Saint Mary Roman Catholic Church in Turda

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Mary is located in Republic Square in Turda, Cluj County. The Gothic church was built at the end of the fifteenth century, on the site of an older church. Buttresses, tall windows and inscriptions preserved on the southern walls are hallmarks of its medieval architecture. It stands in the town center, among the old houses and administrative buildings of the former market town.

The Diet of Turda met in this church and adopted the edict of religious tolerance in 1568. The decision is linked to the recognition of several denominations in Transylvania and to the history of the Unitarian Church. The parish house holds keystones from the old church, including one dated 1472. Outside, visitors can see the buttresses and the proportions of the nave. The link between the Gothic building and the events of 1568 makes the church a distinctive landmark in the religious history of Turda.

Photo: CristianChirita / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized to 650 × 400 px. Adapted photo retains same license.