“The living legend of Transilvania”, considered to be one of the greatest medieval monument in the south-east of Europe, Corvinilor’s Castle is situated in the heart of Hunedoara county, in the city with the same name. It is said to be the castle where Vlad Țepeș was imprisoned, a Walachian prince and an inspiration for the greatest persona: Dracula.
There are thousands of tourists that enter the castle however few of them know that the castle dates back to the 14th century. It’s about the royal castle, its walls being 2 metres thick and built out of dolomitic limestone and river stones right on the cliff.
The castle’s story starts in 1409 when Voicu, a noble, along with his brothers (Radu and Mogoş), receive an estate that included the royal castle as well, from the king of Hungary, Sigismund de Luxemburg. Voice does not alter the castle but his son, Ioan de Hunedoara (Johannes de Hunyad), “transformed” the castle so much that it was comparable to the other constructions from the centre and west of Europe in that time.
Super view from inside and outside of Corvin Castle
The work of Ioan (Iancu) de Hunedoara
Ioan started his work after the year 1440, wanting to transform the fortress in the castle that it is today. The first stage was building two curtines around the old fortress. These were built from dolomitic limestone and had battlements on their upper side. These were flanked with rectangular towers and also circular ones, which were a novelty for the military architecture of Transilvania.
The circular towers (Capistrano, Pustiu, Tobosarilor), except the painted one (Buzdugan), had a ground floor and 2 levels. The rooms from the inferior side were used by riflemen while the rest were used for living or defence. The rectangular towers had carriageable entrances and levels for defence, while the castle's entries were a couple of bridges held by stone pylons with their last parts being mobile.
Corvin Castle, a great and magnificent castle!
The first castle's build stage ends before 1446, which is when Ioan de Hunedoara becomes governor of the Hungarian Kingdom. Furthermore, he decides to put a bigger accent on the civil side rather than the military side when building the castle. The palace, located on the west wing, is composed of The Knight's Hall, The Diet Hall and the spiral staircase. The architecture is amazing: there are two naves held by 5 octagonal marble pylons, ornated consoles, gothic vaults and a bellow gallery.
The Diet Hall, the Knight's Hall and the Nje Boisa Tower
According to historians, the Knight's Hall was used as a dining hall during festivities, while the Diet Hall was used for the festivity itself. The Gallery and Nje Boisa tower(Meaning "Don't be afraid" in Slavic, a name which it may have gotten from the Serbian mercenaries that were stationed in the castle's garrison) is a unique military structure having 5 levels with openings for weapons and connected to the castle through a 33 metres long gallery built by massive limestone posts. With the death of Ioan de Hunedoara and the battles for the Hungarian kingdom the 2nd stage of construction is cancelled.
Sala CavalerilorSala Dietei
According to the castle's site, www.castelulcorvinilor.ro, the monument was now, comparable to the castles located in the west of Europe. After 1458, work begins on the logios that will constitute the Matia wing, decorated with a secular unique picture.
The mark of Gabriel Bethlen.
During the 17th century, principal Gabriel Bethlen modified parts of the castle and builds an east wing on an existing foundation with one room and a living room. The interior aspect of the chapel is modified. There were connecting passages built along with the White Tower, the Artillery terrace and the exterior yard (the Hussars' court) which was destined to the administrator, clerks and as a deposit for food and hay.
Capela la Castelul CorvinilorCamera de aur
The most important restoration works will be made in the 19th century. The castle's frontage and roofs were made taller than before. More battlements were added as well as a new watchtower while most of the stone ornaments were replaced with modern ones.
The legend of the fountain
The castle's fountain is almost 30 metres deep. The legend says that it was dug by three Turkish prisoners who were promised freedom if they reach the water. However, after digging for 15 years and finally finding water, they were not set free as Iancu de Hunedoara was dead and his wife, Elizabeth Szilagyi, did not hold up her husband's words.
Therefore, the legend says that the prisoners have inscribed on one of the chapel's walls "You may have water but you have no soul". In reality, what was actually written is: "The one who wrote this inscription is Hasan, slave of giaours, near the churches' fortress.
The Raven’s and Corvinilor’s legend
On Corvinilor family's blazon, there is a raven inscribed which holds a golden ring in its beak. It is said that Ioan de Hunedoara was an unlegitimate son of Sigismund of Luxemburg, king of Hungary, his mother being Elisabeth from Tara Hategului. The king gave her a golden ring for her son to wear so that he may be recognised if he ever came to the royal court.
One day, while taking a lunch break, the ring was stolen by a raven which was later shot by an arrow fired by Ioan de Hunedoara, thus retrieving the ring. Having made it to the royal court, he tells his father the tale of the raven upon which he decides to put on the family symbol a raven with a golden ring in its beak.
A palaeolithic civilisation.
It is well known that the castle bears marks of habitation dating back to the palaeolithic, neolithic and eneolithic era in the bronze age. In today's time, due to the castle's large area, there have been many cinematographic, artistic, documentaries and videos produced.
According to the castle's official site, www.castelulcorvinilor.ro, films like “François Villon”, “Vlad Țepeș”, “Mihai Viteazul”, “Alexandru Lăpușneanu”, “David”, “Regii blestemați”, “Vlad”, “Jacqou le Croquat”, “Blood Rayne” were shot there. If you ever decide to visit the Hunedoara county, Corvinilor's castle should be your number one priority. But don't worry, there's plenty to see after you have visited it!
But don’t worry, there’s plenty to see after you have visited it!
Nu am mai fost de ceva ani buni de zile (cand inca se urca cu masina pana in baza podului!), insa foarte multe sali s-au renovat si n-am vazut niciodata atatea disponibile pentru vizita. Si inca renovarea nu e terminata. Merita vizitat, sunt sali si obiecte interesante. Plus ca e un adevarat labirint. Singura parte putin mai „negativa”: cele doua sali de la intrare, inchisoarea si de tortura. Ce rol au? Ce rost are sa fie acolo, astfel. Pacat. Restul e foarte frumos. De vizitat in familie (atentie, sunt multe scari!).
În colaborare cu primăria Hunedoara am scris un articol despre Castelul Corvinilor, il puteti citi pe urmatorul link https://www.daibau.ro/articol/425/castelul_corvinilor_-_perla_judetului_hunedoara
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