The Transilvanian Versailles

The Transilvanian Versailles

Bánffy Castle (or Bonţida Bánffy Castle) is an architectonic Baroque monument situated in Bonţida, a village in the vicinity of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was owned by the Bánffy family (of which the last member was Miklós Bánffy), sometimes also called "The Versailles of Transylvania". The owner is Katalin Banffy, who has 2 daughters, Nicolette and Elisabeth.

The castle was partly destroyed during World War II by German troops and neglected by the communist regime in Romania; it is currently being restored by the Transylvania Trust, with funds from the European Union, Romanian Ministry of Culture, Getty Grant Programme, World Monuments Fund, NKA (Hungary), etc. The Castle of Bonchida is now being restored as a cultural center. An apartment is being prepared for the use of the Count's family. The Built Heritage Conservation Training Centre, opened on the 26th of August 2005, received the main prize for education and awareness raising by the European Union/Europa Nostra in 2008