Hunyadi Castle, Timişoara

Hunyadi Castle is a historical monument and the oldest building of Timişoara.

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The King of Hungary Charles Robert of Anjou decided after a visit in 1307, to establish a provisional residence in Timişoara. It was necessary ato build a castle to meet the needs of the King. The construction was carried out and completed by Italian manufacturers probably most likely in 1315, because in 1316, the King was already established in his new castle. He lived here for almost eight years. The building was developed around a rectangular courtyard with cylindrical towers at corners. Situated on an island, the castle was linked by a mobile bridge to the city of Timişoara, strengthened also by the King. Major renovations were done during count Pippo Spano.

Between 1441 and 1456, count of Timişoara was Iancu de Hunedoara (John Hunyadi). It has established residence here and ordered the building of a new castle on the ruins of the old palace, the royal castle, badly damaged by an earthquake. A major contribution to the building was brought by Italian architect Paolo Santini de Duccio, who was serving at the time the count. Both the castle and city fortifications were equipped with artillery adapted semicircular towers. Until 1552, the castle served as residence for all the kings who passed by. During the Ottoman occupation (1552-1716), it served as the residence of Turk dignitaries of Timişoara.

During the siege of the Austrian army which led to the reconquest of Banat, the castle was damaged, so in 1716 it was renovated being transformed into military barracks and artillery storage. In 1849, the Hungarian revolutionaries besieged the city and destroyed the castle to the ground, to the point where it was needed to rebuild it. Reconstruction and renovation works were completed in 1856, and the castle was very much modified, particularly to the facade.

Despite of many changes, the castle has kept the organization around a courtyard with corner turrets, the dungeon tower position and the "Knights Hall", details that are found also in the Corvin Castle in Hunedoara. The main facade was restored in a romantic style. Windows, ending in semicircular arc with neo-Gothic decoration above took place of the holes for the artillery and the facade was made in brick​​. The first floor with a height of two storeys comprises two vaulted rooms in Gothic style, one with three naves and the other with two, constructed of brick and supported by a series of massive columns. The building is finished in vertical plane through an attic floor and at the top of the facade is an embattled cornice.

The towers are low, rectangular, with small windows, and decorated with battlements at the top so that the roof is not visible. The main entrance has been modified and is flanked by two massive pillars that have at the top a specific collection of medieval weapons, which contribute to the aspect of a Gothic castle.

Since 1947 the castle hosts the history and nature science sections of the Museum of Banat.

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The Hunyad Castle

The Hunyad Castle (Romanian: Castelul Huniazilor or Castelul Corvineştilor, Hungarian: Vajdahunyad vára) is a castle in present-day Hunedoara, Romania.


It is a relic of the Hunyadi dynasty. In the 14th century, the castle was given to a Vlach (Romanian) knyaz Serb, or Sorb by Sigismund king of Hungary as severance. The castle was restored between 1446 and 1453 by his grandson Iancu de Hunedoara (John Hunyadi). It was built in Gothic style, but has Baroque and Renaissance architectural elements. It features tall and strong defence towers, an interior yard and a drawbridge. Built in the 14th century, on the place of an old fortification, on a rock below which flows the small river Zlasti, the castle is a large building, with tall and diversely coloured roofs, towers, windows and balconies adorned with carvings in stone.


Being one of the most important properties of John Hunyadi, the castle was transformed during his ruling. It became a sumptuous home, not only a strategically enforced point. With the passing of the years, the masters of the castle had modified its look, adding towers, halls and guest rooms. The gallery and the keep - the last defence tower (called "Ne boisa" = Do not be afraid), which remained unchanged from Iancu de Hunedoara's time, and the Capistrano Tower (named after the francescan monk from the castle court) are some of the most significant parts of the construction. Other significant parts of the building are the Knights' Hall (a great reception hall), the Club Tower, the White bastion, which served as a food storage room, and the Diet Hall, on whose walls medallions are painted (among them there are the portraits of Matei Basarab, ruler from Wallachia, and Vasile Lupu, ruler of Moldavia). In the wing of the castle called the Mantle, a painting can be seen which portrays the legend of the raven from which the name of the descendants of John Hunyadi, Corvinus came.


In the castle yard, near the chapel built also during John Hunyadi's ruling, is a well 30 meters deep. The legend says that this fountain was dug by three Turkish prisoners to whom liberty was promised if they reached water. After 15 years they completed the well, but their captors did not keep their promise. It is said that the inscription on a wall of the well means "you have water, but not soul". Specialists, however, have translated the inscription as "he who wrote this inscription is Hasan, who lives as slave of the giaours, in the fortress near the church".

In February 2007, Hunyad Castle played host to the British paranormal television program Most Haunted Live! for a three-night live investigation into the spirits purported to be haunting the castle.