Gherdeal – the abandoned Saxon village

Looking for information about the village of Gherdeal? Also known as Gürteln, this almost abandoned Saxon village is located in Sibiu county, Romania.

Gherdeal is an almost inhabited village in Sibiu county, Romania. The Saxon locals left this place at the beginning of the 90s in search of a better life, most probably in Germany.

Gherdeal village entrance

It seems that the village got its name from a woman called Gertrude, who founded this community in 1332. She was a woman from Cârța village, situated nearby. The Cistercian monastery in Cârța is believed to have a connection with this village.

Some say that Gherdeal was founded by the locals in Cârța, which weren’t very pleased with the measures taken by the Cistercian monks.

Gherdeal village street and old houses

The village had one Romanian school, one Saxon school, a kindergarten and two churches (Saxon and Romanian). The last birth here was in 1988.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of restoration, most of the houses here are now in ruins. With minor exceptions, everything looks deserted.

Still, the place is perfect for photo shoots and for treasure hunting. Or even for hiking, why not?

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