HRH Prince Charles talks about Transylvania

For the past ten years, The Mihai Eminescu Trust has led the revitalization of the built and natural heritage of South-Eastern Transylvania. Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, it has completed over 600 projects, restoring the integrity of buildings, resurrecting crafts and professional skills, and developing the region as a unique destination for art lovers and eco-tourists.

The exhibition 'Transylvania - Heritage and Future' takes place from 14 to 31 October 2010 at the Embassy of Romania to the United States, 1607 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008. The exhibition focuses on the Saxon villages of South-Eastern Transylvania, known in German as the Siebenburgen, and their recent rebirth as self-sustaining rural communities. It tells in words and photographs the story of the projects accomplished by the Trust, with images and texts of the villages' historic architecture (peerless fortified churches and streetscapes), their crafts and their landscapes. A part of the exhibition illustrates the rich Jewish heritage in Transylvania.

Black Church Organ

The Braşov Black Church’s organ, with 4000 pipes and considered one of the biggest in Europe, was built between 1836 and 1839 by the Berlin organ maker Buchholz, is the largest of more than 140 organs built by craftsmen Buchholz family, and it is famous for its sonority. The organ has four manuals with 56 keys, one pedal with 27 keys, and has 63 audio registers. It was inaugurated on 17 April 1839, the organist being Buchholz itself, who played improvisations and cantatas by composers Johann Friedrich Schneider and Lucas Hedwig.

Image fom here

In 1924 the gallery in front of the organ was enlarged in order to organize sacred music concerts with chorus’ participation. The organ was restored between 1997-2001. Then all the 3993 tubes (the largest having a height of about 13 meters) were dismantled and restored. The organ is a baroque organ and survived till now almost unchanged. The second organ was built by Carl Hesse and has a manual and pedal and eight registers. It was restored in 1997.



Since 1953, organ recitals are held, tradition started by the organist Victor Bickerich and continued by Hans Eckart Schlandt. Many vinyl discs, audio tapes and CDs were recorded here during years. Nowadays an organ concert is organized every week.

The Saxon Church, Laslea

Laslea (former Laslea Mare, Saxon German: Grisz-Lasseln, Lasln, German: Großlasseln, Hungarian: Szászszentlászló, Nagyszászszentlászló, or Szentlászló) is a village in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania. It was documentary attested in September 16, 1309, with the Latin name of Sanctus Ladislaus. The locality was not part of the autonomous Saxon territory, although until the 1970s it was populated by Germans.

The oldest data on the local Saxon population dates from 1488, when 77 households were enumerated, a school with a teacher, a mill with a miller and 16 abandoned houses. Population can be estimated at about 330 people.



The tower of the old church

The Saxon Romanesque Lutheran church has early 14th century Gothic murals in the apse, 15th century ones in the nave and a 15 century late Gothic altar. It was a simple basilica with three naves and three mid-size arcade. The church entrance was on the south side of the ship, the floor of the tower being closed.



The Saxon Church

Around 1840 the old church, abandoned, was demolished. In 1842 began the building of a new church under the direction of master builder Samuel Teusch from Sighişoara. It is a large church, without a specific style, built from bricks, with large round windows. It was built also a new bellfry, but by the end of construction it collapsed and has not been rebuilt. The Classical altar dates also from 1845 and is the work of Friedrich Pokotz from Braşov. It has one large picture flanked with strong Corinthian pillars. The pulpit and canopy are the work of sculptor Nikolaus Popp from Braşov. The exterior wall is built of sandstone with an irregular oval shape.



The organ

In later centuries the Apafi family (Hungarian nobles in Transylvania) buried their dead in the church since they had overlordship in the village, but the sarcophagi were removed by the Communist regime.

Panoramas by Michael Pop.

Saint Nicholas Church, Şcheii Braşovului

Saint Nicholas Church (Romanian: Biserica Sfântul Nicolae) is a Romanian Orthodox church in Braşov, Braşov County, Transylvania, dominating the historic district of Şchei.

In 1291, there was a wooden cross covered with shingle. The wooden church was mentioned in a Papal bull issued in 1399 by Pope Boniface IX. In the 15th century (since 1495), there was a church built of brick with a rectangular nave and apse with four sides, with the particularity of an edge in shaft, built with the support of ruling prince of Wallachia, Vlad the Monk. In 1518, the priest Petru asked the ruling prince of Wallachia, Ioan Neagoe Basarab, to build a stone church in Şchei. This church had a plan similar to the previous, with polygonal apse, with shaft edges and three buttresses, plan praised in the local chronicles. In 1521 were finished the holy altar and the bell tower, and in 1583 the ruling prince of Wallachia, Petru Cercel, raises the entrance hall of the church and features elegant stone work with faces of saints and decorations, works finished by ruling prince Aron of Moldavia.

In 1602, the family of Michael the Brave donate to the wooden church the domain Micşuneşti in Wallachia. In 1651 was finished the oratory in the tower, unique in Romania, and in 1733 was started the building of the impressive northern oratory. It was painted between 1735-1738 by four famous masters from Craiova. The southern oratory was finished in 1750, with the support of some rich merchants. The Clock tower was raised with the support of Elisabeta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia.



Saint Nicholas Church
Initially built in the Gothic style, it was later redone in the Baroque style. It has frescoes painted by the renowned muralist Mişu Popp. Between 1939-1946 the church was restored, a new footbridge was made, were added carved oak doors at the entrance by the craftsman Moses Şchiopul from Rupea, a new wooden iconostasis enriched with gold was made thanks to hieromonk Ieronim Belintoiu from convent Hodoş-Bodrog and the interior of the church was painted by the painter Costin Petrescu's in neo-byzantine style.



The first Romanian school
Near the church, there is the first Romanian school and a statue of Dean Coresi. It is not known exactly how the school was founded, but it was recognized by the Pope in 1395. It is also home to the first Romanian Bible, and what can be loosely described as the first school magazine. The next door museum houses a variety of first Romanian books and the first printing press.

Panoramas from www.360trip.ro. Thanks, Michael Pop!

Feleacu Church

Feleacu (Hungarian: Erdöfelek, German: Fleck) is a commune in Cluj County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located at 7 km from Cluj, the county seat and the unofficial capital of Transylvania.

The village was founded in 1366, when King Louis I of Hungary agreed to the settlement of 20 families of Romanian border guards from Mărginimea Sibiului in a place called in German "Fleck", on the crest of a hill near Cluj.

The Romanian villagers from Feleacu (Villa Olachorum Felek) had to defend the old road leading to Turda against thieves and robbers. Becoming Possessió of Cluj, as a result of donations made by King Sigismund of Luxembourg, this village was removed from the jurisdiction of Prince and Comite, becoming subject of the authority of Cluj county lord. Charged for services, the villagers were exempt from tithe called quinquagesima ovium or the giving of sheep (each 50th yearling and a ewe lamb), exclusive feudal obligation of Romanian communities in Transylvania.

Between 1486-1488 was built the Church St. Paraschiva in place of an older wooden church. Most of historians said that, given the precedents and due the style of some architectural elements, the church was built by the Moldavian ruler Stephan the Great. Some historians considered that assumption unfounded.

The little but charming monument was built in Gothic style, as a church-hall type with two arched crossed spans, Gothic portals, polygonal apse and vault on ribs. It have murals and icons of the 18th century (1760-1765), painted by Nistor from Feleacu.

In the late 19th century was installed here a bust of Stephen the Great on the West of the church, on Gheorghe Sion's expense. The church was restored in 1925 by architect Kos Károly under the patronage of King Ferdinand of Romania, when was added the tower.

In Feleacu Church was copied a Slavonic Missal in 1481, and a Tetra-Evangelism in 1488 by order of Archbishop Daniel who had resided here.

Wesselényi Castle in Jibou

Jibou (German: Siben, Hungarian: Zsibó) is a town in Sălaj County, Transylvania, Romania. First attested in 1205 as Chybur, Jibou was known as Villa in 1219 and Oppidum in 1564, latin names that prove the importance of the locality in the area in Middle Ages.

Barons Wesselényi owned large domains in the area and they built here a castle in 1584, from which exist today only remains of the foundation. The present day castle was built between 1779-1810, and is one of the largest baroque buildings in Transylvania. The castle was built on two levels, on an elongated rectangular plan, with the center and ends more prominent. Two pavilions, side-symmetric, defines a reception court towards the gardens. A beautiful mansion (curia), a barn and stables were already built in 1755.

The first phase of construction is dated between 1778-1785. Between 1785-1789, when Baron Miklós Wesselényi was imprisoned, the works were stopped. The stoves were made by craftsmen from Sibiu. The hunting scenes were painted in 1805 by Franz Neuhauser, and the interiors were finished in 1807. After the death of Miklós Wesselényi, in 1810, the castle was almost finished and furnished. His widow, Ilona Cserei, continued the works, completed by the end of 1830. Béla József, specialist in Transylvanian Baroque, affirms that the constructor of the castle was Zahanum Brauman, who built also the Bánffy Palace in Cluj.

After the nationalization from 1948, the castle was used as a local school, high school and boarding house, and is now used by pioneers. The domain was claimed by the heirs of the baron.

The castle was surrounded by a large garden, but during the decades this garden was neglected and abandoned. In 1968 professor Vasile Fati founded near the castle a botanical garden for educational purposes. The garden design was inspired by the old garden surrounding the Wesselényi castle, with beautiful parterres. It has a surface of about 25 hectares and hosts more than 5.000 taxa from all around the world. It is still in expansion and recently it was finished the Japanese Garden. The botanical garden is organized in an innovative way. It is divided in ornamental, geographical, systematic, ecologic and genetic, economical sectors. The garden hosts also two spherical green houses (dome globes), projected in the ’80 by Cluj University and represent an important example of the architectural avantgarde of the last decades of the 20th century.

Jidvei Vineyards

The Târnave Vineyard is the largest in Transylvania, gathering the vigor of the vine planted between the rivers Târnava Mare and Târnava Mică. It is located inside the triangle formed by the localities Blaj, Sighişoara, and Bălăuşeri.

Vine cultivation has millennial attestations and the twinning of different nations (Romanians, Hungarians, Saxons) has led both vine cultivation and wine production to develop techniques and skills with amazing results. Considered to be the second motherland of the Traminer, Târnave Vineyard owes this fact to the massive colonization in the second half of the thirteenth century with Saxons from the Mossel – Rhine Valley, who founded Seiden (the German name for Jidvei). The first agricultural unit with wine-growing profile of great proportions was founded in 1949 and has developed continually, and as of the 2000s has a cultivated area of approximately 2000 hectares. The 1999 privatization of the wine-growing and fruit-growing sector and of the cellars offered the Târnave Vineyard new opportunities of development and affirmation of its capacities which led to increase exports and domestic sales.

The vineyard is spread on a surface of about 2000 hectares (with around 250 hectares renewed every year) and it is situated at an altitude between 200-500 meters, with most of the vineyards set on southern exposure slopes, which makes the sun rays and atmospheric circulation to favor vine cultures. The land benefits of a continental-plateau type climate with an average temperature of +9 C (January -4 C, July +18 C). The moderate temperature during the grapes' maturing period determine slow oxidation reactions, helping to a continual accumulation of sugars and aromas and to a not so accentuated reduction of acidity. The soils are divided into three categories: forest brown, forest brown with different degrees of podzolisation and river-bank soils, all three types of soil enabling vine cultivation.

The wines of the Târnave Vineyard provide a perfect blend of acid, alcohol and flavor. They seem to have gathered together the strong fragrance of pine resin, the smell of lime blossom, and the transparency and sweetness of acacia honey. Jidvei vineyards produce white wine and special sparkling wine. The sparkling wine is the Romanian equivalent of champagne (do not mistake it with the frothy wine). The positioning of wines is as high quality ones, with denomination of controlled source (DOCC) and levels of quality.

The wine sortiments produced here are Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Muscat, Dry Riesling, Fetească Regală, Muscat Ottonel, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling Târnave Castle and other, all awarded with over one hundred of medals at the most prestigious wine contests.

Source.
Official webpage.

Aiud Fortress

Aiud (Hungarian: Nagyenyed, German: Straßburg am Mieresch) is a city located in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania. Aiud Fortress (13th - 15th century), is among the oldest urban fortification in Transylvania.

The fortress with stone walls and towers is located on the site of an old earth fortification which in its turn overlaps a Dacian-Roman settlement from 3rd century AD. The building complex has known two-phase construction. The existence of an initial fortress (14th century) was attested by archaeological excavations (1974-1977). According to the local Saxon tradition, its beginnings had occurred before the great Tatar invasion in the years 1241-1242, but this dating was not yet confirmed.

The pentagon-shaped citadel is fairly small, with a perimeter of 350 m and an area of 3600 sq m, but has 1.2-1.3 m thick walls, with a height of 7 m and a supplementary brick guardrail of 2 m. At the meeting angles of the walls and the middle of their long sides were built towers with four, five and seven sides. Present form corresponds largely to the second stage of construction (16th-17th centuries), but were preserved also elements of the first phase, as well as some later additions and restorations. Inscriptions that were preserved on several places on the towers and walls bring information related to those works.

The communication between towers was realized by a way of guard behind the parapet, which could be accessed through several wooden ladders. Inside the 9 towers, their upper levels could be reached by timber stairs. The towers were under the care of craftsmen guilds, which had military obligations, the artisans choosing military commanders - the so-called "officers of the guild".

Inside the fortress walls is the Calvin Reformed Church, built in late Gothic style at the end of 15th century, a hall-type church with three naves, with polygonal apse and a 64 m high tower with battlements, modified in Baroque style. The second place of worship inside the citadel is the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, built in the second half of the 19th century, on the site of a chapel built in 1333-1334. Here can be found also the parish building (18th-19th centuries), the rectory building (17th century), the bell ringer's house (18th-19th centuries), the former Evangelical parish house.

On the northern side of the citadel is the Princely Palace (16th-17th centuries), which belonged to the Transylvanian Prince Gabriel Bethlen (in 1612-1629). Now, here is the Aiud History Museum.

The plan of the fortress:
A. Evangelical-Lutheran Church
B. Calvin Reformed Church
C. Bethlen Princely Palace
D. Rectory house
E. Parish house
F. Bell ringer's house
G. Former Evangelical parish house

The towers:
1. Butchers' tower
2. Tailors' tower
3. Shoemakers' tower
4. Furriers' tower
5. Coopers' tower
6. Potters' tower
7. Kalendas tower
8. Locksmiths' tower
9. Gate tower

Photos from Aiud Online.

Brukenthal Summer Palace

Samuel von Brukenthal (1721, Nocrich – 1803, Sibiu) was the Habsburg governor of the Grand Principality of Transylvania between July 6, 1774 and January 9, 1787. He was a baron of the Holy Roman Empire, and personal adviser of Empress Maria Theresa. A passionate art collector, he built a palace in Sibiu, where in 1817 was arranged, according to his will, the first public museum in southeastern Europe.

The summer residence of Baron, the Brukenthal Summer Palace is located in Avrig, at 30 km from Sibiu. It was built between 1780 and 1785 in Baroque style, on the model of the Viennese Schönbrunn castle. The baron used to keep here his collection consisting of 212 paintings, and 129 engravings. Today these are in the museum of Sibiu.

The U-shaped baroque style palace has a central section and two wings, opening to an axial symmetrical garden. The palace has a ground-floor, one storey, a majestic staircase with several levels. During baron Brukenthal's life-time, the main hall was decorated with murals, there also were paintings and engravings gathered by him all over the palace.

The palace has one of the most beautiful parks, located 12 m below the palace and organized in wide terraces descending to the Olt River meadow. On the east side is the English garden, arranged in a natural way, with large grassy areas, unique trees, paths, halting places and a natural water fall. The central area was modeled on the French gardens, with fountains, central stairs, with lateral walkways, vases, benches, stone statues, greenhouses, an orangery. The Dutch gardens were full of flowers, vegetables and spices, such as pineapple, lemon, coffee and cardamom. The Baron integrate into the garden an agricultural farm - and was famous for his white buffaloes, sold even in Naples. It deserves to be restored as it is the only garden of a Baroque palace in Romania which has been preserved almost entirely.

At 70 years after the death of Samuel von Brukenthal, the line of inheritance of the family finished. His properties have passed through many owners until 1908, when - according to his will, came into possession of Sibiu Lutheran Parish. The Evangelical Church founded here a sanatorium. After WWII, the hospital was nationalized and used as a sanatorium. After the fall of Communism, the summer residence was returned to the German minority, by the Brukenthal Foundation. It took over responsibility for the maintenance and care of the palace and park in the spirit of Brukenthal, and to keep the cultural heritage of this remarkable Transylvanian Saxon.

Photos from Jurnal Românesc and Welcome to Romania.

Sângeorgiu de Pădure Castle

Sângeorgiu de Pădure (also spelled Sîngeorgiu de Pădure; Hungarian: Erdőszentgyörgy; German: Sankt Georgen auf der Heide) is a small town in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located 34 km south-east from Târgu Mureş, on Târnava Mică River.

Traces of housing dating from the Bronze Age and Iron Age have been found on the territory of the city. The first written mention of the city dates from 1333, in a document where a priest from Sancto Georgio pays a sum of 6 dinars to the neighboring diocese. The city was then known by its Hungarian name Erdőszentgyörgy. Sângeorgiu de Pădure belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire, Austria-Hungary Empire. Since 1918 it belongs to Romania, after the re-unification of Transylvania with Romania. It was occupied by Hungary between 1940-1944, time when the Jewish community was exterminated by the Nazis during the Shoah (Holocaust). It received the status of city in 2003.

In the early 17th century the domain came into possession of Counts Rhédey which since 1647 had seized the castle from the village center, the most beautiful and famous building in the area. It was connected to the church across the street with a balcony. The new castle was built in the 18th century on the same spot and was renovated in 1759 and 1809, in Neo-Baroque style. The new building was higher than the old one by one floor, had large vaulted salons and many murals, which fortunately have survived quite well. But after the building was nationalized in the late '40, the castle was reduced, the ceiling was made of wooden beams, and from the park that can compete with the great French gardens, remained only a small garden. In 14th century was built a church in Gothic style, which was restored in 1710 and 1935. Under the castle and the church is an phylum of tunnels and underground rooms, which were built especially for defense and as a refuge from invaders. The building is still functional and quite well maintained.

Count Rhédey János changed his domains in Hungary with his brother István and settled in Sângeorgiu de Pădure. In September 1, 1812, here was born Rhédey Claudine, a daughter of Baroness Inczedi Ágnes and Count Rhédey László, the successor of János. The small girl received a high education, being surrounded by nannies and all sorts of teachers of foreign languages and music. After she turned 15 years, the graceful teenager attended the Imperial court of Vienna, where she participated at the frenetic monden life of the Austrian capital. Chronicles of the time describe her as a predatory beauty, so she was rapidly noticed by the princes and counts from the royal court. At a ball, Claudine met Duke Alexander of Würtemberg, who stole his heart forever. The two fell in love at first sight and they decided to get married. The old Count, Rhédey Ferenc, stubbornly opposed due to the difference of rank of nobility which exists between the two ones. Only in 1835, after the death of Count, Claudine and Alexander married. Their marriage was fulfilled and blessed by the birth of three children: Claudia, Ferenc and Amalia. In 1841 Claudine died prematurely in Vienna and was buried in Sângeorgiu de Pădure. Duke Alexander was so marked by the death of his beautiful wife, that he left the Imperial court and retired for the rest of the days on the estate of Sângeorgiu. Some stories say that, in order to have always his beloved near him, Duke would have put the heart in a box of silver, which he carried with him throughout his life.

The only son of the couple, Ferenc Würtemberg-Rhédey met at a ball Princess Mary Adelaide. A new romance and a wedding like in stories marked the beginning of ascension to the throne of the United Kingdom. Their daughter, Mary Prinzessin von Teck, married George, grandson of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and grandfather of Elizabeth II. Their son, George VI married the Greek princess Marina (Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon), which had a daughter, Elizabeth II, Queen of England.

Voivodeni Castle

Voivodeni (Hungarian: Vajdaszentivány; German: Johannisdorf) is a village in Mureş County, Transylvania, Romania. It is located 25 km north of Târgu Mureş, and it was documentary attested in 1332 as Sancto Johanne, and in 1366 as Marosszentiványa. Voivodeni belonged to the Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire, Austria-Hungary Empire. During the 1848 Revolution, there was a battle between the Imperial army and the Szeklers. Since 1918 it belongs to Romania, after the re-unification of Transylvania with Romania. It was occupied by Hungary between 1940-1944, time when the Jewish community was exterminated by the Nazis.

The Zichy-Horváth complex is a wonderful example of Baroque architecture in the 18th century in Transylvania. The old building was owned by Franciscan order, and the Kemény family is the first known owner of the domain. In 1829, the Voivodeni domain was inherited by Samuel Kemény II, which in 1841 donated the archive of manuscripts to the library of Transylvanian Museum founded in 1842. The single-storey high building has an impressive aspect. Supported by eight columns with Corinthian capitels, indoor portico has a classical triangular fronton decorated with the Bethlen Kata family coat of arms and an urn. The Empire-style windows have frames decorated in the classical Baroque manner.

The next owner was the Klebelsberg family. After the Second World War, the domain was nationalized, but recently was returned to its legitimate owner, Melanie Georgina Huberta Josefa Antonia, Countess of Zich and Vasonkeo, who lived in the castle until 1949. After the nationalization, only two buildings of the complex preserved their original form. The main building is currently in good condition, was recently renovated and now operates as a cultural center, library and ethnographic museum. The manor stables were converted into a mill.

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.