free hit counter
Abandoned castles in Romania (pic heavy!) | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

Post a thread

Post a thread in one of the forums

Browse the forums

Browse threads and contribute to reports

Contact Staff

Contact the team

Abandoned castles in Romania (pic heavy!)

Andy

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
2,736
Reaction score
1,890
Points
113
Location
Worms / Germany
Website
www.Ruinenland.de
Between 1995 and 2016 I've visited Romania twelve times. I was almost in every area of this country - in Transylvania and Wallachia; traveled from the southern Danube in the Banat to the northern Maramures and Bukovina, and from the Hungarian border in the west to the Black Sea coast in the east...​

 ​

During these trips, of course I also have explored various abandoned castles and manor houses. Even if I show a lot here, it's not all that I've visited there… ;)  But I just show a mix of well-preserved buildings up to ruins.​

Some of these buildings are no longer abandoned today (If I know, I'll write the current state in brackets.).​

Because of the large amount, I write only brief information about the places.​

 ​

The photos are partly already older and / or taken without tripod, therefore the quality isn't always the best.​

Sometimes I only show exterior shots - because most of the Romanian castles are plundered and empty; some of them weren't accessible either.​

 ​

In advance a short lesson in Romanian: :)

Castelul = castle​

Conacul / Vila = villa / mansion / manor house​

Palatul = palace​

Cetatea = castle (fortress)​

Herghelie = stud farm​

 ​

 ​

1. Castelul Kornis (emptied and partly collapsed now)​

Built in 1573-1593, expanded in the 18th century, later used as a school, destroyed in World War II.​

The only Romanian castle with statues of unicorns that I know (there are two of them in front of it).​

 ​

bild01.jpg

 ​

bild02.jpg

 ​

bild03.jpg

 ​

bild04.jpg

 ​

 ​

2. Castelul Brukenthal (in renovation)​

Built in 1750-1760, abandoned in 1940 due to a fire.​

 ​

bild05.jpg

 ​

bild06.jpg

 ​

 ​

3. Castelul Banffy (in renovation)​

Built in the end of the 14th century, expanded in the 17th-18th century, destroyed in World War II.​

 ​

bild07.jpg

 ​

bild08.jpg

 ​

 ​

4. Castelul Bornemissza

Built in 1848, later used as a hospital.​

 ​

bild09.jpg

 ​

 ​

5. Castelul Bethlen

Built in 1667-1683, later used as school, kindergarten (nursery), prison and champagne cellar.​

 ​

bild10.jpg

 ​

bild11.jpg

 ​

bild12.jpg

 ​

 ​

6. Vila Dobrescu (for sale or already sold)​

Built in the 18th-19th century, in the 1930s inhabited by a Romanian lawyer and mayor.​

 ​

bild13.jpg

 ​

bild14.jpg

 ​

 ​

7. Castelul Haller (large parts are collapsed now)​

Built in 1610, expanded in 1704.​

 ​

bild15.jpg

 ​

bild16.jpg

 ​

 ​

8. Cetatea Fagaras (renovated and converted into a museum)​

Built in 1310, conversion to a fortress in 1538, expanded in the 17th century, later used as military headquarters.​

 ​

bild17.jpg

 ​

 ​

9. Palatul Cantacuzino (has been fenced due to danger of collapse)​

Built in 1911-1913, destroyed during earthquakes in 1940 and 1977.​

 ​

bild18.jpg

 ​

bild19.jpg

 ​

 ​

10. Conacul Wass

Built in the 19th century, later used as a school.​

 ​

bild20.jpg

 ​

bild21.jpg

 ​

bild22.jpg

 ​

 ​

11. Castelul Haller

Built and expanded in 1721-1771, abandoned after the extinction of the family.​

 ​

bild23.jpg

 ​

bild24.jpg

 ​

 ​

12. Palatul Spa (demolished now)​

I don't know anything about its history.​

 ​

bild25.jpg

 ​

 ​

13. Castelul Zsombory (sold)​

Built in 1892.​

 ​

bild26.jpg

 ​

bild27.jpg

 ​

 ​

14. Casa Orthodoxa

The “Orthodox house” was part of a fortified church.​

 ​

bild28.jpg

 ​

 ​

15. Castelul Tholdi (partly burnt down)​

Built in 1640, later used as orphanage.​

 ​

bild29.jpg

 ​

bild30.jpg

 ​

 ​

16. Castelul Rakoczi-Banffy (re-inhabited)​

Built in 1664-1669.​

 ​

bild31.jpg

 ​

 ​

17. Castelul Lonyai

Built in 1484, expanded in 1630 and about 1850, destroyed in World War II.​

 ​

bild32.jpg

 ​

 ​

18. Castelul Teleky (in use as a barn and storage area)​

Built in the 18th century.​

 ​

bild33.jpg

 ​

 ​

19. Castelul Teleky-Wesseleny

Built in the 18th century.​

 ​

bild34.jpg

 ​

bild35.jpg

 ​

 ​

20. Castelul Pekry (in private use)​

Built in 1681, expanded in 1732, later used as kindergarten (nursery) and school.​

 ​

bild36.jpg

 ​

bild37.jpg

 ​

 ​

21. Castelul Wass-Banffy (guarded)​

Built in 1439, expanded in the 16th century, later used as a school.​

 ​

bild38.jpg

 ​

 ​

22. Castelul Konopi

Built in 1748, expanded about 1800, expropriated and nationalized in 1948, returned to the owner in 2007.​

 ​

bild39.jpg

 ​

bild40.jpg

 ​

 ​

23. Castelul Karoly

Built in 1418, rebuilt in 1730, expanded in 1896, destroyed in World War II.​

 ​

bild41.jpg

 ​

 ​

24. Castelul Karatsonyi

Built in 1793, later used as nursing home and orphanage, abandoned in 1989.​

 ​

bild42.jpg

 ​

bild43.jpg

 ​

bild44.jpg

 ​

 ​

25. Castelul Wass (renovated and re-inhabited)​

Built in the 18th-19th century.​

 ​

bild45.jpg

 ​

 ​

26. Ansamblul Castelului Mikes - Nemes - Beldy Pal (Three small castles and mansions side by side. Partly re-inhabited now, partly in use as a barn and storage area)​

Built in the 18th-19th century.​

 ​

bild46.jpg

 ​

bild47.jpg

 ​

bild48.jpg

 ​

 ​

27. Castellul Wass-Banffy (partly in use again)​

Built as a royal summer residence in 1752-55, expanded 1809, later used as a school.​

 ​

bild49.jpg

 ​

 ​

28. Castelul Bethlen (in renovation for a museum)​

The exact time of its construction is uncertain, but probably in the 16th century. After expropriation used as a storage for artificial fertilizer.​

 ​

bild50.jpg

 ​

 ​

29. Castelul Bethlen-Teleky (in renovation, but it works very slowly)​

Built in 1625, partly destroyed by fire in 1849.​

 ​

bild51.jpg

 ​

 ​

30. Castelul Apafi / Apaffy (renovated and converted into a museum)​

Built in 1552-1556, expanded in the 17th century, later used as a school, abandoned about 1990.​

 ​

bild52.jpg

 ​

 ​

31. Vila a primului-ministru (in renovation)​

Built about 1940 as an apartment for the Prime Minister, later used for military and school, as well as a film set in 1985.​

 ​

bild53.jpg

 ​

bild54.jpg

 ​

 ​

32. Herghelie Homorod

Built in 1820-1830, later expropriation, abandoned in 1989.​

 ​

bild55.jpg

 ​

bild56.jpg

 ​

 ​

33. Vila Rosia Montana

I don't know anything about its history.​

 ​

bild57.jpg

 ​

bild58.jpg

 ​

 ​

34. Cetatea Losonczy-Haller

Built in 1295, expanded in 1645-1652.​

 ​

bild59.jpg

 ​

 ​

35. Conacul Buteni

I don't know anything about its history.​

 ​

bild60.jpg

 ​

 ​

36. Conacul Kemeny

Built in the end of the 18th century, expanded in the 19th century, later expropriation and used as a company site and storage facility for fertilizers, abandoned about 1990.​

 ​

bild61.jpg

 ​

 ​

37. Conacul Beldy (Should be sold - for over a million euros...! Of course there was no buyer. Most parts are collapsed now)​

Built in 1880.​

 ​

bild62.jpg

 ​

 ​

38. Castelul Martinuzzi-Bethlen

Former monastery, conversion to a castle in 1545-1551, expanded in the 17th-18th century.​

 ​

bild63.jpg

 ​

 ​

39. Cetatea Oradea

The oldest parts were built in the 11th century, expanded different times, later used for military purposes.​

 ​

bild64.jpg

 ​

bild65.jpg

 ​

 ​

40. Castelul Kemeny (renovated and today in use as a cultural house)​

Built in 1805, later used as a school, abandoned in 2005.​

 ​

bild66.jpg

 ​

bild67.jpg

 ​

 ​

41. Castelul Bay

Built in the end of the 19th century.​

 ​

bild68.jpg

 ​

 ​

42. Castelul Teleky

Built about 1290, expanded in 1850-1859.​

 ​

bild69.jpg

 ​

 ​

43. Castelul Bolyai (most parts are collapsed now)​

Built in in 15th-16th century, later used as a school, abandoned in the 1970s.​

 ​

bild70.jpg

 ​

 ​

44. Vila Lugoj

I don't know anything about its history.​

 ​

bild71.jpg

 ​

bild72.jpg

 ​

 ​

45. Vila Nopcsa

I don't know anything about its history.​

 ​

bild73.jpg

 ​

 ​

46. Conacul General Berthelot (renovated in 2010 and now the seat of the Romanian Academy)​

Built in the end of the 19th century, later used as an agricultural warehouse.​

 ​

bild74.jpg

 ​

bild75.jpg

 ​

 ​

47. Castelul Kornis- Bethlen

Built in 1545, expanded in 1650-1660. Later used as a school.​

 ​

bild76.jpg

 ​

bild77.jpg

 ​

bild78.jpg

 ​

bild79.jpg

 ​

bild80.jpg

 ​

:comp

 ​
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Vief

Oblivion State Member
OS Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2015
Messages
197
Reaction score
197
Points
43
Location
Netherlands
I really love this!! Thanks for showing.

 

Lenston

OS Full member
OS Full member
Joined
Jun 5, 2014
Messages
1,667
Reaction score
636
Points
113
Location
Wales
Great set of images there Andy, hope all is well with you :)  

 

hamtagger

OS Full member
OS Full member
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Messages
3,517
Reaction score
1,062
Points
113
Location
Lincoln
Holy shit! That's an awesome collection you've got there, thanks for taking the time to put this together (y)  

:comp  

 

The_Raw

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
3,943
Reaction score
2,197
Points
113
Wow that's a bit special Andy, I want a castle with unicorns! No.44 is my favourite of all I think. You should make a book about Romanian castles  :p  

 

Sheavy

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Messages
44
Reaction score
80
Points
18
Location
Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Seriously sick collection! Beautiful pictures, yet always sad to see such historic structures in this state.

Also, what are those red tiled, up-right, rectangular boxes I see in Conacul Wass, Castelul Zsombory, Herghelie Homorod, and Castelul Kornis-Bethlen? I assume they have something to do with heat. Are they braziers?

 

Lavino

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
387
Reaction score
389
Points
63
Some very nice locations there Andy 

 

Andy

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2014
Messages
2,736
Reaction score
1,890
Points
113
Location
Worms / Germany
Website
www.Ruinenland.de
Also, what are those red tiled, up-right, rectangular boxes I see in Conacul Wass, Castelul Zsombory, Herghelie Homorod, and Castelul Kornis-Bethlen? I assume they have something to do with heat. Are they braziers?


These are tiled stoves for heating.

Thanks everyone for your comments.  :)

 
Top