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BIERTAN village lies in a southern valley of Copsa Mare, 11km from the Medias - Sighisoara road. The village is first mentioned in a historical document in 1283 and as a trading center ("oppidum") in 1397.
The magnificent church of Mary is situated on top of a small hill. It is 44m long and surrounded by two circular fortified walls with a third one on the west-south-west side. In 1468 the most inner wall was consolidated by four towers and a bastion. Coats of arms on the portal belonging to King Wladislaw 11 and to Johann Zápolya, tell us it was built between 1510 and 1516. An inscription with the year 1522 on the triumph arch names the builder: "venerabilis domini baccalauri Johannis". In 1753 Jakob Salzer renovated the church and in 1767 a side gallery and a gallery next to the pulpit was built, as well another one in 1777.
The altar piece is magnificent. Surrounded by a carved gold filigree wooden frame, it consists of 28 panels made between 1483 and 1515. On the central panel in the middle are scenes from Mary's life and Jesus' childhood. On the fixed wings there are paintings of saints. The image of Jesus crucified inspired by Jesus' words: "I am the vineyard, you are the vines" is placed on the main plate above.
The lime-tree wooden benches were made at the beginning of the 16th century in the workshop of Johannes Reichmuth from Sighisoara. The style of the stone pulpit is in the transition period between Gothic and Renaissance decoration. The Gothic stone font decorated with lilies is part buried in the ground and it dates from the 16th century. There are three pre-reformation bells. In 1508 a clock was built in the clock tower.
The Chrestel Company in Brasov restored the church between the years 1938 and 1943. In the earthquake of 1977 the church was severely damaged: the choir vaults had to be re-built, the middle pillars of the gothic windows and the organ restored. In 1993 the fortified church in Biertan was put on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The Trust's Work
Situated prominently in the main square, the house to the left of the church was bought by MET in 2001. A difficult and massive restoration job continued was set in motion which lasted three years. The building is now fully restored and is a craft shop - ARTEFACT BIERTAN. It also acts as an information centre for MET restoration activities.
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Church of Mary in Biertan
The altar
 Biertan shop restored and established by the Trust with a local partner
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