Restoration and extension of the Calvinist church, Magyarbikal

In 1922, Károly Kós pointed out the plight of two churches in the Kalotaszeg region that were destined for demolition in his article entitled “Ancient Churches” in the pages of Vasárnap (Sunday). The congregations of Magyarvista (Viştea) and Magyarbikal (Bikălatu) wanted to erect new, bigger churches in place of the existing ones. Kós suggested the rehabilitation and enlargement of the churches instead of their demolition, and prepared plans for this in both cases.

Magyarbikal is a single-nave Gothic church that may have been built at the beginning of the 1400s. The jewel of the church is the painted wooden ceiling that was made in three periods (1697, 1790, and 1923). The rehabilitation and enlargement of the church became necessary in the 1920s. Kós planned for the extension of the nave and the construction of a new tower, similar to the plan for the enlargement of the Magyarvista church. A stone tower with four pinnacles around the central spire, which was typical of Kalotaszeg churches, was constructed in place of the original wooden tower.

The building bears the characteristics of typical Kalotaszeg churches (arched loophole windows and a tower with four pinnacles around a central spire), and is closely related to the Ketesd (Tetişu) church (1937).