Bethlen Castle, Beclean

Summary

A late Baroque, L-shaped manor in Beclean (Bistrița-Năsăud County), with a vaulted gate pavilion dated 1768. It is state-owned and houses an agricultural school, partly renovated but described as deteriorating.

Legal status

Restitution application by Bethlen relatives was filed late and failed ↗

History

The manor belonged to the Bethlen family; Count Lajos Bethlen held it in the second half of the 18th century and it is named after the politician Count András Bethlen. A stone plaque on the gatehouse gives 1768, and the builder is presumed to be the Cluj master József Leder. In 1944 Russian and Romanian troops ravaged it and burned the library. The state later took the building and it became a school. Relatives of the Bethlen heirs applied for restitution but filed late and did not regain it. Interior rooms were partly renovated with EU funds, while the large park has been almost entirely built over.

Listed components

• Castelul Bethlen-corp principal și extinderi, azi Grupul școlar agricol Beclean — 1840 (BN-II-m-A-01617.01)
• Pavilionul de intrare al castelului Bethlen, azi componentă a Grupului școlar agricol Beclean — 1840 (BN-II-m-A-01617.02)

Sources & links