Cincu Fortified Church is one of the largest Roman basilicas located in a Saxon town in Romania, being dedicated to Virgin Mary. The hill on which it was built has three very steep sides, the defense being made only on the western side of the hill. This aspect makes it an unique basilica.
It was built by the German colonists in the 13th century, being rebuilt in the 16th century in Gothic style, and in the 18th century it went through a new stage of works.
The Fortified Church of Cincu is considered one of the most valuable monuments of medieval architecture in Transylvania, housing a series of valuable collections:
- Oriental rugs from the XVII-XVIII centuries;
- Emblems and vestiges;
- Mural fragments, Gothic style pews, epitaphs;
- A chalice from the 15th century and a clock from the 19th century.
The year of construction of the church is estimated to be 1265, based on the archaic elements present inside and which were specific to the Roman basilicas built at the beginning of the 13th century. The first documentary attestation of the church was in 1474.
The current structure has a single tower within the fortified structure, the southern one. Initially, five exterior observation and defense towers were provided. The last tower, demolished in the 19th century, the bacon one, was destroyed in 1789. The community of Cincu restored its functionality, building inside the fortification rooms with the same purpose.