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Some say Transylvania is that part of Europe with the most natural resources. To Lonely Planet, Transylvania was the #1 Region to visit in 2016. To us, Transylvania is “home” and that’s why we feel responsible to be welcoming hosts and to share with our guests its wealth: its nature, its customs, its history, its legends, its people. We will show you all these from the saddle or in the horse-drawn carriage.

Villa Abbatis Equestrian Center is part of a much wider project and its history goes back to spring 2011.

I stopped in Apoș, a cosy little, world-forgotten village that had once been inhabited by Saxons. I was looking to find my grandparents’ agricultural lands, who had been born in the near-by village. Although Apoș was so close to my native whereabouts, I had never been there. It was not by a main road, maybe that’s why it stayed untouched until today.

I stopped the car in the middle of the dirt road-street, in front of the Saxon church bell tower. In decay, but still imposing and spectacular, it had been there since 1799. Behind it – a pine-tree forest seemed to be protecting the old Cistercian Abbey from the early 14th century. Right across the street stood the old bishop’s house. Vandalised, with shrivelled walls, a broken roof and window-less, it caught my eye and mesmerised me. I stayed put until a horse cart brought me back to reality.

Where I then stopped in place, I also stop these days. Sometimes alone. Sometimes with friends, trying to make feel what I then felt. How time stood still and still does today. Once I knew where I wanted to raise my horses and invite people over to see them, nothing was impossible any more. It was and still is extremely difficult, but nothing is impossible any more.

I think I managed to save the bishop’s house at the very last moment. I bought it just before the century-old beams were stolen, as it had happened with so many other houses in the area. I also bought more agricultural land nearby and took the Saxon church into administration ahd fix it’s roof in 2019.