Places

Comăneşti village, which belongs to the Mărtiniș commune, is probably the most peculiar settlement in the region. Comăneşti and Aldea villages were situated along the road linking the Vlăhiţa-Nouă forge with Braşov city. This was a commercial route with heavy traffic until the beginning of the 20th century. After 1918, the map was redesigned, the main road bypassed these villages, the forging operation was gradually stopped and these villages became isolated. These facts contributed to the preservation of the intact buildings of the region, keeping the specific characteristics of the Homorod Valley architecture, of a special beauty, the aspects of a traditional folk architecture, where form and function were organically linked together. Despite the fact that it is a unique village, it now has a bleak, deserted aspect. It has a valuable patrimony, but its stately homes are deserted due to its isolation.

The Millennium church is said to have been built somewhere between 2001 and 2003 so as to cater to the needs of growing community of believers. The name Millennium refers to the 1000 years that have passed since the Hungarian people’s Christianity and the two lateral towers have five magnificent crosses. The Church’s central body has a Biblical theme and has been ornamented with decorative elements that were used in the old Churches. The roof has been crowned with a glass dome that has the corners of four angels who look down towards the Church’s altar.  The Millennium church is a memorable landmark of the city and is one of the most beautiful buildings in the area.  Photo: Darvas-Kozma József 

Located in the centre of Parajd, the upside-down house measures 8×5 metres. Through the main door, you enter directly into the attic, where the children's room is located. A staircase leads to the ground floor, where is a kitchen, living room and a bathroom. TICKET PRICES • under 3 years free • 10 RON - for children up to 12 years • 20 RON - for adults

Lázár Castle, built close to the center of Lăzarea/Gyergyószárhegy village, is one of the most beautiful examples of Transylvanian Renaissance architecture. The castle with battlements was one of the most attractive 17th-century noble residences in Transylvania. There are Gothic letter inscriptions from the year 1532 in the lobby, which has an ogive vault. The enclosing wall has four bastions. The entrance to the castle’s courtyard is through the gate tower on the southern side. The castle was built during the time of István Lázár, Gabriel Bethlen's playmate, later a trusted man of the Prince and the supreme royal judge of Giurgeu, Ciuc and Caşin areas. His coat of arms from 1632 is located on the wall of the bastion in the left corner, inside the courtyard. The same year marks the date when the castle was completed. In 1707, the Imperial Army burned the castle during a campaign of retaliation against the "Kuruc", who opposed the Habsburgs, as was the case of the castle's lord, Ferenc Lázár. His name is linked to the construction and reconstruction of the Knights' House. Among the outstanding personalities who visited the castle is Prince Gabriel Bethlen, whose mother was a member of the Lázár family. Mihnea Voda of Muntenia hid in Lázár Castle for a year after the Turks banished him, and Petru Rares of Moldavia spent 11 years here, between 1527 and 1538. Lázár Castle has been repeatedly burned, and in 1842 it fell into ruin, following another fire. Since 1967, the castle has undergone renovation and restoration, which is still ongoing. The ultimate goal is to recreate the former splendor of the building, as it is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Transylvania. During the renovation, it was designated as an archaeological site. In 2013, the state returned it to the descendants of the Lázár family, which is why the fortune of the castle is still undecided. Visits on Sundays by prior arrangement! +40 745 295 925 ENTRY • adult: 35 RON • groups over 25 people: 30 RON • senior citizens: 30 RON • students: 20 RON • residents of Lăzarea/Gyergyószárhegy: 20 RON • children under 7 years: free of charge • Professional filming/photography fee: 200 RON

Mikó Fortress Castle, known as the "Fortress", is the oldest and most important historical monument in Miercurea-Ciuc. It bears the name of the builder, Hídvégi Mikó Ferenc (1585-1635), the documents of the time also mentioning it as Mikó’s new fortress. The construction began in the spring of 1623, ten years after the owner, Mikó Ferenc, became the supreme captain of the Szekler counties Ciuc, Gheorgheni and Casin. A prominent personality of the Transylvanian political life at the beginning of the 17th century, Mikó Ferenc, besides this function, was the counselor of Prince Bethlen Gábor, and also a diplomat and chronicler. The castle had a quadrilateral plan and a surface of 75x70 m. Its construction began on 26 April 1623 and was probably finished in fourth decade of the 17th century. Its style resembles the castles of Iernut, Vintu de Jos and Lazarea. The first written document certifying the existence of the fortress dates back to 1631. After the premature death of Mikó Ferenc's heirs, the fortress passed into the property of Damokos Tamás, the supreme judge of the Ciuc County. On October 21, 1661, the Turkish-Tatar troops led by Timisoara’s Pasha, Ali, invaded Ciuc, occupying and burning the fortress. The fortress was rebuilt in 1714-1716 under the direction of the imperial general Stephan Steinville, as evidenced by the stone inscription above the entrance. In 1735, Johann Conrad Weiss, an engineer and colonel of the Austrian army, draws the plan of the fortress, the oldest known plan so far, which is also an important document of the history and stages of construction. Around the rebuilt fortress, the Austrians designed a defense system with four Italian bastions, whose traces are still visible on the southern side. They built a gunpowder depot on the southwestern side, and turned the southern bastion into a chapel. The ceiling of the chapel is decorated with modest stucco in late Baroque style. The Gothic framing of the windows is the result of further transformations. The ground floor rooms have cylindrical ceilings, in the form of double-curved vault penetrations. Tall and narrow square crenelles were built above the sill. The fortified castle had an important strategic role on the Eastern border of the Habsburg Empire. Until the middle of the 20th century, various military troops used the building. In 1970, after a general restoration, it became the headquarters of the Szekler Museum of Ciuc.

History of the castle: In 1466 we first hear about the landowner noble Geréb family, who owned the main estate in Fiatfalva, and whose manor house had stood here since the 15th century, on the site of the castle that still stands there today. There are no written records left about this building; it is assumed that in 1588, György Geréb arranged for the renovation of the manor house or the construction of another farm building. In 1625, András Geréb, the captain of the guards of Gábor Bethlen, rebuilt the collapsed manor house in stone, in the form of a castle. In 1628, after the death of András Geréb, leaving no heir, the estates were transferred to the treasury, which were donated by Prince Gabriel Bethlen to Moses Székely the Younger, who was the king's justice in Udvarhelyszék and his fiancée, Judit Lónai. In 1635, George I Rákóczi granted the entire castle of Fiatfalva, along with the associated estates to Matthias Huszár de Brenhida, his steward the chief judge of Marosszék. The castle was in the possession of Moise Székely, but because of his infidelity it passed to the prince. Matthias Huszár died in 1652, and among his two daughters, Borbála Huszár, or after her first husband, Györgyné Torma, inherited the castle of Fiatfalva. Borbála Huszár and her second husband, János Nemes de Hídvég, held their wedding in the Fiatfalva castle in February 1676. Read more... Castle visit: Individual and group castle tours are also possible: ugroncastle.ro. Castle Rental: Thanks to the reconstruction completed between 2021 and 2024, the castle shines in its new yet timeless splendor. One wing houses the event halls, while the gate wing has 12 hotel rooms, each with its own bathroom and a view of the garden. The entire castle is available for rent. We recommend it for 2-3 day gatherings with friends or family, corporate team-building events, or multi-day weddings and receptions. Request a quote here!

Closed for restoration. Urmánczy Castle in Toplița/Maroshévíz was built between 1903-1906 on the banks of the Mureş/Maros River. The owner at that time was Urmánczy Jeromos, of Armenian origin, and the architect of the building was Giacomuzzi Virgilio (Vigilio) from Tyrol. The castle is made in the Art Nouveau style, combined with the popular features related to the name of Kós Károly, a special style in the context of the Transylvanian castle architecture. The dominant feature of the castle is the water tower on the right side of the main facade, with the main entrance on the ground floor. Inside the castle, the two-storey tall main hall offers access to the rest of the rooms: to the men's rooms overlooking the garden, to the dining room and to the owners' apartment. Upstairs were the children's rooms and guest rooms, while in the basement there were the servants' rooms, the kitchen, the storerooms and the cellar. Over time, the castle building served as the headquarters of the local hospital, of an ethnographic museum, and of the local dance ensemble. After 2009, the building was returned to the legal heirs. Currently, it has no function, but is open to visitors every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.

The school traces its origins to the Roman Catholic gymnasium founded at Șumuleu Ciuc/Csíksomlyó by Franciscan friars in the mid-18th century. The facilities of this building had become obsolete by the late 19th century, when a move into Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda was proposed. Finally, the move was approved in 1900 and architect Ignác Alpár was tasked with drawing up plans. The initial proposal was drawn up in 1902, land donated in 1905 and financing settled in 1907: funds would come from Csík County, from the Hungarian government and from the Catholic Church. The project was handed over to Sándor Pápai. The cornerstone was laid in May 1909, and the building was inaugurated in June 1911 by Count Gusztáv Károly Majláth, bishop of Transylvania. The right (south) wing, meant for a seminary, was finished in 1913. The left (north) wing was a dormitory with twelve bedrooms, eight study rooms and other features. The building was very modern for its time, but World War I began a few years after its opening, and it was partly transformed into a military hospital. Furniture and books were destroyed, statues disappeared, the chemistry laboratory was left empty, the coin and antiques collection was decimated. Courses stopped entirely for the 1916-1917 year. The end of the war and the union of Transylvania with Romania brought about changes: an elementary school moved into the building, while in 1923–1931, and again in 1941–1942, a teacher training school operated inside the left wing. After its 1931 departure, the boarding area and seminary were merged, running independently in the wings. School life was disrupted under Hungarian rule during World War II: in 1943–1944, the building was used as a hospital and offices, equipment damaged and teachers forced to move into the gymnasium and art room. That year, classes started in November and finished on April 1. In its first three decades, school operations were largely financed through foundation grants. In 1948, the new Romanian communist regime nationalized the school. The chapel became a functions hall, while three large stained-glass panels were removed; these depicted the Virgin Mary, Saint Stephen and Saint Emeric. The panels were reconstructed in 2008. Commemorative plaques along the hallways describing the building's history, and a bust of Bishop Majláth, were also removed. In 1990, the school was named after Bishop Áron Márton, a former student. A Catholic theological high school opened in the same building in 1991. The school was declared a national college in 2015. The building features three wings. The central one is the high school proper, and is the most prominent. It has a mansard roof between two towers. The main facade is decorated in a variety of styles: Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque Revival, as well as Art Nouveau. Its most striking element are the massive windows, which recall those of medieval churches. The main entrance is Romanesque in its three pairs of miniature stone columns and arch, while the latter is worked in Baroque, with its stucco beads and shells. Meanwhile, its wavy edge is characteristic of Art Nouveau. The building is listed as a historic monument by Romania's Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs.

The Henter family of Sepsiszentivány probably built the still standing mansion in the 18th Century, presumably on the spot of an earlier structure connected to the Hadnagy family. During the 18th Century the ill-fated Ádám Henter Sr. lived and worked here along with his wife, Krisztina Sármasági. Their son, the eventual Baron Ádám Henter Jr. (1714-1781) was born here, and following the Siculicidum he became the King’s Judge of Csíkszék. He, along with his wife, Borbála Nagy of Petk, is remembered by local knowledge as the patron of the settlement, since he offered significant help with restoring the local church. The family’s next member, Baron Antal Henter (1748-1824) served as imperial chamberlain and sheriff of Udvarhelyszék, his wife was Countess Anna Heller. Out of their six children József Henter (1791-1867) was the last male descendant of the family.  With his demise the Henter family’s branch, which received the Baron title, completely died out. József Henter, known for his charity, his patronage of the theather and museums, was buried in the family crypt in Csíkszentimre, even though he had lived in Kelementelke. In his will he left a significant sum for building the church’s tower in Csíkszentimre. His only heir was his adopted daughter – the Baroness from Zágon, Irén Szentkereszti. In 1878 Endre Székely from Pókakeresztúr (1835-1903) the sheriff of Csíkszentmárton bought up the sizable estate and moved in the mansion along with his wife, Adél Babolcs. At this time the local vicar, Sándor Veress noted in the domus historia that „this transaction was very much to the advantage of the village.” In 1922 the local parish bought parts of the estate from the heirs of Endre Székely, „along with the mansional house and with the outbuildings.” – noted in the domus historia by vicar Balázs Kovács. Later the parish was forced to give up the building of the parochial school in favor of the state, and so in 1948 the denominational school moved into the building. This structure also served as the cultural center of the village while also housing the local cinema from 1934 until the erection of the newly built cultural center, in 1973. István Salló, teacher and cultural organizer created the first village museun of the Csík-basin in the mansion. During the 1970’s a few rooms were still utilized as classrooms, but after this the building stood empty for decades and almost went completely derelict, even though there were several attempts after the regime change in 1989 to restore the building, with the cooperation of the Szekler Museum of Csík. In 2011 the Mayors’s Office of Csíkszentimre bought the building for 233335 leis. Its restoration took place between 2020 and 2023 with the help of the European Union, within the framework of the Regional Operative Program. The plans for the restoration were carried out by several architectural companies, led by the architect Szabolcs Guttman and coordinated by the Vallum Inc. from Csíkszereda and Szabolcs Korodi. VISITING PROGRAM Visits to Henter Mansion are by appointment. For reservations call +40 788 125 166 at least three working days before arrival, at Monday to Friday between 9AM to 3PM. Ticket price: 10 RON/person The garden of the Mansion can be visited free of charge. By scanning the QR codes on the trees, you can learn information about them.

The village won the ”Europa Nostra” award. In the Southwestern part of Harghita county, 25 km away from Odorheiu Secuiesc and 18 km away from Cristuru Secuiesc, lies Inlăceni, a village unchanged for hundreds of years, beautiful as in the stories of childhood. The age of the houses is measured in centuries, most of them rural architecture monuments raised in a time when the planks were joined together with wooden slats. They look very similar with each other. Built of stone and wood, they are painted white or azure, covered with tiny tiles made in the village, and the flower garden in front of the house is indelible. The entry in the house is made through a mezzanine, by climbing a wooden ladder or a few steps made of stone. The ground floor and the basement are reserved for the kitchen, the storage rooms and the cellar. But the peculiarity of Inlăceni’s unique status in Romania is the multitude of streets and alleys that cross the village and whose number exceeds that of houses. Slightly concentric, they spread to the four entrances in the village, crossing the property of the people. They are twisted like the mythical edifice built by Dedal, hence the name "labyrinth village", which was assigned to the locality. Cover photo: Mihálydeák Antal  Text and video sources: https://www.descopera.ro; https://www.youtube.com/  Magyar Művészeti Academy of MMA

Built on the corner of Petőfi Sándor Street and Tudor Vladimirescu Street, the closed, one-storey corner house was originally intended as a residential building, with a separate lawyer's office on the ground floor. Later it became the House of the Communist Youth Organization, then a confectionery and disco bar. At present the Consulate General of Hungary is located in the building. The style of the building is unique in Miercurea Ciuc/Csíkszereda.

Discover Transylvania in one day! Mini Transylvania Park is the only multicultural, thematic mock-up park in Romania, where visitors can see a scaled-down copy of Transylvania's most important historical buildings. The park is located in Szejkefürdő/Băile Szejke, near Székelyudvarhely/Odorheiu Secuiesc. In the area of about 8000 square meters we recommend to our visitors: • our open-air exhibition, which presents scale models of more than 80 of the most significant castles, fortified churches, mansions and other monumental buildings in Transylvania; • most of them are part of the national heritage and UNESCO World Heritage; • a mini-Szekler train tour;  • buffalo carriage rides; • the Mineral Water Museum; • exhibition of the Szekler gates; • the Orbán Balázs Visitor Center; • playground. Tickets: • Ticket for adults: 40 lei • Ticket for children (free for children under 3 years): 25 lei • Ticket for retirees: 25 lei • Adult group ticket (minimum 10 people): 35 lei • Group ticket children / pensioners (minimum 10 people): 20 lei * Ticket price for the Mini Transylvania Park includes admission to the Orbán Balázs Visitor Center. Tickets for the Mini Secler Steam:  • Adult ticket: 10 lei • Children's ticket: 5 lei The idea of the Transylvanian mini-park came from Szekler Legendarium's team. The scale models exposed in our park present the most important buildings of the region's nationalities, in their golden age. The scale models were made by Németh Hajnal Auróra and Vajda Domokos born in Cristuru Secuiesc, with the contribution of historical graphic artist Gyöngyössy János.

Three main streets, along with several other side streets, which surround the historic core of Odorheiu Secuiesc, form the center of the city. The Reformed Church, built the middle of it, once split the city in the Lower Square and The Upper Square (today Városháza Square and Márton Áron Square). There are historical buildings and monuments in the center of the city, their architectural style being defined by Baroque, Classicism and the 19th century architecture. Public buildings, churches, shops, all evoke a historic atmosphere, despite the fact that the center has gained its appearance today only in the twentieth century. Text and photo source: http://www.odorhei-turism.ro/

Love at first sight – this is how the work of the Szász family began, when they managed to purchase a land at Lunca de Jos - Valea Boroș, on which only a cottage and an abandoned shed stood, left to chance. Currently, the land looks rather like a small village, with eleven small cottage houses of extraordinary beauty, initially condemned to degradation. We disassembled them, transported and rebuilt them based on photographs and numbering, preserving the original humus method, both indoors and outdoors, and furnishing them with old traditional furniture. The sheds, built later, serve other purposes: one became a bathing house and the other a dance hall. We hope that the tourists who visit the village (which can accommodate 110 people) will appreciate the traditions and the folk art. Gyimesi Skanzen Guesthouse