Fortress of Gyula
The only surviving fortress built of bricks in Central Europe, was built in the 15th century. The building of the castle was started by János Maróti viceroy of Macsó, and its further constructions completed by János Corvin. He built the round cannon tower (rondella), called Corvin Bastion, located at the so-called Kerecsényi-Gate. After the siege of 1566, the city fell to Turkish occupation for 129 years, until 1695 when the Turks were expelled. In the following ages - in the period of János Harruckern - there was brewery, distillery in the castle, and even a prison. One of the 7 living quarters was a place for library of archives and county courts. Since 2005, the Gothic brick-fortress have revived: in the castle museum visitors can learn the military history of the fortress; in the consecrated chapel, they marry and baptize again; culinary pleasures can be enjoyed in the medieval-style wine cellar, parties, conferences and other events take place in the Knights' Hall combining the spirit of the knighthood and old ages with the spirit of the modern age. Guided tours are available at the castle.
The multifunctional monument building also gives place to a stone theater, since the performances of the Gyula Castle Theater - operating since 1964 - , are held in the castle and on the lake-stage next to the castle.
This castle is the only surviving - built of bricks - fortress of Central Europe, with 24 exhibition halls covering almost seven centuries of history. From the lookout you have a beautiful panorama of the city.
The multifunctional monument building also gives place to a stone theater, since the performances of the Gyula Castle Theater - operating since 1964 - , are held in the castle and on the lake-stage next to the castle.
This castle is the only surviving - built of bricks - fortress of Central Europe, with 24 exhibition halls covering almost seven centuries of history. From the lookout you have a beautiful panorama of the city.
100 Years Old Patisserie
One of the sights of Gyula, the witness of the city's history. Gyula's first patisserie, Hungary's second long last operating patisserie.
The building itself was built after the Fire of Gyula in 1801. Until 1839 a pharmacy was operating there. It's refered by a restaurated sandstone picture in the corner room depicting Hygie feeding her snake. The patisserie was founded in 1840 by András Salis confectioner. In 1841, Andras Salis married the daughter of a german shoemaker János Reindhardt, whose relative József Reinhardt took over the confectionery in 1854. After his death in 1887, József Reinhardt's widow, Róza Kontúr continued running the business until 1900. Her assistant, Béla Balaskó took up the traditions between 1900 and 1907. His assistant, János Lázár, took care of the reputation of Reinhardt Patisserie between 1907 and 1924, and then his widow operated it until 1947 when she handed over the confectionary to her assistant Imre János who operated it until 1984. As a non-descendant, at the age of 74 he sold to the city and since that time the patisserie is a municipal property. In 1952 the name was changed to the Hundred Years Confectionery.
The house was built with copf and empirical marks, but it also represents the early classicist style. In the rooms dedicated to different decorative paintings, authentical and original Biedermeier furnishings can be seen. The Corner Hall's wall shelf, with it's two gold-plated wooden frames, and the lid-covered glass jars is an 1840 origin, likewise the showcases where the old glassware kept. Since the confectionery has always been a community place (evidenced by fragments of paintings revealed in the center of the domes), during the restoration between 1984-1986, they headed to recall the reform-era atmosphere. Mostly tables are for 6-7-person in the confectionery.
A valuable treasure of the confectionery is the 32-pipe machine organ built into a French escritoire, constructed Master Josef Hain from Vienna in 1819.
In the former confectionery workroom, a confectioner's museum was organized with contemporary tools what's unique in the country. In 2004, a major renovation was carried out for the confectionery building to ensure a unique experience for its guests as one of the most valuable pearl of the “Dél-Alföld” (Souther Plains) Region.
The building itself was built after the Fire of Gyula in 1801. Until 1839 a pharmacy was operating there. It's refered by a restaurated sandstone picture in the corner room depicting Hygie feeding her snake. The patisserie was founded in 1840 by András Salis confectioner. In 1841, Andras Salis married the daughter of a german shoemaker János Reindhardt, whose relative József Reinhardt took over the confectionery in 1854. After his death in 1887, József Reinhardt's widow, Róza Kontúr continued running the business until 1900. Her assistant, Béla Balaskó took up the traditions between 1900 and 1907. His assistant, János Lázár, took care of the reputation of Reinhardt Patisserie between 1907 and 1924, and then his widow operated it until 1947 when she handed over the confectionary to her assistant Imre János who operated it until 1984. As a non-descendant, at the age of 74 he sold to the city and since that time the patisserie is a municipal property. In 1952 the name was changed to the Hundred Years Confectionery.
The house was built with copf and empirical marks, but it also represents the early classicist style. In the rooms dedicated to different decorative paintings, authentical and original Biedermeier furnishings can be seen. The Corner Hall's wall shelf, with it's two gold-plated wooden frames, and the lid-covered glass jars is an 1840 origin, likewise the showcases where the old glassware kept. Since the confectionery has always been a community place (evidenced by fragments of paintings revealed in the center of the domes), during the restoration between 1984-1986, they headed to recall the reform-era atmosphere. Mostly tables are for 6-7-person in the confectionery.
A valuable treasure of the confectionery is the 32-pipe machine organ built into a French escritoire, constructed Master Josef Hain from Vienna in 1819.
In the former confectionery workroom, a confectioner's museum was organized with contemporary tools what's unique in the country. In 2004, a major renovation was carried out for the confectionery building to ensure a unique experience for its guests as one of the most valuable pearl of the “Dél-Alföld” (Souther Plains) Region.
Almásy Castle in Gyula
After the end of the Turkish occupation, György Harruckern János has gained the entire territory of Békés County From King Charles the IIIrd in exchange for his services. He has built the first buildings of the Castle.
The baroque block of the castle was evolved by his son, Ferenc Harruckern, whose grandson, Ferenc Wenckheim brought a true glory to its history. The Almásy family inherited it by the marriage of Countess Wenckheim Stephanie Mary and Count Kálmán Almásy.
After World War II, the castle was nationalized, then industrial school, nurses' school and later a children's home was set here. In the 1960s they established the Spa over the castle park's large territory. The castle was abandoned in the 1990s.
The Harruckern-Wenckheim-Almásy Castle in Gyula also played a significant role in the cultural life of the country. This is the first Hungarian castle in which a stage-play was presented in 1746; the grandfather of Ferenc Erkel -composer of the hungarian national hymn- , has lived his life as a kind of a cultural marshal and a home musician in these walls -many generations of the Erkel family have performed musical events; Mihály Munkácsy got acquainted with painting in the Castle, with the guidance of Szamossy Elek, who was restoring the old family portraits of the Wenckheim family.
After its renovation, the Gyula Almásy Castle Visitor Center has a permanent exhibition, café, museum store, museum educational room and ad-hoc exhibition space.
Weekdays and holidays in a castle in the Great Plain
How did they manage a castle day-to-day, who was indepted for the grandeur, what was the world like behind the scenes of the aristocracy's homes?
Until now, we have not been able to answer these questions either by exploring the ancient buildings of Europe and Hungary.
The Almásy Castle in Gyula now tells us.
Using the 21st century's interactive technology, it reveals how the servants lived in the building, how the servants of a count's family made the family's life comfortable invisibly and almost unnoticeably.
And since the life of the aristocrats was not just about the parties, the exhibition also tells about their everyday lives showing their everyday objects, presenting their written and unwritten behavioral habits.
The permanent exhibition also commemorates the three royal visits to the Castle and the ten Aradian Martyrs who have capitulated in the building, at the end of the 1848-49 revolution.
The baroque block of the castle was evolved by his son, Ferenc Harruckern, whose grandson, Ferenc Wenckheim brought a true glory to its history. The Almásy family inherited it by the marriage of Countess Wenckheim Stephanie Mary and Count Kálmán Almásy.
After World War II, the castle was nationalized, then industrial school, nurses' school and later a children's home was set here. In the 1960s they established the Spa over the castle park's large territory. The castle was abandoned in the 1990s.
The Harruckern-Wenckheim-Almásy Castle in Gyula also played a significant role in the cultural life of the country. This is the first Hungarian castle in which a stage-play was presented in 1746; the grandfather of Ferenc Erkel -composer of the hungarian national hymn- , has lived his life as a kind of a cultural marshal and a home musician in these walls -many generations of the Erkel family have performed musical events; Mihály Munkácsy got acquainted with painting in the Castle, with the guidance of Szamossy Elek, who was restoring the old family portraits of the Wenckheim family.
After its renovation, the Gyula Almásy Castle Visitor Center has a permanent exhibition, café, museum store, museum educational room and ad-hoc exhibition space.
Weekdays and holidays in a castle in the Great Plain
How did they manage a castle day-to-day, who was indepted for the grandeur, what was the world like behind the scenes of the aristocracy's homes?
Until now, we have not been able to answer these questions either by exploring the ancient buildings of Europe and Hungary.
The Almásy Castle in Gyula now tells us.
Using the 21st century's interactive technology, it reveals how the servants lived in the building, how the servants of a count's family made the family's life comfortable invisibly and almost unnoticeably.
And since the life of the aristocrats was not just about the parties, the exhibition also tells about their everyday lives showing their everyday objects, presenting their written and unwritten behavioral habits.
The permanent exhibition also commemorates the three royal visits to the Castle and the ten Aradian Martyrs who have capitulated in the building, at the end of the 1848-49 revolution.
Castle of Gyulavári
The history of the castle from the 18th century until present days.
In the history of the castle, the hydrographic and the terrain features played a significant role. Based on contemporary maps it can be stated that the castle and the estate were located on the peninsula enclosed by White-Körös.
Dr. János Karácsony: History of the Békés County mentiones the first actions concerning the area: in the year 1698 Jakab János Lőwenburg registers the villages that have been destroyed along the Körös and acquires the Gyulavári, Kétegyházi, Várai and Keszi planes. In 1716 he moves to Gyulavári, and builds a manor.
After the death of Lőwenburg, Count Antal Gaisruck inherits the estate, who sells it to the Treasury and later is purchased by Zsigmond Andrássy deputy-lieutenant of Csongrád county in 1741 . Andrássy made Kétegyháza the center of the estate, where he has built a castle and a chapel.
From the family Andrássy the estate returns to the Treasury again, and in 1794 sold to Count Ignác Almássy. Later, after the Fire of Gyula, the estate of Gyula came to the Wenckheims, probably the castle was built at this time.
Near the castle, in 1842, a distillery was built, then the Wenckheim estate gets to the Almássy family in 1869. Count Almássy Kálmán's (1815) heir , his son, Dénes (1863), moves to the uninhabited Gyula castle with his wife Ellá Karolyi.
Count Dénes Almássy leaves the estate Gyulavári and Szigetmajor to her daughter, Jeanne in 1933, with the belonging mansion. The rest of the estate of Gyulavári was inherited by her sisters. Count Jeanne Almássy marries to Count Pongrácz Jenő. On the estate of Count Pongrácz mill, meat processing factory, distillery and brick factory is beeing established between 1919-1945. The Count's family of seven only spends the summer and autumn in the Castle of Vári. Ocassionally in the falls, many guests arrives for huntings, since the 200-acres forest belonging to the castle had an extremely rich stock of a game. The castle and the estate were governed by stewards during the winter.
In 1945, the distillery, machine workshop and other properties near the factory became co-operative property. Until 1948 successors of Count Almássy Ignác inherited the castle, from 1948 the building was used as a warehouse by the agricultural co-operative. In 1949 they decided to build a sports ground close to the castle, which was finished in 1952.
The mansion and the park are located in the central part of the village of Gyulavári, the park area has now shrunk to just 1.8 hectares. In 1776 Gyulavári belonged to the estate of Kétegyháza, later became a separate settlement, and from 1 of April 1977 belongs to the city of Gyula.
In the history of the castle, the hydrographic and the terrain features played a significant role. Based on contemporary maps it can be stated that the castle and the estate were located on the peninsula enclosed by White-Körös.
Dr. János Karácsony: History of the Békés County mentiones the first actions concerning the area: in the year 1698 Jakab János Lőwenburg registers the villages that have been destroyed along the Körös and acquires the Gyulavári, Kétegyházi, Várai and Keszi planes. In 1716 he moves to Gyulavári, and builds a manor.
After the death of Lőwenburg, Count Antal Gaisruck inherits the estate, who sells it to the Treasury and later is purchased by Zsigmond Andrássy deputy-lieutenant of Csongrád county in 1741 . Andrássy made Kétegyháza the center of the estate, where he has built a castle and a chapel.
From the family Andrássy the estate returns to the Treasury again, and in 1794 sold to Count Ignác Almássy. Later, after the Fire of Gyula, the estate of Gyula came to the Wenckheims, probably the castle was built at this time.
Near the castle, in 1842, a distillery was built, then the Wenckheim estate gets to the Almássy family in 1869. Count Almássy Kálmán's (1815) heir , his son, Dénes (1863), moves to the uninhabited Gyula castle with his wife Ellá Karolyi.
Count Dénes Almássy leaves the estate Gyulavári and Szigetmajor to her daughter, Jeanne in 1933, with the belonging mansion. The rest of the estate of Gyulavári was inherited by her sisters. Count Jeanne Almássy marries to Count Pongrácz Jenő. On the estate of Count Pongrácz mill, meat processing factory, distillery and brick factory is beeing established between 1919-1945. The Count's family of seven only spends the summer and autumn in the Castle of Vári. Ocassionally in the falls, many guests arrives for huntings, since the 200-acres forest belonging to the castle had an extremely rich stock of a game. The castle and the estate were governed by stewards during the winter.
In 1945, the distillery, machine workshop and other properties near the factory became co-operative property. Until 1948 successors of Count Almássy Ignác inherited the castle, from 1948 the building was used as a warehouse by the agricultural co-operative. In 1949 they decided to build a sports ground close to the castle, which was finished in 1952.
The mansion and the park are located in the central part of the village of Gyulavári, the park area has now shrunk to just 1.8 hectares. In 1776 Gyulavári belonged to the estate of Kétegyháza, later became a separate settlement, and from 1 of April 1977 belongs to the city of Gyula.
Erkel Ferenc Memorial House
The flat of the teacher of germas in Gyula was built in 1795. In 1821, another classroom was added to the enlargened old one. The wing of the house facing the square was the school, while the parts opening to the Ajtósi street was the flat of the teacher. The school-part of the building was damaged during the winter of 1829-1830, and partly collapsed. The house was then rebuilt of the present day form by Mihály Nuszbek in 1830. The Erkel family lived here between 1808 and 1841.
If you would like to know more about the Erkel Memorial House, the story of the family, the material of the exhibition or the works of Ferenc Erkel, we would recommend the Erkel Memorial House's home page where you can find many interesting information and documents about the life and work of one of the greatest Hungarian composer.
If you would like to know more about the Erkel Memorial House, the story of the family, the material of the exhibition or the works of Ferenc Erkel, we would recommend the Erkel Memorial House's home page where you can find many interesting information and documents about the life and work of one of the greatest Hungarian composer.
Ladics House
The L-shaped, single-floor civic house was built in the early 19th century in baroque style. The Ladics House in Gyula is a special memory of the former county bourgeois elite, where family relics and legacies have been collected for 3 generations. The museum's exhibition presents the 19-20th century civilian world in 6 rooms.
Kohán Art-Galery
The former Pavilion was built in 1888-1889 for cultural events (concerts, amateur and theater performances, shows, dancing sessions). György Kohán Kossuth Prize-winning painter's artwork exhibition has been moved to the building in 1979.