Biserica Reformată

The Reformed church in the village of Alma, located in the commune of the same name in Sibiu County, was built during the 15th century. This church is included in the updated list of historical monuments, with the LMI identification code: SB-II-a-A-12308.

Built in the Gothic style, the church falls into the category of hall-type churches, with a polygonal choir on the eastern side. Both the walls of the nave and those of the choir are reinforced with stepped buttresses, a characteristic element of Gothic architecture. In a 19th-century illustration, the church appears with a wooden bell tower located on the western facade, which was later replaced with the current tower, built of masonry. Although there are several fortified churches in the area, this construction was not provided with fortification elements.

In the period before the Reformation, the interior of the church was decorated with murals depicting religious scenes, characters or biblical legends. Only fragments of these paintings have survived, because, with the spread of the religious Reformation, the Saxon Lutheran or Hungarian Calvinist communities covered the original frescoes with a layer of mortar, out of a desire to give the space a sober and austere appearance, in accordance with the new religious beliefs.

The pulpit, made of carved stone, dates from the 14th century. Its crown was added in 1796, and was later repainted in 1932. In 1718, the vault of the nave was replaced with a coffered ceiling, and in the same year the choir intended for the men attending the services was built. This choir is made of wood and decorated with painted floral motifs.

The legend in which Saint George kills a dragon with a spear to save a virgin has medieval origins. This theme was common in the period before the Reformation, being represented both in murals or altar panels – as can be seen in the artistic representations in the church in Mălâncrav, Sibiu County – and in sculptures, the most famous of which is the bronze statue of Saint George of Prague, the work of the brothers Martin and Gheorghe from Cluj.

Sursa: primariaalma.ro