The Survey of the Calvinist Church and its Belfry in Magyarvista

A dream of mine cherished for a long time is to document a significant historic building of Transylvania based on a detailed survey carried out with my friends and colleagues for posterity. I first visited Magyarvista in the summer of 1986 accompanied by Géza Pap, a Calvinist minister from Kiskapus. Established in the 13th century, the church was completed in the 15th century, whilst its belfry was built in 1760–72. The painted coffered ceiling and the ornamental painting on the front panels of the pews is the work of Lőrinc Umling and his sons, whilst the decoration of the men’s choir was made by János Asztalos. During work done in the nave murals were found underneath the lime layers in 1912 of which István Gróh made excellent water-colour replicas on ten panels. World War I and its consequences delayed restoration here, the frescoes were whitewashed. In 1997 József Lángi and Ferenc Mihály proposed restoring the mural and woodwork besides writing an expert’s opinion. We are hereby publishing the plans of architectural survey in the hope that this work could give a new impetus to the renewal planned for a long time now in the first phase of which the restoration of the mural titled St Nicholas Calms the Sea was completed in the years 2008-2009.

István Mányi