Boian, the place where time seems to stand guard.

Boian: A Village in Sibiu County

Boian is a village located in the northwestern part of Sibiu County, in the Tarnava Plateau. It belongs to the commune of Bazna. The locality is complemented by the Boian Valley, nestled among high hills that surround it on three sides: east, west, and south. The highest elevation is the "Droze" hill, whose eastern slope descends into the Rorii Valley, which separates the borders of Boian from those of Bazna. To the north, the built-up area is bordered by the Bălţii Valley, known as Muhle Grabben in the 18th century and Unt Aue in 1875.

Documentary Certification

703 years ago, the Saxon priest Theodoric of villa Boneti refused to pay the 10% tax to the Chapter of Alba Iulia, just like the majority of priests from the surrounding villages. This fact is recorded in the documents of the trial that took place, marking the first documentary mention of the village of Boian. It happened in the year 1309, in the month of July, on the 3rd, the date the trial concluded.

The Old Names of the Settlement

The settlement of Boian has had various names over time:

• Initially called Villa Boneti.
• Formerly known as Boianu de Jos and Bazna de Jos.
• In Saxon dialect: Bonnesdref.
• In German: Bonnesdorf, Bonisdorf, Bunnesdorf, Boneschdorf, Unter-Bassen, Unter-Bossern.
• In Hungarian: Alsóbajom.

It seems that the first representative of the Romanians from Boian is recorded in the year 1344 under the name Nicolaus de Bayum, meaning *Nicolae from Boian*.

The Current Appearance of the Locality

Boian has the appearance of a composite village, with its central axis oriented in a north-south direction, deviating a few degrees to the west. The Main Street, shaped like a shuttle, is closed at both ends with islands connected to the main street by narrower and winding streets.

The Homestead

Due to the depopulation of the village, the households are largely disorganized today. In fact, while the homes still withstand abandonment, the outbuildings were the first structures to physically suffer from the village's abandonment, especially by the younger generation.

The Elements of the Household

• The water fountain.
• The large barn, both in plan and volume.
• The shed built on an oak frame housed tools and firewood.
• The grain dryer.
• The pigsty.

What You Can See in Boian

1. The Saxon Church - The fortified Lutheran church dates back to the 14th - 15th centuries, but the first documentary mention is from 1309.
2. The Orthodox Church "Annunciation" - The Orthodox church dedicated to "Saint Archangels Michael and Gabriel" was built between 1904-1908 on the site of another Orthodox church that was demolished.
3. The Greek-Catholic Church - The re-establishment of the Boian Parish after the 1989 revolution took place in 1996, under the direct care of Pr. Mons. George Surdu, former rector of the Greek-Catholic Mission in Paris, a son of the village of Boian.
4. The general school with grades I-VIII in Boian.
5. The cultural center in the locality.

On the occasion of the documentary attestation in 2009, marking 700 years of the locality of Boian, the decision was made to establish the Association of the Sons of the Village of Boian. This village celebration is usually held on the last Sunday of July.

Article submitted and written by Ioan Muntean, a son of the village of Boian. You can send your texts to contact@turistintransilvania.com

Photo credit: Ioan Muntean