A Day in Mediaș

Here is another post which I intended to write months ago, but never found the time until now.

Early in September, I went to the neighboring town of Mediaș (pronounced Maid-ee-ahsh). It is similar to Sighișoara in many ways. The two towns have similar size and population. Both towns were also founded by German settlers around the 13th century. However, each of the two towns has a very different feel to them. All of Mediaș seems to have a Communist-era industrial feel to it, whereas Sighișoara’s industrial area did not replace the medieval “charm” of the old city. As one guide book explains, though, the farther into Medias you venture, the more attractive it becomes. 

I took the train from Sighișoara to Mediaș. The two towns are 30-45 minutes from one another, but since I took the cheaper train option – only about $3 round trip  – it took nearly an hour (since the train stops in every village along the way).

Street sign

My first stop was to visit the Hermann Oberth museum. It’s located close to the train station and is not hard to find. It’s conveniently located on “Hermann Oberth Street” and there’s a model rocket in the front yard. Hermann Oberth was a Transylvania (German) Saxon who is famous worldwide for being one of the fathers of modern rocketry. He was born in Sibiu, Romania, but lived in this house in Mediaș. He also went to school in Sighisoara. The museum traces Oberth’s childhood and career. I don't think the tour guide realized that I'm a foreigner, because he spoke VERY quickly.

Hermann Oberth Museum

Next I went to the small Christian bookstore and library. There is no Christian bookstore in Sighișoara, so I always enjoy visiting this bookstore when I'm in Mediaș. I spoke for a few minutes with the director of their publishing company, who has worked on projects with the Church of the Nazarene in the past. Then I bought some books for a study I'd be leading in the Sighișoara church.

For the next few hours, I enjoyed wandering around the town center. Like Sighișoara, Mediaș is one of the 7 German towns of Transylvania. It is not as well preserved, though. Its wall, for example, is not as intact as Sighișoara’s. There are, however, 8 remaining defense towers, such as the one pictured.

While sitting in the central plaza, I enjoyed watching children play carefree. As I was sitting being mesmerized by the water shooting out of the fountain I was approached by a who gave me a tract and tried to convert me. After politely taking the tract, I realized it was a Watchtower tract from Jehovah's Witnesses. (Come to think of it, this happened to me on a previous visit to Mediaș.) 

Here are a few of the pictures I took as I wandered the streets near the center of town:

Park in the city center, looking at the German Lutheran Church

The Orthodox Church

The abandoned Jewish synagogue

Next, I took a tour of the German Lutheran Church which was built in the 15th century. The church is located in a courtyard, surrounded by buildings. One of those buildings, the Tailors' Tower, served as a jail for Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) in 1467. The church's 70-meter-tall clock tower is slightly askew.

The German Lutheran Church "St. Margaret" in Mediaș
(This aerial picture I found online.)

I concluded the day by attending an organ concert at the German Lutheran church. The organ was built in 1755.

Picture of the pipe organ I found online

After the concert, I returned to the train station and took the last train of the day back to Sighișoara.