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Betliar, as a part of the extensive Brzotín estate in the Middle Ages, was owned by the Bebek family, and they probably had a small water castle built on the site of today's manor house.

Betliar manor house

Betliar, as a part of the extensive Brzotín estate in the Middle Ages, was owned by the Bebek family, and they probably had a small water castle built on the site of today's manor house.

However, the Bebek family had to leave the territory of Upper Hungary in 1566 and their property passed into the hands of the imperial court, which administered them through the captains of the Krásna Hôrka castle. In 1578, Peter I. Andrássy was transferred to Krásná Hôrka, thus beginning the almost four-year "rule" of his family in Gemer. For many years the Andrássy family were in the position of castle captains, but in 1642 Matej II. Krásnohorské manor and Betliarské estates into hereditary property from King Ferdinand III. At the end of the 17th century, the family property was divided, which created two branches of the family - the older Betliarska with its seat in Betliar and the younger Dlouholúcka or Monocká, which remained at the Krásna Hôrka castle.

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The initial stages of the building history of the manor are unclear and therefore there is more room for conjecture. The vaults with lunettes, which have been preserved on almost the entire ground floor, date from the 17th century. At that time, construction activity was also recorded at Krásna Hôrka Castle. However, we know of two extensive building modifications of the manor, which are associated with the growing importance of the family, which at the end of the 18th century received the title of Count and became increasingly involved in the iron ore industry. The classicist appearance of the manor under Count Leopold Andrássy from the 1980s to the 1990s can be learned mainly from archival sources, but it is also documented by the Prussian and Czech vaults in the northern wing of the first floor (former guest apartments). At that time, an extensive English park with numerous romantic buildings began to be created around the manor house. Among them is the Classicist rotunda, which originally served as a library (since 1905, the library is in a manor house), and which was founded by Leopold Andrássy, a great collector and Freemason.

The manor house was owned by the Andrássy family almost continuously until 1945, only a few years of the 19th century it was in the hands of the Nádasdy family (bought from Imrich Andrássy), who in turn sold it to the Pálffy family and the Grovestins family. The old family property with the seat was regained for the Andrássy family by Count Emanuel I., who became an important figure in the cultural and social life of Hungary and a prominent figure in the then iron ore industry, which is why he was nicknamed the "Iron Count". It is to its name that the last major reconstruction of the manor house in the years 1881 - 1886 is connected, which gave it its present appearance. During this romantic - historic reconstruction, the original classicist building was added by one whole floor and a massive tower of a neo-Gothic staircase was built on the west side. On the eastern side, a turret was built on the model of the tower of the famous Transylvanian castle of the Hunyadi family Vajdahunyad (Nebojsa) with a chisel roof, the other towers have French-style roofs.

The reconstruction in the 1980s was also reflected in the interiors of the mansion, the function of which in the second half of the century changed to an exclusively hunting-representative one. A gallery of ancestors was created on the first floor, which the visitor can reach through a magnificent oak staircase with stained glass windows. On the second floor, a picture gallery with ceiling lighting was created, which was adapted into a library at the beginning of the 20th century. It contains more than 15,000 volumes. The comfort of the family and guests was ensured by lounges, offices, a games room and apartments with bathrooms.

Additional information

Transport: By foot, By bike, By car, By train, By bus
Parking: Free parking nearby

Accepted payments: Cash
Languages: Slovak

Suitable for: Childrens, Families with childrens, Elderly, Handicapped, Young, Adults
Season: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
Updated on: 25.1.2019
Source: Betliar

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Betliar manor house
Kaštieľ Betliar
Kaštieľná 6
049 21  Betliar
Region: Košický
District: Rožňava
Area: Gemer
 48.70624, 20.510384

Kaštieľ Betliar
Kaštieľná 6
049 21  Betliar

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