Salbek Castle in Petriș
About Salbek Castle in Petriș
Salbek Castle stands in the village of Petriș, in the Mureș valley, between the hills of the Zarand Mountains and the road linking Săvârșin with Băile Vața de Jos. The Salbeck family, of German origin, came to the area through the salt trade: Matthias Salbeck was a salt commissioner in Hunedoara County, and in 1747 his descendants received from Empress Maria Theresa the noble title “de Petriș” and the estate. After the uprising of 1784 the old village centre was moved around the residence, and today's building, completed after 1811, replaced the earlier form of a small fortification.
The building is a rectangular brick block with an upper floor, with about 24 rooms and roughly 1,000 square metres, in the neoclassical style. A tall portico of Doric sandstone columns runs across the main façade, and a semicircular staircase leads to the upper floor. After the Salbecks the estate passed through the hands of a Viennese bank, the Ürményi family and other nobles, then of owners from Bucharest. Nationalised in 1949, the castle served as a children's camp, a preventorium, a school for pupils with special needs, a placement centre and a social services complex, until its restitution in the 2000s. The estate was taken over in 2023 by the founders of the Castel Salbek Association, which has held opera festivals and Midsummer (Sânziene) celebrations here; conservation and restoration works began in August 2025.
What you can see
The best view is of the portico façade from the lawn in front, with its tall columns, the upper-floor balcony and the triangular pediment. The building is framed by a park of over 16 hectares with maples, hornbeams and ancient oaks; under one of them, local tradition says, the estate's noble courts sat before 1848. The area is part of a Natura 2000 protected site. A few outbuildings can also be seen around the castle.
Good to know
The castle is a restoration site, with scaffolding on its façades, and the estate has no regular visiting hours. According to the Castel Salbek Association, the complex can for now be visited only during cultural events organised by the association and its partners; for other visits, write to the association. Check its website and pages for the events calendar before you set off.
Information verified on 13 October 2026.
- The portico of Doric sandstone columns, with an upper-floor balcony and a triangular pediment, on the main façade.
- The semicircular staircase leading to the floor with the living apartments.
- The park of over 16 hectares, with ancient oaks, inside a Natura 2000 area.
- The oak in the grounds, under which the estate's noble courts sat before 1848.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the castle is in the centre of the village of Petriș, Petriș commune, Arad County, ~12 km as the crow flies from Săvârșin (where the Royal Castle also stands), on the route towards Băile Vața de Jos that the association calls the “King's Road”. Check the exact route in your navigation app before setting off.
Public transport: services to the village are infrequent; for an event at the castle, a car is more practical.
- Rules
The castle is a restoration site: the building is not entered without the association's consent, and fenced or marked areas are to be respected. The park is a protected area, so plants are not to be picked and no litter left. At events, follow the organisers' instructions.
- Facilities
no permanent visitor facilities · no adapted access for people with disabilities, unprepared ground · periodic cultural events (opera festival, Sânziene) organised by the association
Frequently asked questions about Salbek Castle in Petriș
- How long does a visit to Salbek Castle in Petriș take?
- A visit to Salbek Castle in Petriș takes about 45 min (exterior and park, at events).
- How do I get to Salbek Castle in Petriș?
- Salbek Castle in Petriș is located at Strada Avram Iancu no. 85, in the village centre, Petriș, Arad County. By car: the castle is in the centre of the village of Petriș, Petriș commune, Arad County, ~12 km as the crow flies from Săvârșin (where the Royal Castle also stands), on the route towards Băile Vața de Jos that the association calls the “King's Road”. Check the exact route in your navigation app before setting off. Public transport: services to the village are infrequent; for an event at the castle, a car is more practical.
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