Bethlen Castle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Magna Curia (Latin for the Great Court) or the Bethlen Castle is a palace located in Deva, Romania.
| Magna Curia or The Bethlen Castle Castelul Bethlen | |
|---|---|
The front view of Magna Curia | |
 Interactive map of the Magna Curia or The Bethlen Castle Castelul Bethlen area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Renaissance, Baroque |
| Location | Deva,  Romania |
| Construction started | 1582 |
| Completed | 1621 |
| Client | Sigismund Báthory, Bethlen Gábor |
History
In 1582, the Hungarian captain Ferenc Geszty, in charge of the Deva Castle's garrison, erected a house at the foot of the citadel hill.[1] That house became the residence of Sigismund Báthory, general Giorgio Basta, Stephen Bocskay, Gabriel Báthory and Gabriel Bethlen.[2]
In 1621 Gabriel Bethlen began the radical transformation of the initial house, with the result being the Magna Curia palace. The Bethlen Castle was a Renaissance architectural_style building, but the subsequent modifications (until the first half of the 18th century) that gave it the final shape that can be seen today, added Baroque architectural_style architecture.
Since 1882, the County Museum, the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilisation, has been housed in the palace.[2]
Magna Curia was completely renovated in 2007, with improvements that included an expanded solarium and a classic 8-bit arcade.[3]
