BETLIAR HOUSE
HI STO RY O F T H E A N D R Á S S Y FAMI LY
HISTORY OF THE C ASTLE
on foot or bicycle
From KRÁSNA HÔRKA To BETLIAR
HISTORY OF THE CASTLE The castle Krásna Hôrka (Beautiful Knoll) is the symbol of Krásnohorské Podhradie and of the Gemer region itself. It has reared proudly above the village since the 13th century, and in its present form since 1770. It was built overlooking the trade route from Transylvania (Romania) to Poland.
The castle and crucifixion shrine seen from the south 1230 ? The Mariássy family start building the castle keep. 1240 ? Adalbert IV (1206–1270), King of Hungary from 1235, brother of St.Elizabeth of Hungary and Thuringia (1207–31), also patron saint of Košice cathedral), sought refuge from the Tartars here. At that time Greater Hungary had a population of about 2 million. Later the castle belonged to the powerful Bebek family, but their male line died out in 1567. The castle became royal property, administered by castle captains appointed by the king. 1578 Péter Andrássy, originally from Transylvania (→ History of the Andrássy Family), the first in this great family line, gets the position of castle captain at Krásna Hôrka. In the next five years the castle is rebuilt into a representative fortified residence.
“May Divine Providence abide eternally at the castle of Krásna Hôrka“ (inscribed above the door into the castle kitchen) 1642 Mátyás Andrássy II, Péter’s grandson, acquires the castle and its lands as hereditary property from the Hungarian king and Austrian emperor Ferdinand III of Habsburg. The influential Andrássy family start “writing the history of Gemer” and sharing power in Hungary.
The dining-room, next to the kitchen The walls bear portraits of Maria Theresia (1717–80), Empress of Austria from 1740–80, her son Joseph II, Emperor from 1780–90, Napoleon (1769–1821) and Friedrich II the Great (1712–86), King of Prussia. 1945 The castle becomes state property. 1953 The museum. The exhibitions in the castle and in the Andrássy Mausoleum come under organizational control of Betliar Museum. GPS coordinates of the castle: 48° 39’ 30” N, 20° 36’ 1” E KRÁSNA HÔRKA Castle 049 41 Krásnohorské Podhradie | +421 58 / 732 20 34 Opening hours: May–Sept. Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:00 pm For other months → www.snmbetliar.sk
HISTORY OF THE C ASTLE
1695 ff. The castle remains joint property even after the family divides into two lines. 1770 ff. One of the bastions is rebuilt as the castle chapel with a neo-Classical interior. 1817 The Fire. The oldest, Gothic part of the castle is destroyed. The owner Mária Festetich, widow of István Andrássy III, orders only necessary repairs to be carried out. Soon after, as the last female owner, she leaves the castle. The Andrássy family continue to administer the preserved part of the castle and its collections. 1857 ff. Count György Andrássy IV sets up the family museum, which is opened to the public in 1867. 1884 Building of the family crypt next to the chapel is completed, and the remains of several family members are transferred into it. 1903 Ownership of the castle passes by contract to the Betliar branch of the family (Count Dénes Andrássy has no heir). Strict conditions for the castle’s use and future modification are imposed. 1904 ff. Count Dénes Andrássy sets up a museum in memory of his wife Františka, with a collection of her personal effects. 1911 The Betliar branch of the family take full ownership of the castle. Modicus Cibi, medicus sibi Food in moderation, oneself for medication
NON VIDERI SED ESSE! Not to seem, but to be! (*) The Andrássy family stemmed from the Transylvanian village Csíkszentkirály, colloquially Szentkirály (Hungarian), now Sâncrăieni (Romanian). The name relates to the Hungarian king St. Stephen I (1000/1–1038). Now a small town, it has 6200 inhabitants and lies almost in the centre of Romania. In 2002 98% of the population still claimed Hungarian ethnicity. GPS: 46°18’48” N 25°50’22” E. The complete family name reads: “Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka”. 1642 The Andrássy family acquire Krásna Hôrka castle as their hereditary property → History of the castle. 1676 King Leopold I raises Miklós Andrássy I to the rank of hereditary baron in reward for his services in the war against the Turks.
The Family Coat of Arms 1695 ff. His sons agree to divide up the family property, creating the Betliar (older family) branch, represented by István Andrássy I, and the Monok (Dlhá Lúka, younger) branch, represented by György Andrássy II. 1766 Empress Maria Theresia awards the title of count to István Andrássy III, grandson of György Andrássy II of the Monok family branch, for his services to the monarchy. Count István III was the last member of the family to live in the castle. Several decades later, György Andrássy IV, father of Dénes and the sole heir of István III, inherits an enormous estate. In 1825–27 he gets involved in politics and represents the shire of Gemer in the Bratislava assembly. The country house at Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka becomes a place for meetings of the Hungarian social and political elite. (*) Cicero (106–43 BC) De amicitia 98, where this idea is expressed in the form: „esse quam videri...“ ([It is better] to be than to seem).
DÉNES ANDRÁSSY OBIIT SINE PROLE He died without offspring
(1835–1913) (1838–1902) Their portraits can be seen in the castle in Františka’s Museum. The Andrássys owned several stately homes in Eastern Slovakia, including the one in Humenné, from 1876 until 1945. 1871 Dénes’ only brother, the sickly György V, dies, then his father a year later. Dénes has two sisters. 1873 By his father’s will and in accord with Hungarian law, the Count inherits a huge estate – primarily 1300 cadastral acres of arable land and pastures and 2500 acres of forest. He and his wife leave Hungary and never return permanently. Their property is looked after by an administrator. Krásnohorské Podhradie becomes the family seat. 1898 A pension fund for the family’s employees is set up. “In memory of the magnanimous creators of the pension fund, Count Dénes Andrássy and his wife the Countess Františka, as a mark of eternal gratitude, the Office Staff, 1898.” (**) Both the Count and the Countess were to a large degree responsible for the social improvement of the population locally and throughout Gemer, and they were great patrons of the arts. 1902 Františka dies unexpectedly in Munich. A year later, her grieving husband has the Mausoleum built in art nouveau style at the edge of the village on the way to Košice, and she is interred there. 1913, 7. 3. Count Dénes Andrássy dies in Palermo, Sicily, and now lies next to his wife Františka in the → Mausoleum. R. I. P. (Requiescant In Pace = May they rest in peace) (**) In 1898 the Andrássys were the first family in Greater Hungary to start paying pensions to the employees on their estates. This text is inscribed on a black marble plaque put up in the woods about 300 metres leftwards from the campsite.
HI STO RY O F T H E A N D R Á S S Y FAMI LY
1835, 18. 11. The Count was born as the descendant and heir of the Monok family branch in nearby Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka. 1866 He marries Františka Hablawetz, who was of “ignoble birth”. His father disinherits him as his first-born son. The marriage turns out childless. The couple live in Vienna and Munich, and travel a great deal.
BETLIAR This country house dates back to the 15th century. It has since undergone several radical alterations and modifications. The latest great reconstruction was carried out in 1880–86, when the three-storey hunting lodge was created. The house still has this appearance today.
Betliar House in November 2011 Visitors will find an exhibition here of the living style of the nobility in the 18th and 19th centuries. It consists of nearly 50 rooms, 8 bathrooms, studies, and archives. The exhibition takes up the 1st and 2nd floors and corresponds authentically to the original arrangement of the rooms. Arrangement of the contents of the house: On the ground floor, where the servants stayed, there is a presentation of the history of the Andrássy family and a survey of their Betliar property. Here you can find interior accessories, curiosities and zoological exhibits from various parts of the world. The Andrássys were irrepressible travellers… There is also a specially-protected collection of family jewels, including their orders and decorations. On the 1st floor there is the family portrait gallery, which visitors reach by going up the superb staircase. The Reception (or Red) Room is a great favourite. The south wing has the rooms for family and social life (including the Games and Hunting Rooms), while the north wing was reserved for the nobles’ private lives. The centrepiece of the 2nd floor is the Historical Library, where manuscripts and historical prints dating from the 15th to 20th century are kept. The general view of the library is the best-known picture from the house interior. The house is surrounded by a 200-acre woodland park, which in 1977 was registered in the List of Historic Gardens and Parks of the World.
A noble interior
One of the bedrooms The village of Betliar has 930 inhabitants. Distances: Krásnohorské Podhradie: 13 km, Rožňava: 6 km GPS: 48°42’N, 20°31’E Contact: Múzeum Betliar, +421 58 / 798 31 18 Opening hours: May–Sept. Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:00 pm For other months → www.snmbetliar.sk
BETLIAR HOUSE
The library contains 15,000 volumes in 12 languages
Krásnohorské Podhradie Krasznahorkaváralja
Krásna Hôrka castle is 2.5 km from the centre of the village. In the village there is also the Monument to Františka Andrássy and the family portrait gallery. The original Gothic Roman Catholic church of All Saints was damaged by the Turks. In 1787 it was renovated in neo-Classical style, and around a century later in 1895 it was restored again. The village lies to the east of Rožňava, in the valley of the Pača brook. The southern part of the village territory is made up of low hills, while the northern part is formed from outlying ridges of the Slovakian Ore Mountains and the Volovské Hills (Volovec Saddle lies at 1,151 metres above sea-level). Road distances in km: KRÁSNOHORSKÉ PODHRADIE – Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka: 6; – Betliar: 13; – Rožňava: 6; – Košice: 63. Caves: – Domica: 22; – Gombasek: 17; – Ochtinská aragonitová jaskyňa: 31. – Krásnohorská jaskyňa: 6. H – Monok: 110. RO – 680. “Holy King”, Csíkszentkirály (Hungarian), Sâncrăieni (Romanian) – place of origin of the Andrássy family, now partner village. In the centre of Rožňava there is a monument with a bust of Františka Andrássy and a figure of an old man with two children. It was built in 1905 after public fundraising as an expression of thanks from the town’s inhabitants. In 1973 it was removed and transferred to the grounds of the Mausoleum. Twenty years later it was repaired and restored to its original place. It is one of the symbols of this county town. GPS: 48°39’43,13” N, 20°31’57,71” E The castle illuminations were installed by the company Privel Košice in 2005. Number of inhabitants: 2,600 The village arms
With financing from the Programme for Village Renovation Our thanks to Betliar Museum for kindly allowing us to photograph the house. © Jozef Soročin © Design&Layout: Jozef Soročin, Jr., www.sorocin.carbonmade.com © Photography: Peter Olekšák, peter.oleksak@centrum.sk © Translation: Andy Billingham, ajbilingual@gmail.com
© Map: Milan Bobula © Published for Obecný úrad Krásnohorské Podhradie, Hradná 156, SK-049 41 Krásnohorské Podhradie, www.obeckrasnohorskepodhradie.sk, +421 58 / 732 54 31, by: Jozef Soročin, Martina Rázusa 1848/6, SK-071 01 Michalovce, sorocin23@gmail.com © Printing: Rotaprint, s. r. o., Barčianska 68, SK-040 17 Košice, 2011
THE MAUSOLEUM The Mausoleum of Františka and Dénes Andrássy is a unique piece of art nouveau heritage which was completed in the autumn of 1904. It stands to the left of the road leaving Krásnohorské Podhradie for Košice.
Františka
Dénes
Count Dénes had this built as the place of ultimate rest for his wife Františka (1838–1902). He entrusted the project to the just 28-year-old architect Richard Berndl from Munich (1875–1955). The Mausoleum made him instantly famous. A year after completing the building he became a professor. The great Mozarteum in Salzburg (1910–14) is another of his designs. Bavarian craftsmen created the masterpieces of architecture and mosaics here. The sarcophagi are made from the world-famous white Carrara marble. It will remind visitors of the buildings in Ravenna, on the east coast of Italy. On 24th–26th October 1906 the bodily remains of Františka were brought here from Munich. Her funeral ceremony took place on the same day. Dénes and Františka owned a very faithful dog. Behind the wall in the park there is a statue in his image. The inscription on the base reads: Unser Tascherl (Our Baggikins) TREUE UM TREUE 1890– –1910 (Faithfulness for faithfulness). Contact: The Andrássy Mausoleum Tel.: +421 58 / 732 20 34 Opening hours: May–Sept. Tue–Sun 8:30 am–5:00 pm For other months → www.snmbetliar.sk
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ÆR NATALIS, MEDICINA UNIVERSALIS The air of your birthplace is the best medicine Medieval proverb
Renewed historical trails – linking the castle and the country house! Heights above sea-level: village: 369 m; castle 488 m.
Hiking trails 1T
2T
Krásnohorské Podhradie – Krásna Hôrka Castle – R trail junction – 8 Hayloft – 7 Y-fork – Čučma – T Pod Troma vrchmi (junction with yellow trail) – game park – Betliar Trail length: 13 km, time: 4h 30m, difficulty: medium
Krásnohorské Podhradie – Mausoleum – – Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka – Dievčenská skala – and back Trail length: 14.5 km, time: 5h, difficulty: medium
3T
Krásnohorské Podhradie – 9 game park - fence – 10 Peter’s fence – 11 trail junction Pod Čipkovym vrchom –12 trail junction / red trail is the SNP Heroes’ Trail – 13 (Pipitka 1,225 meters) – and back – 14 junction with road no. 549 Uhorná – – Krásnohorské Podhradie Trail length: 20 km, time: 7h, difficulty: high
1C
C y c l e t r a i l s
Krásnohorské Podhradie – Krásna Hôrka Castle – turn right at bottom onto yellow trail – follow yellow trail to 8 hayloft – – left to Y-fork (turn right 90°) – Pod Grexou – Čučma → →Rožňava centre – Betliar (road no. 029) Trail length: 24 km, difficulty: high
2C
Krásnohorské Podhradie (sportsground, alongside the stream) – Krásnohorská Dlhá Lúka – (under railway bridge) Lipovník – follow road E 50 – Drnava (turn left at junction) – – Krásnohorské Podhradie Trail length: 15 km, difficulty: low 3C
Krásnohorské Podhradie – Krásna Hôrka Castle – turn right at bottom onto yellow trail – 1 Pačanské meadows – 2 spring – 3 timber depot (follow green trail) – 4 hunters’ chalet – 5 meadow Pod Perešou – 6 Pača cistern – 8 meadow Pod Ostrým vrchom– – Krásnohorské Podhradie Trail length: 23 km, difficulty: high Note: All trails have been suitably route-marked. They begin at the Krásnohorské Podhradie Village Office. Posters in three languages (SK, H, EN) measuring 100x70 cm provide hikers/cyclists with further information.
Info-boards are also located at the Camp-site Below the Castle (tel.: +421 58 / 732 54 57) and at the Krásna Hôrka castle car-park.We also recommend the map: SHOCart Slovenský Kras (Slovakian Karst), 2007.