Grossau: Fortified Church, Village Museum and Shepherds’ Paths

Grossau (Cristian) combines a fortified church in the village center with historic buildings and a strong connection to the surrounding landscape. When planning your stay, you can choose what to focus on: architectural history and the museum, views of the river, or the old shepherds’ paths each reveal a different side of the village. Two annual livestock markets also add recurring dates to your travel plans.

Fortified Church and Architectural History

The fortified church stands in the center of Cristian. In the first half of the 16th century, a peasant fortress with two rings of fortifications and towers was built around it. The term “peasant fortress” and its design bring the village’s military history to the fore; the rings and towers form a multi-part complex. Anyone interested in historic buildings will find a tangible starting point here for exploring the village’s history.

Visitors can climb the bell tower and look out over Cristian from a height of about 63 meters. Alongside the history of the fortifications, a view of the village is therefore another part of the site’s appeal to visitors.

Museum and Architectural Comparisons

Cristian’s village museum is a historic monument featuring Transylvanian Saxon architecture and opened on July 10, 1969. Its furnished rooms reflect the way of life and activities of the local population. Two aspects thus come together: the building’s design and the ways of life and work depicted inside. For a cultural understanding of Grossau, this portrayal of everyday life complements the architectural history of the fortified church with a different subject.

The Orthodox Church of Buna Vestire dates from 1790. Together with the peasant fortress from the first half of the 16th century and the opening of the village museum in 1969, it provides three historical milestones: a fortress complex, a church and a museum, each with its own connection to the village’s history.

Casa Drotleff features medieval elements, interpretations of Austrian Baroque and modern additions. Alongside the Transylvanian Saxon architecture of the village museum, the house offers another, distinct point of reference for Grossau’s architectural history.

Landscape, Paths and Markets

Cristian lies in a hollow at the foot of the mountains. Visitors can cross the Cibin on the Puntea lui Sepp footbridge; from the bridge, there are views of the river’s meanders. The setting describes the village’s landscape, while the bridge provides a direct connection to the river.

The name “Stork Capital of Romania” is also part of the village’s identity.

One section of the old shepherds’ paths is marked for tourism. The Mărăjdia Valley follows the old route taken by the people of Cristian into the Cindrel Mountains. For travelers interested in historic paths as well as architectural history, this offers another connection to the village’s past.

Two livestock markets are held in Cristian each year: on the first Sunday in May and the last Sunday in September. Livestock farmers from the commune and from Mărginimea Sibiului meet there to sell animals and products from their households. If you would like to include a market day in your travel plans, check the current calendar in advance.

Discover more destinations: Mohu, Orlat, Apoldu de Sus, Veştem, Rusciori, Ocna Sibiului, Mediaș, Gunzendorf.

For the main travel overview: Sibiu.