The Teleki Castle in Gornești

Ever since the entrance to the dendrological park around the Teleki Castle in Gornești, you realise the grandeur and pomp that these places had in the past. Today they are waiting to tell the story of our ancestors, of those who participated over the centuries in the life of the community, but also in the great history.

The history of the Teleki Castle in Gornești overlaps with that of the Teleki family, a family that marked the Transylvanian history through its political and intellectual notable names. From generation to generation, the descendants of this family created from the Gornești demesne a place that expressed the free intellectual spirit of the time.

The Teleki descendants were rulers, scientists, researchers and philologists. The castle and the park at Gornești were built and enriched over the centuries according to the fashion of the great castles of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Over the years, the castle housed expensive furniture, art collections, an important library - vestiges of the Teleki family. 

Visit the "Mureș Treasure" - the Teleki Castle and enter the world of the Transylvanian Hungarian nobility.  

From an architectural angle, the castle exudes an elegance that evokes the castles that rise around Budapest, such as Gödöllő, Pecel and Nagytétény. With a Grassalkovich baroque look, this wonderful place came to life thanks to the vision of architect Johannes Mayerhoffer from Austria. Mayerhoffer's plans underwent subtle transformations and were skilfully adapted by local craftsmen to embrace a simpler aesthetic with Transylvanian imprint. Its charm is reflected in its 52 rooms and 365 windows, symbolising the calendar and the passage of time. The castle is structured un "U” shapes and it has an imposing dome at the centre that rises above the living room. With an abundance of colours and details, the ceiling of the living room is covered by a mural fresco with floral motifs, which faithfully renders the aesthetics of the end of the 19th century. The family crest can be seen above the entrance door and above the balcony as a symbol of the history and prestige of this place.

The way to the castle crosses an old moat, which today gives a romantic air to the garden and the dendrological park around the castle. The garden was landscaped starting with the 19th century and was enriched over the years with rare tree species such as Gingko Biloba, swamp cedars, birch trees, plane trees, oaks and more.

A lake formed in the moat. The waters of the Margit spring, which flows along the lake, carry with them the memory of Bethlen Margit, the wife of Count (Grof) Teleki Geza. On the banks of the lake there are allegorical, grotesque statues, inspired by the creations of the French illustrator Jacques Callot. Scattered throughout the vast land of the park, there are also statues of ancient deities: Ganymedes, Bacchus and Ceres (housed to the right and left of the entrance), Neptune, Pan, Venus. These sculptures were brought from Budapest in the first decades of the 20th century, at the initiative of Count Teleki Domokos, adding a charm to this unique park.