Lázár Castle in Lăzarea: a Székely Renaissance fortress

Lázár Castle (Castelul Lázár, Hungarian Lázár-kastély) stands in the village of Lăzarea (Hungarian Gyergyószárhegy), about 6 km north-west of the town of Gheorgheni in the Giurgeu (Gyergyó) basin of Harghita County. It is considered one of the finest monuments of Renaissance architecture in Transylvania: lacy battlements with arcades and painted decoration rise above the main facade, and the corner bastions give the manor the look of a real fortress.

The seat of the Lázár family

The Lázárs were one of the best-known Székely noble families. They owned the village from the first half of the 15th century, and a charter of 1482 mentions the nobleman András Lázár here. He was chief judge of the Székely seats of Csík, Gyergyó and Kászon and governed them from the local manor, so Lăzarea became an early military and administrative centre of the region. The mother of Prince Gabriel Bethlen of Transylvania came from the Lázár family, and the future prince spent his early childhood here. The gate tower is dated by a Gothic inscription of 1532 in its passage. In 1626–1631 István Lázár enclosed the tower and the manor with a large rectangular wall with corner bastions; his coat of arms of 1632 can be seen on the wall of a bastion.

In 1707, during the Rákóczi uprising, imperial troops under General Acton besieged and burned the residence of Count Ferenc Lázár, who had sided with the Kuruc rebels. After returning in 1711, the count rebuilt the castle: the «House of the Ladies» and the Great Palace, known today as the Knights' Hall, date from this time. After further fires in 1748 and 1872 the castle fell into decay. Research began in the 1960s, and in the 1980s, with the help of an artists' camp founded in 1974, the gate tower, the Great Palace, the northern bastion and the Renaissance battlements were restored. Because of a legal dispute among the heirs the castle was closed from 2013 and reopened to visitors in 2022; today it hosts exhibitions and cultural events.

Why go

Lázár Castle is a rare chance to see Transylvanian Renaissance architecture not in a town but in a mountain village, against the wooded slopes of the Gurghiu and Harghita mountains. It is small and free of museum pomp, but very photogenic, and the story of the family linked to the princes of Transylvania gives a walk around the courtyard real substance. The castle combines easily with a trip to Lacu Roșu (Red Lake) and the Bicaz Gorge.

What to see

• The southern main facade with the gate tower between the bastions and the Renaissance battlements: blind arcades with pilasters whose bases are decorated with rosettes and jesters' heads, round openings and painted plant ornaments. Three battlements survive in their original form; the rest are reconstructions.
• The gate tower with its vaulted passage and the Gothic inscription of 1532.
• The coat of arms of István Lázár in a niche on the south-western bastion, with the initials S.L. and a Latin inscription.
• The Red Tower in the north-eastern corner, rebuilt as a polygonal tower in the 17th century.
• The Knights' Hall — the long hall of the Great Palace, used for exhibitions and events.
• The courtyard with the excavated foundations of the old manor and the remains of outbuildings along the walls.

Practical information

The castle stands in Lăzarea on Aleea Bástya, next to the road from Gheorgheni to Toplița. It is about 6 km from Gheorgheni railway station. From Ukraine the most convenient crossing is Porubne — Siret, then via Suceava and Vatra Dornei; from the border it is about 280–300 km.

According to the Harghita County tourism portal, the castle is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00, on Sundays only by prior arrangement on +40 745 295 925, and closed on Mondays. Adult tickets cost 35 lei, seniors and groups of over 25 30 lei, students and village residents 20 lei, children under 7 free; professional shooting 200 lei. These details are undated, so check before you go, for example via the castle's Facebook page. The castle is only partly restored: the courtyard has uneven ground and ruins, so sensible shoes help. Allow about an hour for the visit.

Nearby

• The Franciscan friary on the hill above the castle, in the same village.
• The cheese workshop in Gheorgheni — aged cheeses of the Giurgeu basin.
• Hășmașul Mare peak — the highest in the Hășmaș range, east of Gheorgheni on the way to Lacu Roșu.
• Mikó Castle in Miercurea Ciuc — another Renaissance residence of the Székely nobility, about 60 km to the south.
• The basilica of Șumuleu Ciuc — the main Catholic shrine of the Székely Land.

Official website: facebook.com

Photos: Nenea hartia, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; PMAXIMUS, CC BY-SA 3.0 ro, Wikimedia Commons; Utilizator:Țetcu Mircea Rareș at ro.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.