The Edict of Turda, one of Europe's first acts of religious freedom, was adopted here in January 1568.
About the place
The church was built between 1475 and 1504 on the site of an older one first recorded in 1342, and its walls include stone blocks taken from the Roman fortress. The years 1478, 1498 and 1504 are carved in Gothic numerals on the south buttresses. It is a category A historic monument.
In January 1568 the Transylvanian Diet, meeting here under Prince John Sigismund, decided that every community could choose its preacher according to its own faith; Unitarians count this year as the start of their church. The Orthodox were not among the recognised confessions. From 1568 to 1721 the church belonged to the Unitarians before returning to the Catholics; a plaque in Hungarian, Romanian and English recalls the event.
Good to know
- There are no published visiting hours; your best chance to go inside is at a service.
- The religious-freedom monument stands next to the church on Piața Republicii.
- Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch's painting of the 1568 Diet hangs in the History Museum, 300 m away.
Opening hours
Opening hours are not confirmed. Check the venue's website before you go.