SHORT HISTORY OF THE LENDAVA CASTLE

Grb družine Bánffy • A Bánffy család címere • Bánffy family's hatchment

Bánffy family coat of arms. Photo from the archives of the Hungarian National Széchenyi Library (Budapest, Hungary)

Originally built in the 12th century as a fortification on the hill above the Lendava River, near the contemporary border with Hungary, the Lendava Castle is one of the most important historic monuments in the region

The castle was in past centuries many times entirely restored and rebuilt.

The present-day Baroque appearance of the castle dates from 1690–1707, following the withdrawal of the Turks from the area, when the Esterházys had it rebuilt to form an L-shaped building as a sign of their loyalty to the Emperor Leopold I. The castle became a show piece of Baroque architecture, and remained in the hands of the Esterházy family until World War I.

SHORT HISTORY

The castle is first mentioned in the records in 1192 as a property of the Hungarian noble family Bánffy and was theirs until the middle of the 17th century, when it fell to the Nádasdy family for a short period, and in the 18th century came under the management of the Eszterházy family. Today it is a massive two-storey building with a mansard roof overlooking the town of Lendava-Lendva. The walls are supported by massive buttresses and the south-west façade is emphasised with a central tower

Grad Doljne Lendave v XVII. stoletju • Alsólendva vára egy XVII. sz. metszeten • Lendava's castle in the 17th century

Lower Lendava Castle in XVII. st. on copper engraving by an unknown author

Since 1973 the castle houses the Lendava-Lendva Gallery and Museum and each year it hosts a restoration workshop as well as the artists from the Lendava-Lendva International Fine Arts Colony and the LindArt International Fine Arts Colony.

LENDAVA CASTLE ON OLD POSTCARDS

Lendavski grad na stari razglednici (1905) • A lendvai vár egy régi képeslapon (1905) • Lendava's castle on an old postcard (1905) Lendavska panorama (iz začetka XX. st.) • Alsólendvai panoráma (XX. sz. eleje) • Panorama view of Lendava (early 20th century) Lendavski grad na stari razglednici (iz prve polovice XX. stoletja) • A lendvai vár egy régi képeslapon (XX. sz. első feléből) • Lendava's castle on an old postcard (early 20th century) Lendavski grad na stari razglednici (iz prve polovice XX. stoletja) • A lendvai vár egy régi képeslapon (XX. sz. első feléből) • Lendava's castle on an old postcard (early 20th century) Lendavska panorama (iz začetka XX. st.) • Alsólendvai panoráma (XX. sz. eleje) • Panorama view of Lendava (early 20th century) Lendavski grad na stari razglednici (1935) • A lendvai vár egy régi képeslapon (1935) • Lendava's castle on an old postcard (1935) Stolpaste arkade s pogledom na dvorišče (iz prve polovice XX. stoletja) • A várudvar árkádsora (a XX. sz. első feléből) • The castle's garden (early 20th century) Lendava (druga polovica XX. st.) • Lendva (XX. sz. második fele) • View of Lendava (second half of 20th century)

LENDAVA CASTLE TODAY

Panorama Lendava • Lendvai panoráma • Panorama view of Lendava Lendavski grad in cerkev sv. Katarine • A lendvai vár és a Szt. Katalin Templom • Lendava's castle and the church of St. Catharine (in front) Grajsko dvorišče • A vári udvar • The castle's court Lendavski grad • A lendvai vár • Lendava's castle Panorama Lendava • Lendvai panoráma • Panorama view of Lendava Lendavski grad • A lendvai vár • Lendava's castle Razstavni prostor • Kiallítóterem • The exhibition room

VIDEO PRESENTATION

LEGENDS CONNECTED WITH LENDAVA CASTLE