A distinctive architectural feature in Troița is the freestanding bell tower of the wooden church: it has an open ground floor, a narrow gallery with arches and a steeply pitched roof. Together with Casa Tolnay, the Unitarian church in Sânvăsii and the history of Nyárádszentlászló, these sites offer a range of historical points of interest for a trip to Galesti. In Mureș County, the commune of Găleşti is among the communes with a very high concentration of built heritage of national cultural interest.

Historic Buildings and Layers from Different Periods

Casa Tolnay in Găleşti is a historic monument dating from the 17th century. The Unitarian church in Sânvăsii represents a different era; it is a historic monument dating from the 14th to 15th centuries. A grave above the church wall contained a coin attributed to Béla III. On this basis, the church’s construction is dated to the late 12th or early 13th century. This dating therefore points to an earlier construction history than the period assigned to it as a monument.

Cetatea de la Găleşti – Singervára is another historic point of interest in the area: this fortification from the Roman and medieval periods lies on a hill south of the former village of Sânvăsii. Casa Tolnay, the church and the fortification thus represent different forms of built and archaeological heritage. The fortification’s location helps distinguish it from the church in the village.

Church Architecture in Troița and Nyárádszentlászló

The bell tower of the wooden church in Troița is freestanding and clearly defined by its design: the ground floor is open, with a narrow gallery above it featuring arches and topped by a steeply pitched roof. These features offer a concrete glimpse of the church’s architecture without conflating it with the Unitarian churches, which have different dates.

Nyárádszentlászló lies in the middle Niraj region and is administratively part of the commune of Găleşti. Its Unitarian church combines Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements. Between 2009 and 2015, wall paintings were uncovered in its Gothic sacristy; they are considered exceptionally valuable in the Transylvanian context. The place is documented as early as 1332 in the papal tithe register under the name Sancto Ladislao.

The churchyard also contributes to the site’s historical significance. It contains the trunk of an ash tree, estimated to be 350 to 400 years old. Two lime trees were planted in 1896 to mark the millennium celebration of the Hungarian Conquest of 896. Together, the church, paintings, historical name and trees tell different aspects of the site’s history: architecture, tradition and the churchyard’s surroundings, shaped over time.

Plan Your Hikes and Journey

Two differently described routes are available for a trip that includes some walking. The pilgrimage-style Via Unitariana walking tour follows the Niraj to the lower foothills of the Gurghiu Mountains and passes, among other places, Nyomát and Nyárádszentlászló. The cultural and historical EKE hiking route runs from Nyárádremete via Mikháza, Jobbágytelke, Nyárádszereda and Nyárádszentlászló to Berekeresztúr. The Via Unitariana is described as pilgrimage-style; the sequence of places provides concrete guidance on the EKE route. Check the current dates of the hiking events before making plans.

Public transport line 020 is listed as a 26 km connection from Târgu Mureș via Acățari to Troița. Check the current timetable before travelling. This will let you compare the cultural sites and hiking options described here with the route and schedule relevant to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Gallendorf, Comuna Ibănești, Comuna Brâncovenești, Comuna Acățari, Orașul Sovata, Santana de Mures, Gornesti

For the full travel overview: Mures.