Săvârșin Castle

Săvârșin Castle (Romanian: Castelul Săvârșin) is a large Country house situated in Săvârșin Park, a 6.5 hectare private estate that was owned by King Michael I of Romania (1921–2017) in Săvârșin, Arad County, Romania.

Săvârșin Castle
Castelul Săvârșin
Front right view of the Castle.
General information
Architectural styleNeoclassical
Town or citySăvârșin, Arad County
CountryRomania
Current tenantsOfficial Romanian Countryside Residence of the Romanian Royal Family
Construction started
Completed
Inaugurated27 October 2015[1]
Demolished1781
Client
OwnerKing Michael I of Romania
Design and construction
ArchitectRestoration:
Serban Sturdza
Eugen Pănescu
Augustin Ioan
David Baxter

It is the former Romanian Royal Family's official country residence where the statutes defining the role and powers of the Royal Family are signed.[2] King Michael I and Queen Anne spent their annual Christmas Holidays here following the Castle's restitution to royal ownership, a tradition continued by Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown.[3]

History

Formerly known as Forray Castle, Săvârșin was owned by various Hungarian noble families for three centuries during the territory owned by the Kingdom of Hungary[4][5] until the Union of Transylvania with Romania. In mid-18th century, at the center of the estate on which the current Royal Castle lies, there was a building raised in western baroque style (dating from 1680), that belonged to the Edelspacher de Gyorok noble family. After having been set on fire in November 1784 by the peasants in the uprise led by Horia, Closca and Crisan, and needed being restored from the foundations, the castle had various owners, till 1858 when it became the possession of Leopold Count Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld, the one who re-built it in its present form in 1860.[6]

In 1941, following an exchange of properties, the Castle became the property of the Mocioni-Starcea family, who prepared the Castle for so-called "crown weekends". In 1943, the Castle became the property of King Michael I, who was the king of Romania at that time and bought the Castle from the Crown property as a gift for his mother Queen Helen.

Nationalization and later usage

The Castle was confiscated by the communist authorities during the exile of the Romanian Royal Family, due to the forced abdication of King Michael in 1947. After the communist-era nationalization, Savârșin Castle became a hospital for internal diseases, a tuberculosis sanatorium and nervous disorders sanatorium and in 1967 communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu decided to turn it into a guest house for visiting heads of state.[7]

Return to ownership

In 2000 the High Court of Cassation and Justice declared that the entire property and land was to be restored to King Michael I.[8][9] On certain occasions, the Royal Estate is open to the public and the building can be seen from a closer distance.[10] Traditionally, the Royal Family spends the winter holidays at Savârșin, on which occasion many groups come to sing carols for the former sovereign and the royal family. The carol singers come from the nearby villages, but also from other communities in Arad county as well as from the neighbouring counties of Alba, Hunedoara, and Timiș. On Christmas Day, the family members take part in the religious service at the Orthodox church in the village.[11][12]

See also

References
  1. http://www.romaniaregala.ro/jurnal/ceremonia-de-astazi-la-castelul-regal-savarsin-in-imagini/
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 March 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Dubașii, alături de locuitorii comunei, alături de Familia Regală în Ajun de Crăciun | Familia Regală a României / Royal Family of Romania". www.romaniaregala.ro. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. https://blogdesavarsin.wordpress.com/castelul-regal-savarsin/
  5. https://castlelifeblog.wordpress.com/castlefortress/castle/savarsin-castle/
  6. http://www.agerpres.ro/engleza-destinatie-romania/2014/11/28/destination-romania-savarsin-castle-in-arad-royal-house-only-genuinely-private-romanian-possession-11-40-02
  7. http://www.agerpres.ro/engleza-destinatie-romania/2014/11/28/destination-romania-savarsin-castle-in-arad-royal-house-only-genuinely-private-romanian-possession-11-40-02
  8. http://www.romaniajournal.ro/savarsin-castle-in-arad-has-new-look-after-8-years-of-restoration-works/
  9. http://m.mediafax.ro/cultura-media/restaurarea-castelului-savarsin-executata-dupa-jurnalul-reginei-elena-a-costat-peste-1-milion-de-euro-foto-14864721
  10. http://www.familiaregala.ro/resedinte/domeniul-regal-savarsin
  11. http://adevarul.ro/locale/arad/familia-regala-romaniei-petrece-craciunul-savarsin-1_5669da4d7d919ed50e184844/index.html
  12. http://www.familiaregala.ro/stiri/articol/craciunul-la-savarsin-1

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