The Franciscan Church of Brașov (Biserica Franciscană din Brașov) is a church and monastery dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and is located in the historic old town of Brașov.
The church was founded by the nuns of the Order of Saint Claire, called the Clarisses, and is thought to have been built around 1450. When the Franciscan nuns were expelled in 1530, the church became a granary until the Lutherans started using it as their place of worship in 1644. During the great fire of 1689, which destroyed large parts of the city, the church was severely damaged as well.
In 1724 the church was rebuilt with the help of two generals from the Austrian army, Königsegg and Tige, and handed back to the Franciscan monks who had returned to the city. The church’s main style is Gothic, with some Baroque elements, including the vault and three altars.
In the first half of the 20th century a major restoration took place, which included new Neo-Baroque paintings and frescos by the artist Hans Hulhardt. After an earthquake caused new damage in 1940, another restoration was done.
