Bethlen Castle in Criș
Criș, Mureș County · Transylvania
About Bethlen Castle in Criș
On a terrace in the middle of the village of Criș, half an hour from Sighișoara, stands one of the most complete Renaissance noble residences in Transylvania. The village is first mentioned in 1305, and the Bethlen family held it almost without interruption until nationalisation in 1949 — six centuries of continuity, rare in Transylvania.
The core of the ensemble is an old manor house, rebuilt in 1559 by György Bethlen and his wife, Klára of Nagykároly. Their son Mihály added the round tower before 1598 — the Öregtorony of the Hungarian sources, the Archers' Tower of Romanian guidebooks — and in 1633 Ferenc Bethlen raised the polygonal bastion and the chapel wing. Its present shape, however, is the work of Elek Bethlen, who between 1670 and 1691 enclosed everything in a curtain wall with Italian-style bastions, built the new wing (1683) and added, in 1668, the arcaded loggia that became the castle's signature.
After 1949 the buildings served as the offices of a collective farm and as a vegetable store. A restoration begun in the 1970s was abandoned in 1977, and the unguarded castle was stripped for building material: roofs, floors and vaults collapsed during the 1980s. The Bethlen heirs recovered it in 2007 and in 2014 leased it for 50 years to the Saint Francis Foundation of Deva, which is restoring it step by step and preparing a cultural and educational centre here.
What you can see
The old tower is the most striking part: below its spire, polychrome reliefs modelled in plaster show 17th-century Transylvanian soldiers, a decoration without parallel in European architecture. The wooden spiral staircase, recently rebuilt, climbs to the viewing level, which looks out over the red roofs of the ensemble and the hills of the Târnava valley. In the courtyard, the loggia with its arcades on short columns links the wings; inside, rooms keep Renaissance stucco vaults, door frames with coats of arms and dated inscriptions, and the chapel remains a place of prayer. The wooden wall-walk has been rebuilt along the curtain wall, with views of the corner bastions and of the park with the family crypts.
Good to know
The castle is a restoration site: whole wings are still empty, without joinery or displays, and much of the visit is at your own risk. There are no firmly announced visiting days, and the gate is sometimes locked, so call the manager before setting off.
- The polychrome reliefs of 17th-century Transylvanian soldiers, below the spire of the old tower.
- The arcaded loggia of 1668, the courtyard face of the old manor house.
- The rebuilt wooden spiral staircase inside the tower and the viewing level at the top.
- The Renaissance stucco vaults and the coat-of-arms door frames in the living wings.
- The rebuilt wooden wall-walk along the curtain wall, between the corner bastions.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: from Sighișoara it is ~17 km and ~25 minutes — take the DN14 towards Mediaș as far as Daneș, then turn left onto the DJ143, which follows the Criș valley up to the village; the castle is signposted from the DN14 and visible from the village centre. From Mediaș it is ~39 km (~45 minutes) on the same DN14, from Târgu Mureș ~66 km (~1 hour 20 minutes), from Sibiu ~90 km.
Public transport: the nearest railway station is Daneș, on the Sighișoara – Mediaș line, ~13 km from the castle by road, and links to the village are infrequent. In practice you need a car or a taxi from Sighișoara; the road is surfaced and also fine by bicycle.
- Where to park
There is no car park. Cars are left on the side of the village lane, by the castle gate, where there is enough room; it fills up quickly during events and concerts.
- Fees & discounts
The official website publishes no prices. Visits are made against a donation towards the foundation restoring the castle, paid on the spot in cash; ask by phone or email what is usual and whether guided tours can be arranged for a group.
- Rules
The castle is under restoration: some wings and floors are closed, and elsewhere you walk at your own risk — respect the barriers and site markings, and do not leave children unattended. The tower is reached by a narrow wooden staircase, so wear comfortable shoes. The chapel is kept as a place of prayer. Announce photo shoots, filming or group visits to the manager in advance.
- Facilities
no ticket office, shop or café · no audio guide; there are panels and scale models of the ensemble in the rooms · uneven ground with steps and stairs, difficult with a pushchair · restaurants, shops and accommodation in Sighișoara, ~17 km away
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