Banffy Castle
– The Transylvanian Versailles -

The Banffy Castle from Bontida in its beginnings

The castle was built in the baroque and renaissance styles and dates from 16th century. According to a military report, a fortification system already existed, that surrounded the manor house. It is suspected that on this spot a nobiliary residence existed since 14th century, when Baron Banffy received from King Albert the permission to build a fortress.

The construction started in 1437 and was finished in 1543. The construction of today’s castle was initiated by Denes Banffy and lasted between 1638-1674, having as architect the Italian Agostino Serena.

A flourishing architectural age for the Transylvanian Versailles

His heir, Denes Banffy II reconstructed the castle beginning with 1745 in baroque style, following the plans of the Viennese architect Joseph Emmanuel Fischer von Erlach. The reconstruction was concentrated on the honor courtyard from the front of the gate building, and was inspired from the Viennese baroque architecture. New buildings have been constructed, such as: the stables and the homes of the servants. He was also the one who gave the castle its new shape, that of two wings in the shape of the letter U.

A new wing was built in 1850 by the architect A. Kagerbauer, while Johann Nachtigall sculpted the “Metamorphosis” of Ovidiu through imposing stone statues which decorated the gate.

Jozsef Banffy decided the demolition of the gate tower in 1820, uniting the renaissance courtyard with the baroque one, and from the remaining stone the close by water mill was constructed. He also decided the transformation of the baroque park into an English romantic one.

Enduring a time of destruction during the WWII

In 1944 the castle was evacuated of its owners by the German troupes in order to use the castle as a military hospital. The building was seriously damaged at the end of the WWII, when the German troupes that were retreating, attacked, robed and burned the entire ensemble. The entire furniture, the well known portrait gallery and the library were destroyed.

The baron Nicolae Banffy, the owner of the castle at that time and also the last owner of the castle initiated a negotiation of Hungary with Romania so that both states change camps and turn against Germany. The devastation of the castle is considered to be a vendetta of the German government.

Struggling through the Communist Era

In the still functional wing of the castle, in 1950 was installed the Bontida Agricultural Production Cooperative. The lack of any maintenance and the nationalization of the buildings and of the park has lead to the serious degradation of the castle.

The Art Museum from Cluj Napoca was able to save the statues from the baroque park, keeping them under storage in the donation section, where they are to be found today.

In the 60’s the Historic Monuments Direction tried to restore the castle, but the lack of funding could not lead to any concrete action. The castle was still used for the storage of construction materials, the park became a pasture zone and the trees have been cut down as fire wood.

The well deserved recognition of its value

After the fall of the Communist Era, the restoration of the ensemble began. Decisive in this matter was the collaboration of the "Institute of Historic Building Conservation" from Great Britain, the Office for Cultural Protection of the Patrimony from Hungary and The Ministry of Culture and Cults from Romania.

The restoration works have been made under the high patronage of Prince Charles of Wales, which visited the site numerous times.