churches erected approximately in the same period, constituting a priceless patrimony. Efforts are being made today to restore the church but tourists can visit it all year round. The church also houses concerts played at the still functional organ.
Homorod?s Origins
Homorod commune is located in the south-eastern part of Transylvania plateau, in the so-called ?Homorodele Hollow?, 4 km distant from Rupea, at the confluence of two brooks. Three villages compose the commune: Homorod, Mercheasa (first attested in 1488) and Jimbor (mentioned in documents since 1342).
The Flemish Guests
During the 12th century, under the reign of king Geza the IInd, some Flemish guests (hospites flandrenses), speaking a German language a bit different from the Saxons?, settled on a hill in the surroundings of today?s Homorod village. The name of the locality was then Petersdorf, after the saint patron of the church.
The Origin?s Dispute
At the end of the 13th century, after the Tartars? invasion, for safety reasons or because the water source was to too distant, the inhabitants moved down the hill (Ham) after they deforested it (roden), as showed by the name of the locality, attested since 1400 ? Hamerodia. But the neighbours Hungarians claim that the brook already had that name and the Flemish colonists took it from the Magyar language, where ?hamar? it signifies ?quickly?. The researches did not established yet which one of the two traditions is real.
Saxons Halidoms
While the Saxon halidoms of the 13th century were all built as three naves Romanic basilicas, Homorod boasts one of the very rare Romanic hall-churches erected at the end of the 13thn century. The chorus closed towards east by a semicircular apse, opens towards west with a triumphal semicircular arch into the little hall of 10,40 x 9 m. The semicircular western arcade, walled in today, is visible only from the interior of the tower.
A priceless patrimony
According to the mayor Marcel Pelei, the church-citadel is part a chain of churches erected approximately in the same period, constituting a priceless patrimony. Efforts are being made today to restore the church but tourists can visit it all year round. The church also houses concerts played at the still functional organ.
