Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania With its more than 150 well preserved fortified church es of a great variety of architectural styles ( out of an original 300 fortified churches ) , south - eastern Transylvania region in Romania currently has one of the highest numbers of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries . Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania are seven villages ( six Saxon and one Székely ) founded by the Transylvanian Saxons , dominated by their fortified churches and characterized by a specific settlement pattern that have been preserved since the late Middle Ages . The list . The seven villages listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site : History . The Saxon villages of Transylvania appeared in the twelfth century when the Kings of Hungary settled German colonists in the area . They had a special status among nations in the province and their civilisation managed to survive and thrive , forming a very strong community of farmers , artisans and merchants . Being situated in a region constantly under the threat of the Ottoman and Tatar invasions , they built fortifications of different sizes . The most important towns were fully fortified , and the smaller communities created fortifications centered on the church , where they added defensive towers and storehouses to keep their most valuable goods and to help them withstand long sieges . Description . The topography in Southern Transylvania is that of a plateau , cut by wide valleys of various small rivers that flow into larger ones , namely the Olt River , Mureş River , Târnava Mare River and Târnava Mică River . The villages follow the topography closely and try to make the best of it ; thus villages situated in a valley developed around a central street and possibly some secondary ones , while those situated on a flatter spot follow a looser , radial pattern . Due to security reasons and the traditions of the Saxon inhabitants , the villages are compact . The main element is the church , always situated in the middle of the town . Different types of fortifications can be found : a small enceinte around the church , a row of fortifications around the church or a real fortress with multiple fortification walls centered on the church . The churches have been adapted to include defensive functions ; all of them are either Romanesque basilicas or single - nave churches of the late Gothic period . The churches often include many additions , ranging in age from the original period in which the churches were built Late Middle Ages to the sixteenth century . Many churches also include baroque elements from that period , as the baroque style was very popular in the region . In almost all cases , the church is situated in an easily defendable position , generally on a hilltop . Elements of fortifications found in the main cities in the area have been adapted here , and they are a testimony of the building techniques used along the years by the Saxon community . Some fortifications had observations towers , some of them being church towers adapted to the needs of a fortress . The materials are the traditional ones , stone and red bricks , with a red clay tiled roof , a typical feature of the area . Close to the church there is the main square of the village or " Tanzplaz " ( Dance Square ) around which the social life gravitated . The only buildings situated next to the fortifications are those of communal use : the school or the village hall . The parish house , along with the houses of the most wealthy villagers , were situated around this square . Also in most sites , barns for grain storage are situated close to the centre of the village .