At first glance, the old pastor’s house in Cund looks like a quiet, solid building — its pale green walls resting easily beneath the hills, the garden framed by pine trees, the roofs heavy with time. Yet behind those walls lies one of the most remarkable stories of renewal in this little Transylvanian village: the rebirth of a historic landmark into a vibrant space for staying, learning, dining, and cultural exchange.Today, the building once known as the Pastorat of Cund is home to eight very comfortable and well equipped  guest rooms, a large medieval wine cellar with a vaulted ceiling and to the “Old Vicarage Cooking School by Jonas Schäfer”, a place where ancient architecture and modern culinary craft meet — but its road to revival has been long, patient, and deeply personal.

‍A house built on faith and community

‍For centuries, the pastorate was the moral and administrative heart of village life. Just beside the church, it housed the local pastor — the man who preached, recorded births and marriages, advised farmers, mediated disputes, and led the community in times of celebration and hardship alike.
In these rural corners of Transylvania, the pastor’s house was far more than a residence: it was a symbol of guidance and continuity, a place where faith intertwined with everyday life.Cund, like many Saxon-influenced villages, followed that pattern closely.
The Lutheran church stood as its anchor, and the adjoining pastorate radiated quiet authority. Over time, however, shifting borders, emigration, and the decline of the Saxon population led to the gradual fading of this clerical world. By the end of the twentieth century, the old pastor’s house had lost its purpose — neglected, its walls fading, its windows shuttered.

‍The rebirth of a landmark

‍Then came a turning point. In the late 2010s, the Dortmund-born Jürgen Lämmerzahl, once a guest enchanted by the charm of Cund and its surroundings, decided to take on the extraordinary task of rescuing the old pastorate.What followed was a meticulous, almost scholarly restoration — the kind that can only be driven by deep affection and stubborn patience. Every beam, every tile, every fragment of plaster was studied, cleaned, and rebuilt by hand. Traditional materials were sourced; local craftsmen were involved; historic details were retained wherever possible.
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The result is nothing short of breathtaking. The Pastorate of Cund today houses eight beautifully restored guest rooms, each blending Transylvanian authenticity with understated elegance. Beneath the house lies a large vaulted cellar, now a cool and atmospheric space for tastings and gatherings, while the former barn has been transformed into a versatile space, offering one of the region’s finest examples of adaptive reuse — where history meets comfort, and craftsmanship meets vision.It remains, to this day, the largest single private investment ever made into a historic building in Cund, and a model for how one person’s love for a place can spark lasting renewal.A second life through food and fellowshipWith the restoration complete, a new chapter began — one that connected the building back to its roots as a place of gathering and learning.

Under the guidance of chef and hospitality entrepreneur Jonas Schäfer, the house became home to the Old Vicarage Cooking School.Here, guests learn the art of local and seasonal cooking, discover Transylvanian ingredients, and share stories over simmering pots and rustic wooden tables. It’s not just a cooking class — it’s a cultural exchange, a continuation of the village’s rhythm of hospitality and cooperation.Where sermons were once given, recipes are now shared. Where the pastor’s voice once echoed, you now hear laughter, clinking glasses, and the soft sound of chopping herbs.

‍A symbol of what Cund stands for

‍The restoration of the pastorate is more than an architectural triumph — it’s a story of belief in rural revival. It shows that old buildings can have modern purposes, that beauty and function can coexist, and that investment, when rooted in respect for place, can become an act of preservation.Through the vision of Jürgen Lämmerzahl, the creativity of Jonas Schäfer in the Cooking School, and the local community, the old pastor’s house has once again become what it always was meant to be: a centre of gathering, warmth, and human connection — only now, it smells of fresh bread, herbs, and history.