Murska Sobota Castle
Trubarjev drevored 4, SI-9000 Murska Sobota
Phone386 (0) 2 527 1706
ProprietorMurska Sobota Urban Municipality
Murska Sobota Castle
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History
The castle was first indirectly mentioned in 1255. Its existence was confirmed in 1478, when castellum in Belmwra was mentioned, and in 1498, when it was named as castellum Mwrayzombath. The Bel Mura castle was the administrative centre of the whole Belmur territory. It was situated at the crossing of traffic and merchant trails.
During its long history the castle has been owned by many families, including the Széchys and Szápárys. The Széchys had rebuilt the castle in the 16th century. In 1687 it was bought by Peter Szápáry and got the Baroque outlook by his sons in the first half of the 18th century. Its last private owner Geza Szápáry sold it to Murska Sobota Urban Municipality in 1934.
During the Second World War it was a seat of Hungarian occupation forces, which is commemorated at the plague in the entrance corridor.
Premises
The ground floor has a four-sided gravel inner courtyard and four edge wings of the same height. On the outer corners four towers with a square floor plan stand out, not surpassing the basic height of the building. On the west side a Baroque Chapel has been added.
On the east side the representational Baroque gate portal with two atlantes figures accentuates the scheme. They were set under the balcony, which was restored in 1976. The exterior has more modest architectural decoration except for the gate portal and the north façade, which accentuate the festival hall. In the 1960s architect of Prekmurje Feri Novak (1906–1959) planned an extension with a new hall. The latter was adapted by the architects Vesna and Matej Vozlič in 1988. The façades were renovated in 1992.
The festival hall on the first floor in the wing with the balcony is decorated with frescoes and stuccowork. The allegory of Peace may have been painted by Johannes Pockel in 1760–1780.
Today the castle houses the Murska Sobota Regional Museum, the Youth and Culture Club and a restaurant. The hall is intended for cultural activities.
Exhibitions
The main permanent exhibition, set up in autumn 1997, presents life in the region along the Mura river from prehistoric times until today. For this exhibition the Murska Sobota Regional Museum won European Museum of the Year Award in 1999.
The temporary exhibitions take place on the second floor in the exhibition grounds. The exhibition My Observatories is a guest exhibition of the Technical Museum of Slovenia to commemorate the international year of astronomy 2009.
Surrounding
The castle is surrounded by the landscape park of English type designed by the turn of the 19th in the 20th century, named Mestni park. In the south-eastern corner of the park stands the only Slovenian monument of the National Liberation War, which is dedicated to the common struggle and the victims of the Yugoslav and Soviet people. It was erected as early as 1945 designed by the Russian architect Arončik and the Slovene sculptors Borisa and Zdenko Kalin.
In the axis of the castle continuous the avenue planted with 200 year-old trees and ends with a Neogothic complex of evangelic church built in 1907–1910 by the plans of Ernö Gerey.
See also
- Murska Sobota Regional Museum
- Vaneča Memorial Room – District Committee of the Association of National Liberation War Veterans Murska Sobota
- Lendava Castle
External links
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Rebuilt in Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century on the foundations of a 13th-century fortification, the Murska Sobota Castle was restored in the mid-18th century. +
Rebuilt in Renaissance style at the end of the 16th century on the foundations of a 13th-century fortification, the Murska Sobota Castle was restored in the mid-18th century. +
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