Castelul Urmánczy kastély

Az Urmánczy-kastély Maroshévízen, a Maros fennsíkján 1903 és 1906 között épült. Megrendelője Urmánczy Jeromos örmény nemes földbirtokos, tervezője Giacomuzzi Vigilio tiroli építész volt. Az épület stílusa a szecessziós jegyeket a Kós Károly nevével fémjelzett fiatal építésznemzedékek úttörő népies vonásaival ötvözte, Erdély kastélyépítészetében egyedülálló. Kastélyos jellegét a karakteres terméskő

lábazat, a magas központi sátortetőhöz csatlakozó kisebb-nagyobb kiszögelések, tornyok határozzák meg. Domináns eleme a főhomlokzat jobboldali sarkának sisaktetős víztornya, földszintjén kocsialáhajtós főbejárattal. A sarokbástyás kerti homlokzat dísze a kőbábos, pilléres loggia, lépcsőlejárattal a parkba, ma ez a kastély főbejárata. A kastélybelső központi tere a két szint magasságú impozáns hall volt, innen nyílt a többi terem, a kert felé néző férfiszobák, az ebédlő, majd a szalon és a csöndesebb hátsó traktusban a tulajdonosok apartmanja. Az emeleten kisebb gyermek és vendégszobák voltak, az alagsorban cselédszobák, konyha, raktárak, pince. A kastély államosítása után 1952-ig üresen állt, ekkor a kastélyból és melléképületeiből (a lovarda, az intéző háza, a vízpompa háza) kórház lett. 1972-ben drasztikusabb beavatkozások történtek: a toronyalji főbejáratot megszüntették, az új bejáratot az ekkor beépített loggiába helyezték át. A tetőt a kert felé néző oldalon megmagasították, az emeleten három új szobát alakítottak ki. Ekkor a már régebben két szintre osztott hall falépcsőjét betonlépcsőre cserélték. A legtöbb kárt 1986-ban a városi kórház építése okozta: eltakarta a kastély főhomlokzatát és funkció nélkül hagyta az épületet. Az egykor Maroshévíz központjáig lenyúló parkba tömbházakat és egy grandiózus közigazgatási épület is felhúztak. 1987-től az épületben elkezték egy etnográfiai témájú múzeum kialakítását, de az első kiállítás csak 1998-ban nyílt meg. A kastélyt a romos melléképületekkel együtt 2009-ben adták vissza a leszármazottaknak. A román állam 2013-ig bérelte az épületet. A birtokbavételel után elkezdőtek a kutatási munkák, az utólagos ad-hoc falakat, ajtókat eltávolították, a befalazott ajtókat újra kibontották. Jelenleg üresen áll, kérésre látogatható. Castelul Urmánczy din Topliţa a fost construit între anii 1903-1906 pe podișul râului Mureş la cererea lui Jeromos Urmánczy, nobil de orgine armeană. Proiectul a fost realizat de către arhitectul tirolez Vigilio Giacomuzzi. Stilul castelului, secesionist este pentru acestă tipologie arhitecturală, unic în Transilvania. În 1945 familia Urmánczy a fost izgonită din castel, întreaga avere fiindu-i confiscată. De atunci construcția a fost modificată de mai multe ori. Începând cu anul 1952, pentru câțiva ani, în clădirea principală și anexele acesteia a funcționat un spital. Pentru a câstiga mai mult spațiu salonul ceremonial înalt a fost divizat pe două nivele. În castel funcționa secția de chirurgie și maternitatea iar în anexele ce odinioară fuseseră grajdurile castelului, au fost amenajate secții de interne, dermatologie, contagioase, stație de salvare precum și o farmacie. În 1971-1972 au avut loc noi modificări, de data aceasta mai drastice. Intrarea principală de sub turn a fost desființată, terasa nord-vestică dinspre curte a fost închisă și transformată ca atare. Tot atunci a fost modificat și acoperișul: partea nord-vestică inițial mai joasă a fost ridicată cu un nivel pentru trei camere mici. În interior sala principală a pierdut și scara ceremonială din lemn sculptat, acesta fiind înlocuită cu o scară grea de beton, care nu urmărea rampa scării vechi. Ȋn 1986 s-a început construirea noului spital municipal, o clădire de patru etaje ce a acoperit faţada castelului. Mare parte a parcului a fost de asemenea distrusă, mai multe clădiri administrative și blocuri fiind construite în vecinătate. Tot atunci au fost desființate aleile ce legau centrul orașului de castel, izolându-l de acesta. În clădirea rămasă fără funcție în 1987 a început formarea unui muzeu cu profil etnografic, dar primul vernisaj a avut loc doar 1998. În anul 2009 castelul a fost retrocedat urmașilor familiei. Centrul cultural a funcționat în castel până în anul 2013. Momentan castelul este administrat de Asociația Positive Transylvania. Începând cu iulie 2020, vara poate fi vizitat în fiecare weekend. The castle, belonging to the Urmánczy family, was built between 1903 and 1906 on the terrace of the Mureș River. Jeromos Urmánczy, the owner of the property, commissioned Tyrolese architect Vigilio Giacomuzzi to design and build a residence in a modern-Secession style, a unique architectural movement in Transylvania at the time. Urmánczy Castle, with its striking water tower on the main façade, once dominated the Mureş Valley landscape. The thick walls of the building, with small bastions on the massive stone base and the various angles of the gables connected to the high central roof, give the impression of a medieval castle. The facade in the garden is defined by a corner bastion and a loggia with stairs leading to the park. Today, this is the main entrance of the castle. The interior of the castle was dominated by a great hall from which the other rooms opened. The salon with a conservatory and the owners’ apartment overlooked the Mureş River, while on the opposite side, the men’s rooms together with the dining room had a direct exit to the garden. An imposing wooden staircase led upstairs where the children’s and guests’ rooms were located. The interior of the building has been modified. The central hall, from where the other rooms opened, has been changed, as were the men’s rooms, the dining room on the garden side, and the big salon and the owners’ apartment which overlooked the winter garden along the Mureş River. The children’s and guests’ rooms were placed upstairs, while the servants’ rooms, the kitchen and the storage rooms were located in the basement. In 1945 the communist regime came to power and the residence, as well as all of the Urmánczy family’s assets, were confiscated. Over the years, several adjustments were made to the property as the building was commandeered for others functions. These changes drastically transformed both the interior and exterior of the building. For a few years, starting in 1952, a hospital (surgery and maternity ward) operated in the main building. This meant dividing the great hall, a very tall room, into two stories. In the annexes that once served as the stables of the manor, various medical departments were established, including dermatology, internal medicine and even a pharmacy. Between 1971 and 1972 the exterior of Urmánczy Castle went through significant changes. The main entrance under the tower was closed and the loggia was transformed. The roof was also modified when the lower north-west side was raised to add three small rooms on an additional, upper level. This changed the original volume of the roof, compromising its architectural aesthetic. In the main hall, an elegantly carved wooden staircase was replaced by a heavy concrete one, ruining the interior design. The greatest damage, however, was caused by the construction of the new four-story city hospital in 1982 in front of the main facade. In the park that once extended to the centre of Toplița, residential and administrative buildings were built, while the alleys connecting the castle to the city centre fell into disuse. The original building was left vacant for a number of years. Then, in 1987, plans were made to turn the castle into an ethnographic museum, but it was eleven years before a cultural centre finally opened in 1998. In 2009, the building was returned to the descendants of the Urmánczy family, the legal heirs, but the state continued to rent it until 2013. Currently, the castle is managed by the Positive Transylvania Association and since July 2020 it has been open to visitors.