Moruț (Aranyosmóric, Moritzdorf) – Bistrița-Năsăud County
Built in the 15th century, the Evangelical Church of Moruț is now just a faint memory of its former self. Although it is listed as a historical monument in Bistrița-Năsăud County, the Gothic structure remains invisible from a tourism perspective.
The Evangelical Church of Moruț, built in two distinct phases
First mentioned in documents in 1278 (Mowruch), the village which belongs to Matei Commune was initially owned by Sombor, Sándor, and Pál, the sons of Péter from the Sombor dinasty. It is believed that a church already existed here as early as 1332. This was later replaced by the current structure, located on an oval hill on the western edge of the village. The Evangelical Church of Moruț was built somewhere between 1480 and 1500, originally as a fortified church.
From the original structure, which included a nave and two towers on the western side, only part of the western wall, a fragment of the southern wall, and the three-level tower remain. The bell tower, now covered with an octagonal metal roof, belongs to the first construction phase. The nave and the window frames were added toward the end of the 15th century, during the second construction phase.
The Evangelical Church of Moruț has been in ruins since the 19th century
According to a former inscription on the side door’s lock, the church was renovated in 1624. At that time, the altar was decorated with painted tapestry. Also, the stone tower housed a bell engraved with the year 1656. Although the church was once again restored in the 1830s, it was no longer in use by the second half of the 19th century. Religious services were moved to a prayer house built in 1886 near the bell tower, with the support of the Gustav Adolf Association.
Today, the ruins of the Evangelical Church of Moruț preserve fragments of a late Gothic pointed arch portal on the southern wall. The bell tower still holds its two newer bells, cast in 1926 and 1929. However, the most striking feature of the ruined church remains the star vault at the base of the tower — now repurposed as a makeshift shed. During our visit, we found a trailer and various farming tools stored inside. 🙂
Nearly 190 Evangelicals lived in Moruț in 1910. Today this number roughly matches the total population of the village, which continues declining. Despite its picturesque setting, Moruț has become nothing more than a quick stop along the DJ172H road. With no congregation and no tourism promotion, the future of the Evangelical Church of Moruț remains uncertain…