Fortified Churches in Romania
 |
You are reading the rules for this tile design. |
| If your tiles have a different design, then choose a game from Spin-offs. |  |
The Fortified Churches in Romania mini expansion contains 6 tiles featuring well-known Romanian fortified churches. These churches offer more variety, new strategies, and a unique atmosphere.
 Romanian fortified churches tiles bundled with a special edition of the base game in 2026. |
This mini expansion, containing well-known fortified churches from Romania, provides you with the possibility of obtaining points with these cult places in a new way. However, whether this decision will be more profitable or not will be found out only at the end of the game.
General info and comments
Fortified Churches in Romania was released for the revised 3rd edition (C3.1 for short) by Lineart in 2026.
It was bundled in a special edition of the game released by the Romanian publisher.
This mini expansion implements the same mechanics as 
Monasteries in Germany, Japanese Buildings, and Monasteries in the Netherlands & Belgium. So, the Romanian fortified churches act as special monasteries, but departing from the usual tile distribution for monasteries in the base game.
Contents
- 6 new land tiles featuring Romanian fortified churches.
Rules
Preparation
Remove the “original” monastery tiles from the base game and return them to the box. [1]
Shuffle the six new land tiles in with the rest of the game tiles.
Gameplay
1. Placing a tile
If a player draws one of the fortified church tiles, it is placed according to the normal rules.
2. Placing a meeple
After placing the fortified church tile, the player may place a meeple on any feature present on the tile according to the normal rules. If deploying a meeple on the fortified church, the player has two options: [2]
- As a Monk: In this option, the fortified church is treated like a monastery in the base game, and all the normal scoring rules remain the same; or
- As a Claustral Prior: [3] In this option, the meeple is considered a claustral prior of the fortified church. To emphasize this, the player stands the meeple on its side to signify that the fortified church will be scored differently than an original monastery. So, the fortified church scores only at the end of the game.
3a. Scoring a monk
A meeple placed on a fortified church as a monk follows the regular scoring rules of Carcassonne.
3b. Final scoring of a claustral prior
A meeple placed as a claustral prior on a fortified church is not scored until the end of the game. For their claustral prior, the player receives 1 point per tile present in the vertical column and horizontal row outward from the fortified church. The fortified church tile itself also scores 1 point. Any empty spaces in the fortified church’s row or column interrupt the series of tiles that score for the fortified church.
Note: For the sake of clarity, the figures in the additions correspond to the number of tiles in the column above, the row to the right, the column below, the row to the left and the fortified church itself respectively.
Other expansions
This section contains additional information about the interactions with other Carcassonne expansions.
You can occupy a fortified church with the following figures placing them as a monk (standing) or as a claustral prior (on its side):
- C3/C3.1:
- C1/C2:
These two options (placing a meeple as a monk or as a claustral prior) are available whenever a meeple would be placed on the fortified church: initial meeple placement, wagon movement, magic portal, flier, etc. (5/2014)
Note that the fortified church is only a single feature, even though it can be used two different ways. Thus, if it is occupied by a meeple, one cannot place a phantom there, drive the wagon there, or deploy a meeple to it with a magic portal. (7/2014)
The normal rules assume that only one of the two meeple placement options may happen at a time. However, in combination with other expansions (see 
Exp. 6 - Count, King & Robber, 
Mini #1 - The Flying Machines, 
The Gifts and the 
20th Anniversary Expansion), several meeples may be present on a monastery during scoring. This leads to the following scenarios:
- Fortified church occupied by at least one meeple placed as a monk and any number of meeples placed as claustral priors:
- The feature will be scored like a normal monastery considering any meeples placed as monks either when completed (completely surrounded by tiles) or at the end of the game (if still incomplete).
- The player(s) with the majority of meeples placed as monks will receive the number of points the fortified church is worth at this point, and those meeples will be returned to their owners.
- Any meeples placed as claustral priors on the feature will be scored as indicated in the next scenario.
- Fortified church only occupied by meeples placed as claustral priors:
- The feature will be scored at the end of the game, since it will not be considered as completed for the meeples placed as claustral priors even if surrounded by tiles.
- The player(s) with the majority of meeples placed as claustral priors will receive the number of points the feature is worth.
A meeple placed as a claustral prior cannot be involved in a challenge with a heretic on a shrine/cult place, as the two scoring mechanisms are entirely different (the claustral prior's fortified church is never completed, so the heretic would always win). (5/2014) Players may deploy meeples from the cathedral district to a completed fortified church about to be scored. The meeples can only be deployed as monks. Deploying meeples as claustral priors is not allowed since they would not participate in the current scoring.
Question: A previous clarification stated that you can't deploy a meeple from the cathedral district in the City of Carcassonne to a fortified church with a meeple placed as a claustral prior, since it won't be completed in the usual time frame.
However, if the fortified church has a meeple placed as a monk (i.e. acting as a normal monastery) and it is completed, can you deploy a meeple to it from the cathedral district and place it as a claustral prior instead?
Answer: You can't deploy a meeple from the cathedral district to a fortified church as a claustral prior if it is completed as a regular monastery with a meeple placed as a monk (i.e. completely surrounded by tiles).
You can only deploy a meeple from the cathedral district to a fortified church as a monk, because only this feature (the fortified church acting as a normal monastery) is completed for scoring. (10/2014)
Exp. 8 - Bridges, Castles & Bazaars
Because a meeple placed as a claustral prior scores only at the end of the game, and this fortified church is never considered completed in this case, a fortified church with a meeple placed as a claustral prior will not score points for a meeple in a castle. (5/2014)
Exp. 9 - Sheep & Shepherds / Exp. 9 - Hills & Sheep
When using fortified churches, the vineyard bonus is applied to the church if the meeple is placed as a monk and the feature is scored as a finished original monastery. However, the vineyard bonus is not applied if a meeple is placed as a claustral prior on a fortified church, as the claustral prior scores only at the end of the game, when the vineyard has no effect. (5/2014) If a second meeple is placed on the fortified church through use of the The Flying Machines, the player can choose to place the new meeple either as a monk or as a claustral prior, regardless of the identity of the first meeple there. However, if the fortified church is already surrounded by 8 tiles, thus representing a completed feature, the second meeple must be placed as a claustral prior. (7/2014)Tile distribution
×1
×1
×1
×1
×1
×1The Romanian fortified churches in detail
This information is based on the page provided by the Romanian publisher: https://oxygame.ro/carcassonne/biserici-fortificate.html
(Gura Humorului, Suceava County)
Founded by Stephen the Great in 1488 in only 3 months and 3 weeks, as gratitude for the victory against the Turks.
Current state
Excellently preserved monument, working as a nunnery, renowned for the unique "Voroneț Blue" pigment.
More details about history and architecture
Voroneț Monastery represents the peak of the Moldovan style, an original synthesis of Byzantine and Gothic elements. The outer frescoes, added in 1547 in the time of Petru Rareș, are considered the most accomplished ensembles of the Romanian Medieval art.
The secret of the "Voroneț Blue" consists in the usage of azurite, but the method of the composition preparation, which resisted over 450 years against rains and frost, keeps partly being a technical mystery.
Visiting: Gura Humorului (Suceava). Easy car or train access. Separate photo fee. Observe a decent outfit.
📍 See on Google Maps
(Arcuș, Covasna County)
A 16th century fortified church, witness to the troubled history of the Szekler and of the Transylvanian religious tolerance.
Current state
The fortified precinct is restored, being one of the most representative stronghold-churches in the Covasna County.
More details about the Arcuș stronghold
The current church was built on the site of an older building, surrounded in 1639 by a massive, pentagonal-shaped defensive wall. The fortification includes five bastions at the corners.
Visiting: Arcuș (Covasna). It can be visited by contacting the parish. The village is also famous for the nearby Szentkereszty Castle.
📍 See on Google Maps
(Mediaș, Sibiu County)
14th century Transylvanian Saxon evangelical church, built in pure Gothic style and later fortified for protection.
Current state
Although the local community decreased, the church keeps being a focal point for the Transylvanian Gothic architecture lovers.
More details about the unique sculptures
The "Saint Mary" Ighișu Nou Church is special because of its sculptural details. The choir consoles are decorated with human masks, animal figures and vegetal motifs.
Visiting: Near Mediaș (Sibiu). The key is usually at the house number 105 or at the representants of the local Transylvanian Saxon community.
📍 See on Google Maps
(Prejmer, Brașov County)
Founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1218. It is the largest and most well-fortified stronghold-church in Southeastern Europe.
Current state
Very well organized museum, part of the UNESCO World Heritage, providing an immersive experience in the Medieval life.
More details about the "Death Orgue"
The Prejmer Stronghold was never conquered although it has been attacked over 50 times. The walls are 12 meters high and 3–4 meters thick, and in the stronghold there is an unusual combat device: the renowned "Death Orgue" (formed by multiple weapons laid at the same place, which were firing all of them at the same time). On the inner side of the defensive wall ~275 rooms for habitation are built on 3–4 levels.
Visiting: 15 minutes away from Brașov. Program: Season (5/01–10/31) – Monday–Saturday (09 - 17:30), Sunday (11 - 17:30); Out of season (11/1–4/30) – 09:00 - 16:00
📍 See on Google Maps
(Bunești, Brașov County)
Initially built as a Romance chapel in the 12th century by the Szekler, then extended and fortified by the Transylvanian Saxon, it became the center of a village left unchanged for centuries.
Current state
Renowned worldwide for its authenticity, the Viscri village and its fortified church attract annually thousands of foreign visitators.
More details about rural life’s heritage
A museum works inside the defensive walls, were traditional outfits of the Transylvanian Saxon, pieces of furniture, and woven or pottery articles used in the daily life of the Transylvanian Saxon can be admired.
Visiting: Brașov County. Car access in the village center is restricted; parking at the entry. Ticket is paid.
📍 See on Google Maps
(Tismana, Gorj County)
The oldest attested monastery in Wallachia (14th cen.), founded by Saint Nicodemus on the Stârmina Mountain.
Current state
Active monachal complex, of a rare beauty, located in a spectacular mountain area with numerous caves and waterfalls.
More details about the hidden treasure
Tismana is not only a spiritual center, but it was also a strategic point. A fascinant episode is the 1944 "Neptune Operation": in the cave nearby the monastery 212 gold tons from the treasure of the National Bank of Romania have been hidden, together with 3 gold tons from the treasure of the Bank of Poland.
Visiting: Close to Târgu Jiu (Gorj). Do not miss the Treasure of the National Bank of Romania Museum located right near the cave were the gold was hidden.
📍 See on Google MapsFootnotes
For Icons explanation and licensing please visit Icons page.
- ↑
As an alternative, the fortified churches could simply be added to the regular tiles without removing the original monastery tiles. However, if only playing with the base game and no other expansions, this may be too many monastery tiles. (4/2014)
- ↑
This paragraph was reworded to indicate that players can also place meeples on other features available on the tile besides the fortified church, namely on a road, in a city or in a field, if available.
- ↑
The Romanian rules use the term "priest", but we use the term "claustral prior" for the sake of consistency with the terminology used in Monasteries in Germany in C3. In C1 and C2, the rules used the term "abbot," but this became misleading when the abbot meeple was added in C2.