Matthias Corvinus House
About Matthias Corvinus House
The house at Strada Matei Corvin 6 stands in the old core of Cluj, inside the first ring of the medieval citadel's walls. It was built in the 15th century in the Gothic style, and Renaissance elements were added in the first half of the 16th century. When Matthias Corvinus, son of John Hunyadi, was born here in 1443, the house belonged to a well-off wine-grower, Jakab Méhffi, with whom Elizabeth Szilágyi, the future king's mother, used to stay. A privilege granted by Matthias in 1467 exempted the owners of the house from taxes, and its confirmation in 1649 spared the building from major alterations.
Around 1740 the town bought the building and used it as a prison and a military hospital. After the restoration of 1887–1889 it received a bronze plaque, then housed the museum of the Transylvanian Carpathian Society from 1902 to 1935 and was restored again in 1940 to plans by Károly Kós. Since 1950 the city's art school has been based here, today the University of Art and Design.
What you can see
From the street you can see the white façade with stone-framed windows, the pointed-arch stone portal with its wooden door and wrought-iron fittings, the commemorative plaques beside the entrance and the tall tiled roof with its massive chimneys. On the left corner the stone quoins of the masonry survive.
Good to know
The house is not a museum: it holds the university's library and classrooms. The interior can be visited only during the exhibitions of the Casa Matei Gallery, which is open to the public on a variable schedule.
Information verified on 27 October 2026.
- The pointed-arch stone portal, with its wooden door and wrought-iron fittings, the entrance of the house where Matthias Corvinus was born.
- The commemorative plaques beside the entrance, recalling the king's birth in the house.
- The white façade with stone-framed windows, under the tall tiled roof and massive chimneys.
- The architecture of the transition from Gothic to Renaissance, rare in Cluj.
- The Casa Matei Gallery, with university exhibitions, when it is open to the public.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the house is in the historic centre of Cluj, in an area with limited access for cars, ~150 m from Piața Unirii. Leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk the last few minutes.
Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station it is ~2.3 km to the house, about 30 minutes on foot; you can also take public transport to Piața Unirii, then walk ~3 minutes along Strada Matei Corvin.
- Where to park
Spaces on the streets of central Cluj are paid, at a machine or through an app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. From the nearby car parks it is a few minutes' walk to the house.
- Fees & discounts
The façade can be seen from the street for free; admission to the exhibitions inside depends on each event.
- Rules
It is a university building and a historic monument: do not touch the door or the walls, and enter the interior only when the gallery is open to the public. Photography in the exhibitions depends on the rules of each event.
- Facilities
Exhibition gallery · university library
Frequently asked questions about Matthias Corvinus House
- How long does a visit to Matthias Corvinus House take?
- A visit to Matthias Corvinus House takes about 15 min (façade and plaques).
- Can you visit Matthias Corvinus House with kids?
- Yes, Matthias Corvinus House is suitable for children (short stop in the centre).
- Where can I park at Matthias Corvinus House?
- There is paid parking at Matthias Corvinus House (on the streets of the centre). Spaces on the streets of central Cluj are paid, at a machine or through an app, and fill up quickly on weekdays. From the nearby car parks it is a few minutes' walk to the house.
- How do I get to Matthias Corvinus House?
- Matthias Corvinus House is located at Strada Matei Corvin 6, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County. By car: the house is in the historic centre of Cluj, in an area with limited access for cars, ~150 m from Piața Unirii. Leave the car in a car park in the centre and walk the last few minutes. Public transport: from Cluj-Napoca railway station it is ~2.3 km to the house, about 30 minutes on foot; you can also take public transport to Piața Unirii, then walk ~3 minutes along Strada Matei Corvin.
- When is the best time to visit Matthias Corvinus House?
- The best season for Matthias Corvinus House: All year round (visible from the street all year).
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