The Counts' Castle of Câlnic

The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic
The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic
The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic
The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic
The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic
The Counts' Castle of Câlnic in Câlnic

Keep

A massive keep, measuring 12 x 9 m in ground plan, was built in the castle courtyard. The four floors of the tower reach a height of 14 m. The residential tower bears the name "Siegfried". The ground floor is covered with a barrel vault and was used as a storeroom. The access was from the first floor through a stair tunnel. The first floor is formed by a heatable living room 9.4 x 4 m, which was also covered with a barrel vault, the beginnings of which can still be seen today. Access to this room was via a ladder that could be pulled up. Above the open hearth, remains of a round-vaulted hearth can be seen. In this room, a twin window with Gothic stone surround is preserved : cloverleaf arched finial with trefoil aperture. The third floor has a lower height and ends with a beamed ceiling. Above it there is a fortified living room.

Gate tower

Half of the gate tower in the north of the complex jumps in front of the wall alignment. It was protected by a portcullis whose sliding channels have been preserved. A drawbridge could be lowered over the moat. There is a small Romanesque arched window on the fourth floor. The last floor has a wooden walkway. The gate tower is also the bell tower.

Castle courtyard

The castle courtyard has oval shape, approaching the circle. The diameter is 52 m. The ring wall is 7 m high, 1 m thick and made of stones. The ring wall was originally surrounded by a 3 m deep moat. The battlement under the top of the wall rests on hanging trestles, and the embrasures are partly in double rows.

Sacrament niches

There are two sacrament niches on the north wall of the chancel. The smaller one ends in a keel arch above which crabs and foliage can be seen. The larger one has a round-arched opening flanked by pinnacles, above which is a cilia ending in a finial. There is simple tracery in the gable.

Epitaph

A neoclassical epitaph shows a boy figure with wings and the inscription in memory of the shepherd of souls Martin Haupt.

Organ

Karl Hesse from Vienna built a mechanical organ in 1857, which Karl Einschenk renovated in 1924.

Sacristy

The sacristy is built around 1500. The late Gothic vestry doorway has corbelled arches and jambs profiled with round bars and fillets.

History

1235-1272 Coins from the reign of the Hungarian kings Béla IV and Stephen the V were found during excavations.
1250-1300 Count Chyl and the farmers of the village build the first structure of the castle. It consists of a ring wall, the gate tower, the keep and a servants' house in the courtyard.
1269 First documentary mention of the village. The Hungarian Duke of Transylvania awards the possessions to the Count Chylvon of Câlnic for loyal service.
1366 The residents of Câlnic prevail against the Counts of Câlnic in a lawsuit over meadows, forests and a village.
1380-1400 Construction of a Gothic hall church with a long choir and polygonal choir end.
1430 Johann Gereb of Vingard, the last hereditary count of Câlnic, sells the position, farm and house to the village. Thus the castle passes into the hands of the free peasant community of Câlnic.
1438 Turks besiege the castle, which is surrendered without defense. Many people from Câlnic are either killed or taken away in captivity.
1450-1500 The farming community, which took over the castle from the counts, is carrying out various building works. The inner wall is raised, and along the circular wall, storerooms are laid out on three levels one on top of the other.
1500 In Câlnic live 92 families and 2 shepherds. 5 farms are deserted. Câlnic is the largest rural parish of the Sebes chair
1550 The outer ring wall belt is erected, the moat is filled in, the outer wall is supported with buttresses.
1599 After being ravaged by the troops of Michael the Brave, Câlnic is home to 9 families.
1658 Câlnic is destroyed by Turkish troops. However, the castle is not taken.
1733 Galleries with painted parapets are erected in the castle church.
1868-1869 Reconstruction of the church according to the plans of the engineer Ignaz Paulaz. Choir and naves have flat ceilings.
1900 The dilapidated chambers in the castle are demolished.
1999 The castle is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Places in the surroundings