Biertan's fortified church is the grandest of them all, a late Gothic hall church on a hill, wrapped in three rings of walls with towers and bastions, rising above a village of Saxon houses in a valley of vineyards. For almost three centuries it was the seat of the Lutheran bishops of Transylvania, which explains its size and splendour, and it is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers several of the region's fortified churches. Walking up the covered wooden stairway to the church, past the old walls and towers, is one of the great experiences of Transylvania.
Inside, there is a beautifully carved altar and pulpit, and the sacristy door has a famous lock with a mechanism of many bolts that all close at once when the key is turned, a marvel of medieval engineering that won a prize at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. The most charming story, though, is the marriage prison: a small room in one of the towers where couples who wanted to divorce were locked up together for a period, with only one bed, one table and one plate, to see if they could work things out. Legend says it was remarkably effective.
Biertan sits in the Târnave hills, a landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, orchards and woods, and the roads around it are a pleasure to ride. The road from the main valley between Mediaș and Sighișoara climbs gently into the hills, with curves and views, and then drops into the village. Expect the odd pothole, horse carts and cows on the smaller roads. The surrounding villages, such as Richiș and Copșa Mare, also have fortified churches and Saxon houses, and exploring them is a lovely way to spend a day.
Biertan has a few guesthouses, small shops and somewhere to eat within sight of the walls. Wine from the area was famous in the past, and some local producers are reviving the tradition, so look for a glass of Târnave white with your meal if you are not riding further. For fuel, the nearest towns are Dumbrăveni, about twelve kilometres away, and Mediaș, a little further, which have stations and supermarkets. The church can be busy in summer, so go early or late in the day for a quieter visit.