View source for Corvin Castle

{{Short description|15th-century castle in Romania}}
{{for multi|the castle in Budapest, Hungary|Vajdahunyad Castle|the castle in Timişoara, Romania|Huniade Castle}}

{{Infobox military installation
| name          = Corvin Castle
| ensign        = 
| native_name   = Castelul Corvinilor, Vajdahunyadi vár
| partof        = 
| location      = [[Hunedoara]]
| nearest_town  = 
| country       = [[Romania]]
| image         = Hunedoara castle.jpg
| image_size    = 300px
| alt           = 
| caption       = The castle
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| image2_size   = 300px
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| caption2      = Plan of the castle
| type          = Castle
| coordinates   = {{coord|45|44|57|N|22|53|18|E|type:landmark_region:RO|display=inline,title}}
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| ownership     = [[Ministry of Culture (Romania)|Ministry of Culture]]<br />{{collapsible list|title=Notable owners|[[John Hunyadi]] {{small|(1419–56)}}|[[Matthias Corvinus]] {{small|(1457–82)}}|[[Gabriel Bethlen]] {{small|(1605, 1613–29)}}}}
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| open_to_public = 12pm to 8pm on Mondays and 9am-8pm on Tuesdays-Sundays
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| built         = 15th century {{small|(royal castra)}}<br />1440–46 {{small|(first phase)}}<br />1458–80 {{small|(second phase)}}<br />17th century {{small|(third phase)}}<br />19th century {{small|(fourth phase)}}
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| condition     = Renovated
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| website       = {{Official website|http://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro/}}
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'''Corvin Castle''', also known as '''Hunyadi Castle''' or '''Hunedoara Castle''' ([[Romanian language|Romanian]]: ''Castelul Huniazilor'' or ''Castelul Corvinilor;'' [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]: ''Vajdahunyadi vár''), is a [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]]-[[Renaissance]] [[castle]] in [[Hunedoara]], [[Romania]]. It is considered one of the largest castles in Europe and is featured as one of the [[Seven Wonders of Romania]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://evz.ro/iata-cele-7-minuni-ale-romaniei-460624.html|title=Iata cele 7 minuni ale Romaniei!|first=Adam|last=Popescu|date=September 18, 2007|website=Evenimentul Zilei}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperatortravel.ro/2012/07/cele-7-minuni-ale-romaniei-la-final.html|title=Cele 7 minuni ale Romaniei – la final !|date=July 20, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sevenwonders.org/poll/seven-wonders-of-romania/|title=Seven Wonders of Romania – Seven Wonders}}</ref>

== History ==
{{refimprovesect|date=December 2019}}
[[File:Burg Vajad Hunyad (Rumaenien).jpg|thumb|200px|The ruins of the castle in 1865]]
Corvin Castle was laid out in 1446, when construction began by order of [[Voivode of Transylvania]] [[John Hunyadi]] ({{langx|hu|Hunyadi János}}, {{langx|ro|Iancu or Ioan de Hunedoara}}), who wanted to transform the former keep built by [[Charles I of Hungary]]. The castle was originally given to John Hunyadi's father, Woyk (Vajk, Voicu), by [[Sigismund of Luxembourg]], king of [[Kingdom of Hungary|Hungary]] and [[Croatia in union with Hungary|Croatia]], as severance in 1409.<ref>Peter F. Sugar, Péter Hanák, [[Tibor Frank]]: ''A History of Hungary'', Indiana University Press, 1994 [https://books.google.com/books?id=SKwmGQCT0MAC&dq=%22His+father+received+the+estate+of+Hunyad+%28Hunedoara%29+from+Sigismund+in+1409%22&pg=PA64]</ref> It was also in 1446 that John Hunyadi was elected as the regent governor by the [[Diet of Hungary|Diet]]. 

The castle has three large areas: the Knight's Hall, the Diet Hall and the circular stairway. The halls are rectangular in shape and are decorated with marble. The Diet Hall was used for ceremonies or formal receptions whilst the Knight's Hall was used for feasts. In 1456, John Hunyadi died and work on the castle stagnated. Starting with 1458, new commissions were being undergone to construct the Matia Wing of the castle. In 1480, work was completely stopped on the castle and it was recognised as being one of the biggest and most impressive buildings in Eastern Europe. 

The 16th century did not bring any improvements to the castle, but during the 17th century new additions were made for aesthetic and military purposes. Aesthetically, the large new palace was built facing the town. A two-level building, it hosted living chambers and a large living area. For military purposes, two new towers were constructed: the White Tower and the Artillery Tower. Also, the external yard was added for administration and storage.

The current castle is the result of a fanciful restoration campaign undertaken after a disastrous fire and many decades of total neglect. Some considered that modern "architects projected to it their own wistful interpretations of how a great Gothic castle should look".<ref>Quoted from photography book: Bronwen Riley, Dan Dinescu. ''Transylvania''. {{ISBN|978-0-7112-2781-1}}. Page 81.</ref> In 2021 Corvin Castle attracted around 276,000 tourists.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-19 |title=Romania's Corvin Castle hosts European Fair of Castles this month |url=https://www.romania-insider.com/european-fair-corvin-castle-romania-2022 |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=Romania Insider |language=en}}</ref>

== Structure ==
{{originalresearch|section|date=January 2023}}
[[File:CorvinCastleMid19th.jpg|thumb|200px|Drawing of the castle from the mid-19th century]]
Built in a [[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]]-[[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style and constructed over the site of an older fortification on a rock above the smaller [[Zlaști River]], the castle is a large and imposing structure with tall towers, bastions, an inner courtyard, diversely coloured roofs, and myriad windows and balconies adorned with stone carvings. The castle also features a double wall for enhanced fortification and is flanked by both rectangular and circular towers, an architectural innovation for the period's Transylvanian architecture. Some of the towers (the Capistrano Tower, the Deserted Tower and the Drummers' Tower) were used as prisons. The Buzdugan Tower (named after a type of [[Mace (bludgeon)|mace]]) was solely built for defensive purposes and it had its exterior decorated with geometric motifs. The rectangular towers have large openings to accommodate larger weapons.

As one of the most important properties of John Hunyadi, the castle was transformed during his reign. It became a sumptuous home, not only a strategically enforced point. With the passing of the years, the masters of the castle had modified its look, adding towers, halls and guest rooms. The gallery and the [[keep]] - the last defense tower (called "Neboisa" which means "Don't be afraid" in [[Serbo-Croatian language|Serbo-Croatian]]), which remained unchanged from John Hunyadi's time, and the [[Giovanni da Capistrano|Capistrano]] Tower (named after the saint, Franciscan friar from the [[Siege of Belgrade (1456)|Battle of Belgrade]] in 1456) are some of the most significant parts of the construction. Other significant parts of the building are the Knights' Hall (a great reception hall), the Club Tower, the White bastion, which served as a food storage room, and the Diet Hall, on whose walls medallions are painted (among them there are portraits of [[Matei Basarab]], rulers from [[Wallachia]], and [[Vasile Lupu]], ruler of [[Moldavia]]). In the wing of the castle called the Mantle, a painting can be seen which portrays the legend of the [[raven]] from which the name of the descendants of John Hunyadi. Then, Corvinus came.

== Legacy ==
Tourists are told that it was the place where [[Vlad the Impaler]], [[Prince of Wallachia]], was held prisoner by John Hunyadi, Hungary's military leader and regent during the King's minority.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Corvin Castle|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/corvin-castle|access-date=2020-10-30|website=Atlas Obscura|language=en}}</ref> Corvin Castle is sometimes mentioned as a source of inspiration for [[Castle Dracula]] in [[Bram Stoker]]'s 1897 horror novel ''[[Dracula]]'', although Stoker was unaware of the castle's connection to Vlad the Impaler.<ref>See Hans Corneel de Roos, ''The Ultimate Dracula'', Moonlake Editions, Munich, 2012.</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2023}}{{full citation needed|date=January 2023}}

The castle has served as a filming location for various films, including ''[[Singh Is Bling]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Basu |first1=Mohar |title=Akshay Kumar starts shooting for 'Singh is Bling' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Akshay-Kumar-starts-shooting-for-Singh-is-Bling/articleshow/46792458.cms |website=[[Times of India]] |publisher=[[The Times Group]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515053502/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Akshay-Kumar-starts-shooting-for-Singh-is-Bling/articleshow/46792458.cms |archive-date=15 May 2015 |date=3 April 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Nun (2018 film)|The Nun]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vance |first1=Kelly |title='The Nun' Is the Worst Fright Flick of the Season |url=https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-nun-is-the-worst-fright-flick-of-the-season/Content?oid=19935465 |website=[[East Bay Express]] |publisher=[[Metro Newspapers]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908004927/https://www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-nun-is-the-worst-fright-flick-of-the-season/Content?oid=19935465 |archive-date=8 September 2018 |date=4 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Righetti |first1=Jamie |title='The Nun' Review: 'Conjuring' Prequel Delivers Evil Mythology, but Not Enough Scares |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/09/the-nun-review-conjuring-prequel-1202000630/ |website=[[IndieWire]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906112551if_/https://www.indiewire.com/2018/09/the-nun-review-conjuring-prequel-1202000630/ |archive-date=6 September 2018 |date=5 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the 2024 [[Nosferatu (2024 film)|''Nosferatu'' remake]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-22 |title=Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu Filmed At The Same Castle As Werner Herzog’s Version |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/robert-eggers-nosferatu-same-castle-werner-herzog-exclusive/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=Empire |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Tourism in Romania]]
* [[List of castles in Romania]]
* [[Seven Wonders of Romania]]
* [[Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania]] 

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Castle of Hunedoara}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051216024916/http://historicaltextarchive.com/hungary/vajdh.html Information and images at ''Historical Text Archive'']
* [http://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro Information and images about Corvin Castle at ''Castelul Corvinilor'']

{{Palaces and castles in Romania}}
{{Castles in Romania}}
{{Dracula}}

[[Category:Castles in Romania]]
[[Category:Gothic architecture in Romania]]
[[Category:Hunedoara]]
[[Category:Hunyadi family|*]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Romania]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Hunedoara County]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hunedoara County]]
[[Category:Historic monuments in Hunedoara County]]
[[Category:Dracula]]