The Black Church - Romania's Spookiest Place of Worship

Sorry Ozzy, but Romania has bragging rights for starting the original Black Sabbath. That's because its most famous parish is the wickedly gothic Black Church.

The formerly Catholic institution switched to Lutheranism during the Reformation and still hosts services for Brasov's small German community, but the Black Church is primarily a Transylvanian tourist attraction with a rocky past. Though construction started in the 13th century, it took nearly two centuries for the church to be completed. Pope Martin V even issued the workers "an indulgence" to get them working again in hopes that sin would motivate where virtue didn't. And speaking of sin, there's even a famous legend that a structural critic was pushed off the church tower and buried underneath the building to cover it up. That alone should be enough to earn it the "Black Church" tag, but the event behind the name change didn't come until the late 17th century.

It was 1689 and the Great Turkish War was under way in the East. The Habsburg forces invaded the city in spring of that year and set fire to the church. This ultimately stained the outside walls with the smoky black color that earned it the name the "Black Church." A similar event would happen in future years, staining the walls even further and adding to the ominously spooky look.

Beyond its dark tales, the famed church boasts the biggest bell in Romania at six tons and a massive 4,000-pipe organ built in 1839. You can visit inside the Black Church for a small fee, but for the full gothic experience, you might want to visit during one of the weekly organ concerts. They might not play any Danny Elfman scores, but it's not like they're playing "The Sound of Music" either.

So, is it just a coincidence that the Black Church would exist mere miles from Dracula's Castle? There is actually no connection between the two, but the spooky nature of the church makes it a natural stop on most Dracula Tours.