“Transylvanian Versailles” castle under ongoing reconstruction, Hungary’s President visits – PHOTOS
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The historic buildings of Bánffy Castle in Bonchida (Bonţida) are currently undergoing an extensive renovation. Yesterday, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok paid a visit to the castle. This remarkable estate, which barely survived both the Second World War and the subsequent communist era, is being lovingly restored and brought back to life by the Transylvania Trust.
“Transylvanian Versailles” castle undergoes massive renovation
According to their website, the castle “is a symbol of rebirth, of Transylvanianism, a home for contemporary culture, but also for traditional crafts. The historic building, which barely survived the Second World War and communism, is restored and brought back to life by the Transylvania Trust. The income from the visits will be used for the restoration of this architectural ensemble”.
Transylvania Trust regularly invites participants to join a hands-on learning experience focused on traditional building crafts and the conservation of historic buildings. This exciting event is held every August, offering a unique opportunity to develop practical skills while preserving heritage.
The start of such practical trainings was 2001 and they aim “to address, on the one hand, the lack of craftsmen and professionals in the field of historic building conservation, and, on the other hand, to promote the preservation and transmission of traditional building crafts to young people. So far, the castle has welcomed more than 3000 participants from Romania and abroad.”
Hungarian President Sulyok on Transylvania visit
President Tamas Sulyok visited the villages of Bonțida (Bonchida) and Rascruci (Válaszút), and the city of Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) on Sunday, the first day of a private visit to Romania’s Transylvania region.
Sulyok began his visit at the Bánffy Castle in Bonțida, which has been under the care of the Transylvania Trust Foundation since 2001. The president and those accompanying him were given a tour of the castle by Csilla Hegedűs, the president of the foundation, and her colleagues, and were briefed on the efforts made so far as well as future plans to renovate and restore the castle.
