The fortified church from Dealu Frumos

Like most of the free communes of the "lordly county", Dealul Frumos had its own Romanesque basilica since the early 13^th century. It had three naves, a square-planned choir and a semi-circular apse, but no belfry. The transformation of this basilica into a gothic hall church fortified with two defence towers was often used as an example of the evolution in the building of Saxon churches in Transylvania.

It is believed that the two towers were raised in the 15^th century and the transformation into a hall church occurred in the early 16^th century.

Like almost all the Romanesque churches from southern Transylvania, in the early 16^th century the Dealu Frumos basilica went through a series of gothic transformations which probably ended in 1522 - the year inscribed in the twin niche above the north-east entry into the fortress. In 1914 when they built a new common room, the pentagonal tower was incorporated therein. During the diggings made for the foundation they discovered a cemetery near the first basilica.

The fortification works had several stages and then in the early 16^th century the old basilica became a gothic hall church surrounded by strong defence walls and defensive towers.

The name of the commune makes us believe that the church, like many others of the Transylvanian village, is placed on a hill. However, contrary to this, it is placed in the centre of the village so that in case of an invasion the locals could easily withdraw to the fortress and take their animals and food with them.