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.

Târgu-Mureş - Baroque details

Sighişoara Clock Tower

Located in the eastern part of the Sighişoara Citadel, the Clock Tower was built to protect the main gate of the citadel, to host the City Council meetings, and for keeping the archives and treasures of Sighişoara.

Built in the 14th century, the tower has a double barbican to control access into the city, ramparts, watch road and shooting galleries, and four towers that symbolized (as the architectural effigy of the entire community) that the city had judicial autonomy, the famous jus gladii - the right to capital punishment. The construction is based on a rectangular prism, with five levels and a pyramidal roof balcony, and had a height of 64 m.

The roof was destroyed by the great fire of 30 April 1676 and was rebuilt in 1677 by artisans Veit Gruber from Tyrol, Philip Bong from Salzburg, and carpenter Valentin. Repaired several times (1775, 1804) the roof acquired its appearance in 1894 when was covered with colorful enameled tiles and were painted the two emblems and was engraved the logo. The general form of the roof (of 1677) bears the seal of the Baroque style and has a height of 34 m. The roof is interleaved with a flashlight, then two onion-shaped domes, superimposed, interrupted also by two small flashlights.

The roof spire terminates in a gilded globe that contains a volume equivalent to 10 buckets. Above is a rod so called "time bar" with a two-headed eagle on top, indicating the wind direction. At the corners of the roof are four towers, with a height of 12.5 m and covered with enameled tiles. Each tower has a globe on top with one wind flag. On two of these flags is a rosette with six petals and the year of renovations (1894), and on the other two the names of master builders: Leonhard and Kovatsch, which realized the general renovation of the tower, and Johann Polder, the tinsmith.


Near the Clock Tower

The building received the beginning of the 17th century a clock rebuilt in 1648 by Johann Kirschel, provided with lime wooden statues of 0.80 m high, belong to a rather rustic Baroque and representing the pagan gods as personified weekdays: Diana, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Sun.


Under the Clock Tower

The current clock mechanism is made by Fuchs from Switzerland and was installed in the Clock Tower on April 1, 1906. The watch was upgraded with an electric engine in 1964 by artisans Konradt, father and son. The clock has two huge dials 2.40 m in diameter and statues placed in niches. Towards the citadel there is the Goddess of Peace with an olive branch, accompanied by a drummer beating a bronze drum each hour, the Goddess of Justice with the balance, the Goddess of Justice with a sword and two angels, representing Day and Night: at 6 am appears the Day, and at 18 exits and appears the Night with two lighted candles in hands. Towards the lower city there are figurines representing weekdays, installed on a wheel, moving at 12 pm. The figurines of the clock tower were recently restored by the specialists of Brukental Museum in Sibiu.


View from the Clock Tower

Under the Clock Tower, the main gateway to the lower city, the access to the citadel was through two passages. Pedestrian corridor was built in the 18th century and transformed into a prison and torture chamber. The Clock Tower houses the History Museum of Sighişoara since 1899.

Panoramas by Michael Pop, from www.360trip.ro

Cantacuzino Palace

Built in 1899–1902 by Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino (known as “The Nabob”, former mayor of Bucharest, leader of the Conservative Party, and one of the richest men in Romania ever), the architectural ensemble was designed by architect Ioan D. Berindei.

The Cantacuzino Palace can be found at 141, Calea Victoriei (Victoria Road), Bucharest. After G. G. Cantacuzino died in 1913, the palace was inherited by his son, Mihail G. Cantacuzino and his wife, Maria (also known as Princess Maruca, born Rosetti-Tescanu); after the premature death of her first husband, Maruca re-married in 1939, becoming the wife of George Enescu, Romania's greatest composer. In the 40’s, the palace hosted the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and since 1947 the Institute for Romanian-Soviet Studies.

After the death of George Enescu, in 1955, his wife donated the domain to the Museum and to the Composers’ and Musicologists’ Union of Romania, to be dedicated to the memory of the musician. Thus, on the 19th of June 1956, George Enescu Museum was opened. The museum gathers documents and pictures referring to the composer’s life and work. Among other exhibits, there also is the violin the composer received as a present when he turned 4 year old. There are regular classical music concerts hosted by the palace (many of them being organized by the Polish Cultural Institute), and this is a good time to visit the building (for otherwise, the main hall of the palace is not included in the regular museum visit).

The palace was set in French Baroque style with Art Nouveau elements. The façade’s richness in sculptural decoration is notable. On the top of the entrance, the circular fronton bears the princely coat of arms of the Cantacuzino family. The facade is dominated by the main entrance; above it there is a giant shell-shaped porte-cochére and two stone lions guard the stairs and the door that mingle harmoniously with the statues and other ornaments in the Baroque style, and wrought iron balconies surround the home's tall windows.

For the decoration of the building, the architect collaborated with several recognized artists of the time. The mural paintings were made by George Demetrescu Mirea, Nicolae Vermont, Costin Petrescu and Arthur Verona, the sculptures and the ornamentation are made by Emil Wilhelm Becker, while the artfulness of Krieger House in Paris can be admired in the interior decoration (tapestry, chandeliers, lamps, stained-glasses).

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.

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.

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.