Banffy Castle
Located at the 30 km from Cluj, Banffy Castle or Bontida Bánffy Castle is documentary certified from the beginning
of the fourteenth century. In 1387, the buildings and surrounding land came into possession of the Banffy family as a gift from
King Sigismund, and in 1680, a military report mentions the existence of its fortifications.
Between 1740 and 1750, at the order
of Denes Banffy, the castle has suffered changes, being rebuilt in Baroque style and added a gallery of statues, an aristocratic residence
building at the time. Among the new buildings include riding, stables, and houses of the servants .
At the end of Second World
War, nazi soldiers, which were in retreat, burnt down the castle, destroying furniture, the library and gallery of paintings. By the
time the communists came to power, the whole building was used as a driving school, and Hospital for Children. In 1963, Banffy castle
was used as the setting for shooting the "Forest of the Hanged", directed by Liviu Ciulei. How was needed a lit fire for a scene
burnt of the building, although the incident take only a few minutes of video and the damage was massive.
Since 1990, the castle
was declared a historical monument. So, in 1998, the Ministry of Culture in Romania and the British Council invited the Institute
for Conservation of Historic Buildings (ICCI) from England to participate, along with organization specializing in restoration.
The
park around the castle, built in 1750 on an area of 70 hectares, was, until 1830, in baroque style, with straight paths and large
terraces, before being transformed in the nineteenth century into a romantic British garden
Cultural Days attract to the castle
about 3. 000 visitors.
Bibliography
• Beyond the ruins - medieval fortresses (Author: Husar, Alexander, Publisher European Institute)
• 1000
palaces and castles of the world (collectively Author, Publisher: Aquila 93, Year Published: 2007)
• Cabin and royal palace
ROMANIA - architecture and interior decoration (author Marian Constantin, Publishing Company, 2007)
• The travel guide of Romania
- Publisher Publirom, 2008
•
http://www.turism.ro
•
http://www.ghidulturistic.ro
•
http://www.cimec.ro
