Aţel

Aţel
—  Commune  —
Location of Aţel
Coordinates: 46°09′N 24°28′E / 46.15°N 24.467°E / 46.15; 24.467Coordinates: 46°09′N 24°28′E / 46.15°N 24.467°E / 46.15; 24.467
Country	Romania
County	Sibiu
First attested	1283
Component villages	Aţel, Dupuş
Government
– Mayor	Moldovan Sergiu Ionel (since 2004) (PNL)
Area
– Total	27.21 km2 (10.5 sq mi)
Population (2007)
– Total	3,523
– Density	129.5/km2 (335.3/sq mi)
Postal code	557020
Website	Main page (Romanian)

Fortified church of Aţel

Aţel (German: Hetzeldorf; Hungarian: Ecel) is a commune in Sibiu County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Aţel and Dupuş. The commune first appears in written history in 1283 as villa Echelini. Later appearances in written documents are villa Heclini (1289), Hetzelini villa and villa Eczlen (1359), Ecczel (1365), and Heczeldorf (1548). A church is mentioned as of 1380.^[1]

Population

As of 1850, there were 4,062 people, ethnically divided thus: 2,078 Romanians, 454 Hungarians, 1,359 Germans, 19 Jews and 152 Roma. As of 1992 the 3,726 people were divided ethnically thus: 2,672 Romanians, 585 Hungarians, 263 Germans and 205 Roma.^[2]

Architecture

The fortified church of Aţel was built by Transylvanian Saxons and completed by the end of the 15th century; it is surrounded by double walls. Above the entrance rises the Old School tower, and close by is the Oat Tower. The fortified church of Dupuş was also built during the 15th century.

Notes

1. ^ Léstyán, Ferenc: Megszentelt kövek. A középkori erdélyi püspökség templomai, Budapest, Arcanum, 2003, ISBN 963-9374-74-1[1]
2. ^ Varga E. Árpád: Erdély etnikai és felekezeti statisztikája (1850–1992)

References

• Aţel at GEOnet Names Server
• Edroiu, Nicolae, Comuna Aţel : Studiu monografic complex, Editura Eurodidact, 2002 ISBN 973-85629-0-2
• Augustin Ioan, Hanna Derer. The Fortified Churches of the Transylvanian Saxons. Noi Media Print, 2004

External links

• (Romanian) Information and photographs