Mikó Fortress, Miercurea-Ciuc

The Mikó Fortress, with its Italian-style bastions and regular geometrical plan, built in late Renaissance style, is the oldest and most important monument of Miercurea-Ciuc. It bears the name of its builder, Hidvégi Mikó Ferenc (1585-1635), in the documents of time being referred as the New Mikó's Citadel. The fortress construction began in 1623, ten years after Mikó Ferenc became the supreme master of Szekely seats (counties) Ciuc, Gheorgheni, and Casin. Leading figure in political life of Transylvania in the early 17th century, Mikó Ferenc, besides this function was also the prince Gabriel Bethlen's adviser, a diplomat and a columnist.

The building of the castle with a quadrilateral plan (75x70 m) was completed probably in the thirties of the 17th century. The first written document proving the existence of the fortress dates from 1631. Mikó received as a gift from Gabriel Bethlen the Szereda princely domain field and the approval for the construction of the citadel. However, his heir Mikó József was sued by Pánczélos István and Balázs from Martonfalva because his father has acquired their lands without compensation when building the citadel. After 1636 the citadel passes to Damokos Tamás, Ciuc county supreme.

On 21 October 1661, the Turkish-Tatar army led by Ali, pasha of Timişoara, invaded Ciuc county and occupied and burned the citadel. Is was reconstructed between 1714-1716 under Imperial General Stephan Steinville, as is certified in a stone inscription placed above the entrance gate of the citadel. In 1735, the Austrian colonel and engineer Johann Conrad Weiss made the plan of the citadel, the oldest known so far, which is an important document on the history and construction stages of the fortress.

Around the rebuilt fortress the Austrians developed a defense system with four Italian-style bastions, whose traces are still visible on the southern side. On the west side was built a store for gunpowder and the south-western bastion was transformed into a chapel. The chapel ceiling is decorated with late Baroque stucco decorations and the Gothic windows frames is the result of subsequent processing. The ground floor rooms have dome shaped semi-cylindrical ceilings, with dual radial curvature groins. Demarcation of levels is marked out by a belt of carved stone. Every stronghold, at the height of the bridge, has shooting goals.

The reinforced fortress was an important strategic point on the eastern border of the Habsburg Empire. Until the organization of Szekler border regiments (1764), it hosted barracks for the Imperial troops, and thereafter until 1849, headquarter of 1st Székely Border Regiment commander. During the Revolution of 1848-1849 it was headquarter of the Szekler revolutionary army leader, Gál Sándor. After the defeat of the revolution, the citadel remained in use of the army. In 1890 was built on one side and another of the gate-stronghold a building, which was demolished in 1990.

In the 1880s was filled the castle moat. By the mid-twentieth century, with little interruption, the fortress was used by the military. In 1970, after a general restoration, in the fortress was moved the Ciuc Székely Museum, founded in 1930.

Images from Wikipedia.

Wass-Banffy Castle, Gilău

Gilău (Hungarian: Gyalu, Saxon German: Gelu, German: Gelau, Julmarkt, Jalmarkt) is a commune in Cluj County, Romania, located at 15 km west of Cluj. In the south of the village are remains of a Roman military camp (castrum) and a Roman civilian settlement. It was the first castrum in Transylvania where archaeologists have clearly identified the sequence between the camp of earth and wood and the stone camp that followed (dimensions: 138 x 221 m). Etymologically, it was hypothesized that such the name Gilău derived from Gelu. According to the anonymous chronicler of King Bela IV, prince Gelu died at the confluence of Căpuş Creek with Someşul Mic River on Gilău village territory, while withdrawing from the Hungarian hordes of Tuhutum to his citadel Dăbâca (ad castrum suum).

Wass-Banffy Castle in Gilău is a historical monument of Cluj County, being surrounded by a natural park of approximately 11 hectares. Initially a fortress, it was built after the year 1439, by order of Bishop Lepes and in the 1500s, was transformed into a castle in the Renaissance style, by Bishop Gerb László. Between 1599-1601, the castle belonged to Michael the Brave. As a result of a fire, the castle was damaged and after that was rebuilt and restored several times. In the last decades, the castle was used by the Gilău High-school.

Images from www.Rumaenienburgen.com.

Kornis Castle, Mănăstirea

Mănăstirea (former Benediug, alternate Benediugu Dejului, Hungarian: Szentbenedek), is a village in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It was attested in 1308 and it is located 4 km from Dej and 10 km from Gherla. Here is the Kornis Castle, an important historical monument.

The main building of the castle was built by Keresztúri Kristóf between 1573-1593 in Renaissance style. Over time, the castle has been filled with secondary buildings forming a rectangular enclosure. Once the area becomes the property Kornis family around the year 1673, Kornis Gáspár (1641-1683) II raised the floor of main building, on southern side.

Kornis Castle, as it was in 19th century. Reconstruction by Radu Oltean

His son, Kornis Zsigmond renovated the castle in 1680. He repaired the castle after it was damaged during the Kurutz uprising in the early 18th century, and in 1720 added two new octagonal bastions in the north, and restored the entrance of the castle tower on the west side, which still exists today. During this period were redecorated the rooms with frescoes on the ceilings, were restored the wooden frames of last floor and the staircase decorated with folk motifs, and added decorations made of Dej tuff stone.

At the entrance of the castle was an old suspended bridge, which was raised during the night or in case of danger. The gate was flanked by unicorns, unicorns that appear also on Kornis family coat-of-arms. At the center of the enclosure is an octagonal fountain, surrounded by circular columns and arches. In the north-eastern area is a pavilion built in 1825, decorated on two sides with Doric columns.

During the Second World War part of the castle was destroyed and after the nationalization its collections were burned by the Communists or were stolen. The castle library contained over 9,000 volumes before destruction, consisting of collections of rare books. It was destroyed also the vast collection of natural history. Between 1975-1976 was rebuilt only part of the masonry, but there were no serious work of restoration and the castle is now in ruins.

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Images from Wikipedia.

Humor Monastery

Humor Monastery is located about 5 km north of the town of Gura Humorului, Bukovina, Romania. It is a monastery for nuns dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary, or Theotokos. It was built in 1530 by Teodor Bubuiog, high chancellor of ruling prince Petru Rareş. The monastery was closed in 1786 and was not reopened until 1990. The monastery is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.

The ruins of the first church of Humor Monastery, or Homor, as it was known at that time, are about 500 m down the road. A document issued by ruling prince Alexandru cel Bun in 1415 confirmed that Judge Ivan (Oană) had built a monastery in Homor. Judge Ivan was a wealthy boyar who also had houses and a stone church in Tulova. The ruins show a small monastic church with three apses, and possibly a dome above the naos, as indicated by the massive supporting pilasters in the corners of the room. A square pronaos was added to the structure some time later. The church was built of massive blocks of stone, decorated outside with enameled ceramic discs and painted inside, as fragments of paint recovered by archaeologists show.

The church is smaller than other churches of the painted monasteries and does not have any cupolas. Otherwise, it preserves the same traditional three-cusped plan proper to most other painted monasteries. Humor is protected by a wooden stockade rather than a stone rampart, and lacks the characteristic spire - indicating that it was founded by a boyar, not the ruler. The belfry with a belvedere was erected in 1641, under Vasile Lupu's rule.

The particular element is the open porch with arches, an innovation for that time. The open porch is separated from the nave by three columns connected through broken arches which have crossed vaults. The windows frames are Gothic. The open porch with arcades was the first of its kind to be built in Bukovina, an innovation influenced by both the local building tradition (veranda, terrace) and the foreign Renaissance (the lodge found later in the Brâncovenesc style). Another innovation is the tainiţa, a hidden place above the burial-vault, where precious objects were kept in harsh times.

Humor was one of the first of Bukovina's painted monasteries to be frescoed and, along with Voroneţ, is probably the best preserved. The dominant color of the frescoes is a reddish brown, completed nevertheless by rich blues and greens. The master painter responsible for Humor's frescoes, which were painted in 1535, is one Toma of Suceava.

The subjects of the frescoes at Humor include the Siege of Constantinople and the Last Judgment, common on the exterior of the painted monasteries of Bukovina, but also the Hymn to the Virgin inspired by the poem of Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople relating to the miraculous intervention of the Theotokos in saving the city from Persian conquest in 626. The Persians are, however, depicted as Turks which is a common device in these monasteries, their paintings being used in part for political propaganda in addition to their spiritual meaning.

The tombstone of Teodor Bubuiog is situated under his portrait and that of his wife’s. Petru Rares and his wife are both buried in the monastery church as well. Humor Monastery held for many years the valuable 'Humor Gospel', a book dating back to 1473, painted by monk Nicodim and displaying a famous portrait of Stephen the Great. The monastery houses a valuable collection of icons dating back to the 16th century. The monastery, underwent several restoration works, in 1868, 1888, 1960-1961, 1967-1970, and 1971-1972, when the paintings were washed.

Stephen the Great, miniature in Humor Gospel

Sources: Wikipedia, Romanian Monasteries, Orthodox Photos

Sângeorgiu de Mureş Castle

Sângeorgiu de Mureş (Hungarian: Marosszentgyörgy) is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania, situated at 320m altitude, at 3 km of Târgu-Mureş. Build over a Daco-Roman rural settlement, the village is documentary certified in 1332. Then, there was a Franciscan friary, Sacerdos de Sancto Georgio, led by a monk named Fabianus.

In 1549, the Petki family built in Sângeorgiu de Mureş the first castle, surrounded by fortress walls. In 1640, Petki Istvan built a new stone castle, along the village's main street, on a hill with a magnificent panorama. The castle was built in late Renaissance style, and modified in Baroque style in 1759. In 1870, the Mariaffi family rebuilt the castle with elements of Neoclassical and Empire styles. Construction was completed with some extraordinary costs, and for the decorations were brought craftsmen and architects from Vienna. The park with an impressive arboretum, ornamental bushes, flowers and a lake had about 7 hectares.

The heir of the domain, Mariaffy Lajos, lives in Canada and wants to sell it. The castle is now in an advanced state of decay.

Gurghiu Castle

Gurghiu (Hungarian: Görgényszentimre, German: Görgen) is a commune in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located on Gurghiu River, tributary of the Mureş River, 14 km east of Reghin. Of the ten villages components of the commune, ethnic Romanian population is predominant in nine of them, while in Glajărie village Hungarians constitute an absolute majority.

Gurghiu was documentary attested in 1248 under the name of Gurgen, and over time has been mentioned in documents written in Latin, Romanian or Hungarian under different names as Gőrgény, Gergin, St. Emrich, Gergen, Geurgény, Girgn, Görgen, Villa sancti Emerici, Gurgiu-a-Sint-Imbrului, Giurgiu Sânt Imbrului, Gurghií, Gurdghiu. Some linguists and ethnologists suggest that the name is of Petcheneg origin, meaning 'hornbeam forest'. In the Middle Ages there existed a medieval fortress on a hill 500 m high, that served as favorite residence of the principles of Transylvania, and as the meeting place of the Diet of Transylvania.

Between 1642-1643, Prince Rákóczi György I built a curia at the foot of the mountain. It came very often for hunting in Gurghiu, a domain which in those days was a princely property belonging to the Treasury of Transylvania. Due to health problems, the prince did not want to climb each time to the fortress on the hill, so that construction raised the hill. It was a building with a floor, with about 20 rooms, built under the guidance of an architect of the prince. Rákóczi was very concerned of this project, so he called foremasters and artisans from several cities of Transylvania. The stones which were used to build the windows' frames were made in Cluj, which at the time had the most famous sculptors in stone. By the end of the 17th century, the area remained the property of George Rakoczy I, then again in possession of the Treasury.

In 1730, the masters of that time have built in the courtyard of the castle a small Roman-Catholic church, which served as a chapel. The church interior was decorated with baroque frescoes. In 1734, the estate was rented for 99 years by Bornemissza, a Catholic Szekely family, that have accomplished the building the castle. Using materials from the ruins of the citadel on the hill, they built the rest of the buildings and the castle chapel, and in 1740 they arranged an arboretum and various species of trees, but indigenous and exotic.

In the 18th century, Bornemissza family was very famous in Transylvania. The most important family member was Bornemissza János, who was Chancellor of Transylvania, second in the political hierarchy after the Governor. Taking full advantage of this position, the chancellor has obtained many favors, bringing more wealth to his family. The rent period ended in 1830, at which point began a long series of lawsuits between Bornemissza family (raised in the meantime to the rank of barons) and state. The trials lasted until 1872, when the barons lost the domain to the State. Construction of the castle was not only investment but noble family. They also had a glass manufacturing in Glăjari, where worked craftsmen from Moravia, porcelain, paper and spirit factories, Catholic schools and parish houses, investments for which they received compensation from the state. After a trial that lasted 27 years, Bornemissza tenant was compensated by the state with the amount of 500 thousand florins, and the area remained under state ownership.

In 1880, the domain was transformed into a hunting castle hunting for Prince Rudolf Josef of Austria, the building being refurbished for the needs of Habsburg prince. Coming often in Gurghiu for hunting, he fell in love with the picturesque area and held himself hunting parties and outdoor baroque music concerts.

The royal hunting castle did not enjoy too many years of glory. They say that the imperial family was cursed by the monks of the Order of Saint Benedict, after they been ousted by the emperor from 'their holy headland' in the Adriatic. For Rudolf, the curse has became a passionate crime. Prince committed suicide because the king forbade the relationship with the beautiful Czech ballerina, Maria Vetsera, vehemently rejected his son's intention to divorce his wife. Legends say that the prince planned to retire with his young mistress to Gurghiu because was very fond of this area, but in a moment of mental aberration, shot Maria in sleep then committed suicide.

The Royal period ended with the death of the prince, in 1893. Then there existed a famous preparatory school for foresters and specialists in hunting, where taught teachers who came from various parts of the Habsburg Empire. By building of a new forestry school, the hunting castle became a museum.

Although the current state of the building is very poor, have preserved many elements both of the Renaissance and the Baroque period, being one of the best preserved buildings of the era, in Transylvania. Castle is one of the most representative baroque castles built here.

Images from here and here.

Boiu-Ţopa Castle

Boiu (former Boiu Mare; Saxon German: Bān, Bun; German: Gross-Freudendorf, Freudendorf, Großbun; Hungarian: Bún, Felsőbún, Nagybún) is a village in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It belongs to Albeşti commune, 7 km from Sighişoara.

The Bethlen Castle in Boiu-Ţopa was build in two stages in 1617 and 1675, the first by Bethlen Farkas, prince Gabriel Bethlen's adviser and captain and the second by his son, Janos, the Chancellor Teleki Mihaly's adviser. The castle combines the characters of a nobleman's residence and a fortress: a three storey central building in late Renaissance style, enclosed by walls and four towers and shooting holes under the roof. It consists of a central rectangular body, with diamond-shaped crenelated towers attached, conducted on three levels, a rectangular enclosure with four polygon-shaped corner towers and an annex building on the west side. The enclosure housed a park with rare trees. In time were added the southern entrance to the castle, the arches, the loggia, the protective wall around the main building and one tower designed by Haller Gabor.

Stylistically, the building belongs to the late Renaissance, with Baroque architectural elements. Characteristic are the covering slopes with high oblique angle, the loggia with above flat arches, the Corinthian pilasters and parapet with balusters in stone of the first floor, the windows and doors frames. Basement and ground floor rooms have semi-cylindrical vaults with penetration, a decoration painted in tempera covered floor walls inside and outside.

Similar to the residences of other noblemen, the castle was expropriated (1945) and used as a grain depot. Although it was declared a historical monument in 1957, it endured repeated alterations and destruction. The situation worsened in 1972 when the castle was left in the path of the overflow waters after the government diverted the Târnava River to protect Sighişoara from flooding. The chance of the castle being inundated is estimated to be once every 20 years. This threat and inconsistent policies in protecting historical monuments in Romania have impeded any restoration work. The project drawn up in 1992 has been forgotten and the monument is close to collapse.

Criş Castle

Criş (former Crişd; German Saxon: Kraeš; German: Kreisch; Hungarian: Keresd) is a village in Daneş commune, near Sighişoara, Mureş County, Romania.

Before 1300, one of the members of the Bethlen family received here a domain, for his bravery during the crusades. Since then goes back also the legend of the family coat of arms, depicting a serpent with an apple in his mouth. The legend said that the place was haunted by a monster, a giant snake associated with the numerous disappearances among locals. The crusader, seeing the snake, have thrown it an apple, which he would have drowned. Historians have a different interpretation, seeing the apple as a symbol of a Papal document, and added during the time the family converted from Catholicism to the Reformed religion.

The Bethlen Castle construction began before 1300 and lasted over 400 years (between 14th-17th centuries). Initially, the castle had an irregular quadrilateral shape, with wedge-type rhomboidal bastions on corners. Built in several stages, it was originally designed in Gothic style, and over the years were added the Transylvanian Renaissance elements, being now the most beautiful Renaissance castle in Transylvania.

Now, the castle has a fortified square shape, with circular bastions at the corners and square entrance tower, a structure typical for the late medieval military architecture. The residence has two floors, an imposing circular tower (Archers' Tower) and a loggia with semicircular arched openings on short cylindrical pillars. The fortification system was completed with a semi-enclosure with bastions.

 

Reconstruction by Radu Oltean

The buildings of the castle, along with the walls of the fortress, enclose an almost rectangular square. The oldest building is the leveled medieval old tower, its highest level facade being decorated by painted high-relief figures showing warriors carrying halberds or shields in their right hands, their left hands resting on their waists. The 5th level of the tower comprising of eight arched windows is known to be used as a look-out. The secret turret case has been inserted into the thick tower walls. The old tower was provided with Renaissance doorway and window frames during the 16th and the 17th centuries.

In 1559, chancellor Georgius Bethlen and his wife Clara of Nagykároly completed the old tower with a vaulted building and a loggia. Their son, Miklos Bethlen, continued to bring further improvements to the castle, with new buildings in Renaissance style. Between 1675 1691, Count Alexius Bethlen consolidated the corners of the fortress with bastions.

The rear facade of the old tower faces a small yard, as well as the western walls of the fortress. The leveled building on the eastern side, along with the southern and western walls of the fortress enclose sculptured window and door frames. On the ground-floor is the chapel of the fortress – one of the most beautiful spaces of the building complex, with both Gothic and Renaissance decorating elements. The wing connecting the eastern side corner bastions hosts a range of inter-connected rooms, with a total length of 50 m.

The interior of the castle never failed to preserve its authenticity. The splendor of the salons was enhanced by the exquisitely painted and polished pieces of furniture, as well as by the inbuilt chests of drawers, carpets and rugs. Portraits of family members were lined up along the walls. The library and the family archives were on the first floor of the old tower.

In the courtyard of the tower there used to be a flower garden, the castle being surrounded by a vast English park. There was also a pentagonal summer pavilion, with walls decorated with paintings.

When Bethlen family left the country in 1948, the castle was nationalized and used as a pioneer camp and then as vegetables and grain warehouse of the village's farms. Many valuable objects, collections of art, weapons and hunting trophies, furniture, were taken to Sighişoara and some at the Bruckenthal Museum in Sibiu. The rest was stolen. In 1974 the castle was taken over by the Department of Historical Monuments, that began a sustained work of the consolidation and restoration, an activity that lasted until 1977. In that period have been strengthened the chapel, the octagonal tower, the dungeon tower and floor the ground-floor of the manor.

The castle has been partially restored in the '90, but the restoration stopped because the inheritors claimed the castle. After many years of legal suits, the Transylvanian branch of the family received the castle and the park.

Images from Incogniterra, Várak Magyarországon and Mishu Vass.

Brâncoveneşti Castle

Brâncoveneşti (formerly Ieciu and Delavrancea; Hungarian: Marosvécs or Vécs; German: Wetsch) is a commune in Mureş County, Romania. Brâncoveneşti is located at the eastern extremity of Transylvania Plain, on the upper Mureş River, at 10km from Reghin.

On a high terrace near Mureş River was a Roman fortification (Ala Nova Illiricorum), then in the Middle Ages (13th century) there was a fortress surrounded by ditches, visible today. This city was apparently destroyed by the great Mongol invasion of 1242. Brâncoveneşti was first attested in 1228 as Wecheu Fortress, in a document of donation issued by the Hungarian King Andras II.

The construction of Kendy-Kemény Castle began in 15th century, for Losonczi Dezsofi noble family. Over the next 150 years the area changed owners several times (Báthori Zsigmond, Bocskai István). In 1527 were performed important works to the castle. The castle was finished in 1557-1558 by Prince Ferenc Kendy, in the Transylvanian Renaissance style. It was fortified with ditches designed by Sava Armaşu (1599-1600), in the time of Michael the Brave.

In 1610 the area was owned by Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, then by György Rákóczi I. György Rákóczi II, Prince of Transylvania from 1648, donated the domain consisting of 5 villages, to a military leader named Kemény János. Kemény János becomes Prince of Transylvania in 1660, but died in battle in 1662, and his enemies devastated the domain. It was also devastated during the wars led by Ferenc Rákóczi II (the "Curuţilor" uprising). The Kemény family owned the domain for the next 3 centuries. The Kemény family rebuilt each time the castle.

The last Count, who had the same name as his ancestor, Kemény János, invited in 1926 at the castle 28 of the most prominent literary figures of the time, who founded the cultural association Erdélyi Helikon. From now on, for twenty years the Brâncoveneşti Castle became the center of the literary meetings of Transylvanian Hungarian writers.

The WWII hasn't brought great destruction, but after the Kemény family fled from the area in 1944 the population devastated complete the castle, which after 1945 became the home for severely mentally handicapped children.

The castle have a square-shaped plan, courtyard and corner towers, two larger and two smaller. Several windows have frames in Renaissance style. Built above the entrance is a picturesque stone balcony on consoles. The consoles can be seen at the floors of the towers. The entrance is on the north side, on a bridge over the outside ditch of the castle. Old documents show that the former citadel (13th century) was protected by ditches, walls and towers positioned below the plateau on which was the castle. These were destroyed during the post-war reconstruction works.

Medieşu Aurit Castle

Medieşu Aurit (Hungarian: Aranyosmeggyes) is a commune of 7,299 residents in Satu Mare County.

The Lonyai Castle was built between 1620-1657, by Zsigmond Lonyai, in the purest Renaissance style. Similar castles can be found only in Slovakia. The building consists of four wings arranged around a central courtyard, with bastions at the four corners and a tower above the main entrance; the strongholds are Italian type. Elements of fortification as a ditch and a drawbridge are still visible.

The blank arcades under the roof of the tower suggest that there was originally cresting here too. The facade and the details of the castle are severe, with strong architectonic details and pedimented windows of the type that Italian architect Giacomo Resti introduced in other castles.

Servants' rooms, the kitchen and stores were on the ground floor while the first floor was for the landowners. Window frames were decorated with leaves and vines. At the entrance castle was the Lonyai family coat of arms, stolen after the Revolution of 1989. The first floor ceiling was covered with gold, so the name of place became Medieşu Aurit (Golden Medieşu).

After the death of Zsigmond Lonyai, the owner of the castle was his daughter, Anna. She became involved in an action of the "curuţi" rebels in the area, which attacked the German garrison in the city of Satu-Mare. After that, all domain comes in Royal administration. Later, the castle was bought by the family Wesselenyi, then inherited by the Teleki family, and King Carol II of Romania bought in 1920 the castle.

In 1944, the castle was used as a military hospital, and was burned and became a ruin during the retreat of the German Army. Later, locals have demolished the walls and have built houses from castle's bricks. Basically, today there are only a few walls and frames of windows and doors, which are decaying quickly.