Banffy Castle in Rascruci, Cluj County, Transylvania

István Vákár, vice-president of Cluj County Council

The wooden ceiling and the restored stove

The castle in Răscruci was built in the 18th century by one of the most illustrious families of the Hungarian aristocracy in Transylvania, Bánffy.

RASCRUCI, CLUJ, ROMANIA, November 24, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — One of the most beautiful castles in Transylvania has been restored with the help of European funds. Bánffy Castle in Răscruci, located about 25 kilometres from the city of Cluj-Napoca, will be transformed into a cultural centre, managed by the Cluj County Council and will be open to tourists.

The castle in Răscruci was built in the 18th century by one of the most illustrious families of the Hungarian aristocracy in Transylvania, Bánffy. Its style is eclectic, combining neoclassical, neo-baroque and neo-Renaissance influences. The building served as a summer residence for the barons of the Bánffy family.

The castle was enlarged in 1809. It was also rebuilt after the Revolution of 1848-1849, when the castle was affected by fighting between revolutionaries and partisans of the House of Habsburg. The man who drew up the plans for the reconstruction of the castle was Baron Ádam Bánffy, who was passionate about art. He set up a workshop for sculpture and another for painted ceramics at Răscruci. Some of the castle’s ornaments were made by Baron Ádam Bánffy himself.

The castle’s reception hall has a splendid coffered wooden ceiling, which can be admired to the present day, and a green terracotta stove, built after one in the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Jozef’s salon.

There is also a monumental staircase with a solid wood banister and a hunting lodge. This is where men would retire after dinner to smoke and drink cognac and discuss politics and business, while ladies stayed in the main salon. This is why the hunting saloon at Bánffy Castle was called the “Chamber of Secrets”.

After the Second World War, King Mihai I of Romania was forced into exile and the communist authorities brought to power by the Soviet Union began to persecute the noble families. The castle in Răscruci was confiscated and turned into a school for children with special needs.

During the long decades of communism, the castle lost its lustre and began to turn to ruin. But the castle was saved by the care of the teachers at the school for children with special needs.

After the fall of communism, the castle became the property of the Cluj County Council. “We decided to apply for European funds to restore the castle, which is a superb historical monument and very important for the history of Transylvania. We were delighted when the project won European funding, but it was very difficult to find a suitable company to do the restoration work. But in the end, we managed to find a reliable partner who did a very good restoration”, said István Vákár, vice-president of Cluj County Council. The total value of the works was almost €10 million, and part of the money was provided by the European Union.

Bánffy Castle has been reopened to the public after the completion of restoration works. “The castle will function as a cultural centre. There will be a library, a space for scientific researchers, a lecture hall and areas where events for up to 150 people can be organised. The castle park, which is more than four hectares, will be able to host outdoor events,” said István Vákár, vice-president of Cluj County Council.

PADUREAN BIANCA
Cluj Today
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Banffy Castle in Rascruci