Fortified church

Church built to serve a defensive role in times of war

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A fortified church is a church that is built to serve a defensive role in times of war. Such churches were specially designed to incorporate military features, such as thick walls, battlements, and embrasures. Others, such as the Ávila Cathedral were incorporated into the town wall. Monastic communities, such as Solovki Monastery, are often surrounded by a wall, and some churches, such as St. Arbogast in Muttenz, Switzerland, have an outer wall as well. Churches with additional external defences such as curtain walls and wall towers are often referred to more specifically as fortress churches or Kirchenburgen (literally "church castles").

Most fortified churches date back to time periods in Europe that were plagued by frequent conflict, for example ones in the Dordogne region of France, fought over by France and England in medieval times, and in Transylvania, during the Ottoman invasions.[citation needed] Fortified churches were also built in places controlled by colonial empires, such as one in the Philippines at the scene of the siege of Baler.[citation needed]

## Belarus

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Although many fortified churches in various styles existed in the lands of Belarus, only a handful survived until the present. The most famous include Christian Orthodox churches in Muravanka, and Synkavichy, as well as Catholic fortified churches in Kamai and Ishkold'. In addition to Christian churches Belarus also has the ruins of several fortified synagogues, of which the Chief Synagogue in Bykhaw is most notable.[1]

## France

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Church of the Saintes Maries de la Mer |

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About 65[2] fortified churches are found in the Thiérache region of northern France, near the Belgian border. They were built here because it was a major land passage on the border between Champagne and Picardy.[3] As a result, the area was frequently under attack.

## Germany

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Several fortified churches have been preserved, especially in the German states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Hesse. Examples are the churches of Kleinbreitenbach in Plaue, Kößlarn, Grafengehaig, Großrückerswalde, Mittelsaida, Büchenbach/Erlangen, Kriegenbrunn/Erlangen, Morsbach/Künzelsau, Espendfeld/Arnstadt, Finkenbach-Gersweiler, St. Wolfgang in Rothenburg, and the fortified church of Wenkbach.

## Ireland

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Several fortified churches survive from the medieval period, including Hospital Church (Knights Hospitaller), Taghmon Church, Old St. Mary's Church, Clonmel and St Finian's Church, Newcastle.

## Poland

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A rare surviving example of a fortress church used for defensive purposes is the Church of St. Andrew in Kraków, one of the oldest and best preserved Romanesque buildings in Poland. Located at ul. Grodzka street, it was built by a medieval Polish statesman Palatine Sieciech in 1079–1098. St. Andrew was the only Romanesque church in Kraków to withstand the Mongol attack of 1241.

## Portugal

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Some medieval fortified churches, monasteries, and cathedrals survive in Portugal. These buildings were built either in Romanesque or Gothic styles. Romanesque examples are the Lisbon Cathedral and the Old Cathedral of Coimbra. Gothic examples are the Church of Leça do Balio and the Guarda Cathedral.

## Romania

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See also: List of fortified churches in Transylvania and Churches of Moldavia

The southeastern Transylvania region in Romania has among the highest numbers of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries.[4] More than 150 villages in the area count various types of fortified churches, seven of them being included in the UNESCO World Heritage under the name of Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania.

The northern Moldavia region also preserves numerous fortified religious buildings as a testimony of the architectural style developed in the Principality of Moldavia. Of these, eight Romanian Orthodox Churches from the 15th to 16th centuries are inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List.[5]

## Russia

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Medieval limestone churches of Russia sometimes resembled towers and could be used for defensive purposes.[6] At least three churches in the Moscow and Tver regions have been described as purpose-built defensive structures: namely, Kamenskoye Church, Gorodishche Church, and Gorodnya Church.[7]

## Slovenia

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During the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars from the late 15th to the late 17th century, the Slovene Lands were subjected to constant Ottoman raids, which reached their peak in the late 15th and early 16th century. During that period, around 300 village churches were fortified in the territory of present-day Slovenia, with another 50 in the neighboring area of southern Carinthia.[8]

They were known as tabors (which in modern Slovene means "camp"). A dozen of such churches remain today, the most famous of which are the Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje, Mount Saint Mary near Ljubljana, and Podbrezje in Upper Carniola.

In some cases, entire villages were fortified. Remaining examples are Šmartno in the Gorizia Hills, and Štanjel.

## Ukraine

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Holy Intercession Church in the village of Sutkivtsi, Podolia, Ukraine

In Ukraine fortified churches were mostly constructed in a time period between the late 14th and the late 17th century in the western and central parts of modern Ukraine, most notably Galicia[9] and Dnieper Ukraine.[10] Some of these churches were constructed atop of existing fortifications and were extensively modified in later years, sometimes losing their sturdy appearance.

## United Kingdom

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Yett or iron-barred door at St Cuthbert's Church in Great Salkeld, Cumbria, guarding access to the tower.

There are several medieval fortified churches near the Anglo-Scottish border, where defence was an important consideration until the 17th century, when England and Scotland were united in personal union under King James VI and I. All Saints' Church, Boltongate in Cumbria is a fortified church with a fireproof stone-vaulted roof. Also in Cumbria, St Michael's Church, Burgh by Sands has a defensive tower, and originally had two. The west tower retains its yett, a door made of interlocking iron bars to repel attackers. An even more formidable yett can be seen at St Cuthbert's Church, Great Salkeld, where the ground floor of the tower is tunnel-vaulted, and supports a fireplace above, enabling the tower to be habitable as a place of refuge. The tower of St John the Baptist's Church in Newton Arlosh is also tunnel-vaulted with very small windows, and has no outer doorway to the churchyard. Entry was inside at first-floor level.

Defensive towers can also be found on the England–Wales border, for instance St Michael's Church, in Garway, Herefordshire.[11]

## Gallery

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* Fortified church in Muttenz, Switzerland

* Holy Trinity Church in Hrastovlje, Slovenia

* Castle-church of Rudelle, France

* St. Andrew's Church, Kraków, Poland

* All Saints Church, Boltongate, England, with defensive parapet

* Fortified church in Saint-Angel, Corrèze, France.

* Prejmer fortified church, Romania

* Biertan fortified church, Romania

* Moşna fortified church, Romania

* Dealu Frumos fortified church, Romania

* Østerlars Church in Bornholm, Denmark

* Solna Church close to Stockholm, Sweden

* Munsö Church, Sweden

* Fortified Church of Grafengehaig, Bavaria

* Courtyard of the fortified church of Prejmer, Romania

* Fortified church in Muravanka, Belarus

* Fortified church in Synkovichi, Belarus

* Fortified church of Leça do Balio, Portugal

* Fortified Lisbon Cathedral, Portugal

* Fortified Old Cathedral of Coimbra, Portugal

* The fortified church of St. Alban and St. Wendelin, Germany

* Fortified church in Kleinbreitenbach, Germany

* Flor da Rosa fortified church, Portugal

* Fortified church of St. Louis in Baler, Philippines.

* Taghmon Church, Ireland

* Monastery of Saint Thaddeus, Iran

* Tranebjerg church, fortified church tower, Denmark

## See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fortified churches.

* Saint Catherine's Monastery
* Tangyud Monastery
* Video Fortified churches in Transylvania

## Notes and references

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1. ^ (in Russian) List of fortified churches in Belarus
2. ^ Les Églises fortifiées de la Thiérache \- Guide de découvertes | Sites de Mémoire, balades et circuits - Coll. Guide Pays côté Histoire (in French). Chamina. 2006. ISBN 2-84466-110-6.
3. ^ "Architecture in France: the churches of the north east". www.connexionfrance.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
4. ^ Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania. UNESCO World Heritage Centre 1992-2010
5. ^ "Churches of Moldavia". UNESCO World Heritage.
6. ^ "РусАрх - Заграевский С.В. К вопросу о древнерусских оборонных монастырях и храмах".
7. ^ Заграевский С.В. Зодчество Северо-Восточной Руси конца XIII–первой трети XIV века. М., 2003. С. 51.
8. ^ Drago Bajt & Marko Vidic, eds., Slovenski zgodovinski atlas (Ljubljana, 2011), p. 95
9. ^ "ОСОБЛИВОСТІ АРХІТЕКТУРНО-ПРОСТОРОВОГО ВИРІШЕННЯ ОБОРОННИХ ХРАМІВ ГАЛИЧИНИ" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2019.
10. ^ "Колекція найгарніших церков України | Андрій Бондаренко - подорожі Україною і світом". andy-travel.com.ua. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
11. ^ Resources, www.users.globalnet.co.uk

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Fortifications

Ancient|

* Abatis
* Acropolis
* Agger
* Broch
* Burgus
* Caltrop
* Castellum
* Castra
* Castros
* Chengqiang
* Circular rampart
* City gate
* Crannog
* Ditch
* Defensive wall
* Dun
* Faussebraye
* Gatehouse
* Gord
* Hillfort
* Landwehr
* Limes
* Nuraghe
* Oppidum
* Palisade
* Pincer gate
* Promontory fort
* Rampart
* Ringfort (Rath)
* Refuge castle
* Schwedenschanze
* Stockade
* Sudis
* Trou de loup
* Vallum
* Wagon fort (Laager)
* Vitrified fort

Post-classical|

* Advanced work
* Albarrana tower
* Alcazaba
* Alcázar
* Amba
* Arrowslit
* Barbican
* Bartizan
* Bastion
* Battery tower
* Battlement
* Bawn
* Bent entrance
* Bergfried
* Berm
* Boom
* Bretèche
* Bridge castle
* Bridge tower
* Burh
* Butter-churn tower
* Caer
* Castle
* Chamber gate
* Chartaque
* Chashi
* Chemin de ronde
* Chemise
* Cheval de frise
* Citadel
* Coercion castle
* Concentric castle
* Corner tower
* Counter-castle
* Curtain
* Drawbridge
* Enceinte
* Embrasure
* Flanking tower
* Fortified buildings (church, house, Dzong)
* Fujian tulou
* Ganerbenburg
* Gate tower
* Gabion
* Glacis
* Guard tower
* Gulyay-gorod
* Gusuku
* Half tower
* Hoarding
* Inner bailey
* Kasbah
* Keep
* Kremlin (Detinets)
* Ksar
* Landesburg
* Loophole
* L-plan castle
* Machicolation
* Merlon
* Moat
* Motte-and-bailey
* Murder hole
* Neck ditch
* Outer bailey
* Outwork
* Parapet
* Peel tower
* Portcullis
* Postern
* Powder tower
* Qalat
* Reduit
* Ribat
* Ricetto
* Ringwork
* Roundel
* Quadrangular castle
* Shell keep
* Shield wall
* Shiro
* Toll castle
* Tower castle
* Tower house
* Turret
* Viking ring fortress
* Wall tower
* Bailey (or ward)
* Watchtower
* Witch tower
* Yagura
* Yett
* Zwinger

Modern|

| Early modern|

* Abwurfdach
* Arsenal
* Barricade
* Bastion
* Blockhouse
* Breastwork
* Canal
* Caponier
* Casemate
* Cavalier
* Counterguard
* Couvreface
* Coupure
* Covertway
* Crownwork
* Device Forts
* Entrenchment
* Flèche
* Gorge
* Gunpowder magazine
* Hornwork
* Kotta mara
* Lunette
* Magazine
* Orillon
* Ostrog
* Palanka
* Place-of-arms
* Polygonal fort
* Presidio (Spanish America)
* Punji sticks
* Ravelin
* Redan
* Redoubt
* Retrenchment
* Sally port
* Sandbag
* Scarp and Counterscarp
* Sconce
* Schanze
* Sea fort
* Station
* Star fort
* Tenaille

|

19th century|

* Barbed wire
* Barbette
* Border outpost
* Bunker
* Coastal artillery
* Disappearing gun
* Fire control tower
* Gun turret
* Land mine
* Martello tower
* Outpost
* Polygonal fort
* Sangar
* Wire obstacles

20th century|

* Admiralty scaffolding
* Air raid shelter
* Anti-tank trench
* Barbed tape
* Belgian gate
* Blast shelter
* Blast wall
* Border security
* Bomb shelter
* Buoy
* Bremer wall
* Concertina wire
* Defensive fighting position
* British "hedgehog" road block
* Czech hedgehog
* Dragon's teeth
* Entry control point (ECP)
* Electric fence
* Fallout shelter
* Fire support base
* Flak tower
* Hardened aircraft shelter
* Hesco bastion
* Kabal
* Loophole
* Main line of resistance
* Missile launch facility
* Pillbox
* Revetment
* Sentry gun
* Spider hole
* Submarine pen
* Underground hangar
* Weapon storage area
* Weapons Storage and Security System

By topography|

* Cave castle
* Hill castle
* Hillfort
* Hillside castle
* Hilltop castle
* Island castle
* Lowland castle
* Marsh castle
* Moated castle
* Promontory fort
* Ridge castle
* Rocca
* Rock castle
* Spur castle
* Water castle
* Floating water castle

By role|

* Border barrier
* Coastal defence
* Coercion castle
* Counter-castle
* Fence
* Ganerbenburg
* Hunting lodge
* Imperial castle
* Kaiserpfalz
* Landesburg
* Lustschloss
* Military base
* Obstacle
* Ordensburg
* Refuge castle
* Toll castle
* Urban castle

By design|

* Bastion fort
* Bridge castle
* Circular rampart
* Concentric castle
* L-plan castle
* Motte-and-bailey castle
* Quadrangular castle
* Ringfort
* Ringwork
* Tower castle
* Z-plan castle

Lists|

* Bastion forts
* Castles
* Cities with defensive walls
* Defense line
* Fortified estate
* Fortifications
* Forts
* Military installations
* Walls

Related word|

* Castle town
* Château
* Dungeon
* Festung
* Fortified gateway
* Gatekeeper
* Loophole
* National redoubt
* Palas
* Picket
* Schloss
* Trench
* Vedette

Other topics|

* Civil defense
* Continuity of government
* Military urbanism
* Subterranean warfare
* Siege
* Siege engine
* list
* Tunnel warfare
* Trench warfare
* Urban warfare
* Guerrilla

* See also:  Category

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