It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, and the refuge rooms in the wall survive almost complete, with their wooden stairs and galleries.
About the place
The church was begun in 1218 by the Teutonic Knights and continued by the Cistercians on a Greek-cross plan; the tower over the crossing was added in 1461. The surrounding wall has five towers and, on the inside, more than 270 rooms on four levels where up to 1,600 people could shelter during an attack. You enter through a passage about 30 metres long, with a portcullis and oak gates. The village was attacked more than 50 times between the 13th and 17th centuries, but the fortress was taken only a few times.
Inside the church you see the Gothic winged altar with the Crucifixion in the central panel, the old organ and the pulpit. The museum is in the 1793 storehouse above the entrance passage, with farm and blacksmith tools, and you can walk the inner corridor along the wall. Off-season the fortress is open 9:00–16:00; in the warm season Monday–Saturday 9:00–17:30 (last entry) and on Sundays from 11:00.
Good to know
- Tickets can also be bought online on the church's website.
- Sunday mornings there is a service in the church: it is better to come after 11:00.
- Parking is right in front of the fortress, on Strada Mare.
Opening hours
| Monday | 9–16 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9–16 |
| Wednesday | 9–16 |
| Thursday | 9–16 |
| Friday | 9–16 |
| Saturday | 9–16 |
| Sunday | 9–16 |
Hours may change on public holidays. Check before you go.