Bánffy Castle is an architectonic Baroque

Baroque

The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...

 monument situated in Bonţida

Bontida

Bonțida is a commune in Cluj County, Romania. It is known as the home of a Baroque castle owned by the Bánffy family ; partly destroyed during World War II and neglected by the communist regime in Romania, it is currently being restored.The Bánffy family had another castle in Răscruci , which is...

, a village in the vicinity of Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca

Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...

, Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

. It was owned by the Bánffy family (of which Miklós Bánffy

Miklós Bánffy

Count Miklós Bánffy de Losoncz was a Hungarian nobleman, politician, and novelist. His books include The Transylvanian Trilogy , and The Phoenix Land.The Bánffy family emerged in 15th century Transylvania and established itself among the foremost dynasties of the...

 was a member). The owner is Katalin Banffy, who has 2 daughters, Nicolette and Elisabeth.

The castle was desecrated during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 by German troops and neglected by the communist regime in Romania

Communist Romania

Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...

; it is currently being restored by the Transylvania Trust, with funds from the European Union, Romanian Ministry of Culture, Getty Grant Programme, World Monuments Fund, NKA (Hungary), etc. The Castle of Bonchida is now being restored as a cultural center. An apartment is being prepared for the use of the Count's family. The Built Heritage Conservation Training Centre, opened on the 26th of August 2005, received the main prize for education and awareness raising by the European Union/Europa Nostra in 2008.

See also

• Cluj-Napoca Bánffy Palace
• List of castles in Romania
• Tourism in Romania
  Tourism in Romania
  Tourism in Romania focuses on the country's natural landscapes and its rich history. The number of tourists is growing every year and tourism is becoming an increasingly important source for Romania's GDP with 7-9 million people now visiting yearly. Romania's economy is characterized by a huge...
  
  
• Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania

External links

• Built Heritage Conservation Training Centre-Bánffy Castle Bontida, Romania
• Bonţida Bánffy Castle Images

Images