Romana Muzeul Deva

THE MUSEUM OF DACIAN AND ROMAN CIVILISATION (DEVA) - MEMBER - OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS NETWORK OF ROMANIA



MAGNA CURIA





         On the southern hem of Deva Fortress is located the most interesting and the oldest monument of Deva, the palace named Magna Curia. The building is characterised by a series of architectonic and stylistic features, of Renaissance and Baroque influences.
         The building —where nowadays is situated the headquarters of the Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilisation— is dating back to the Renaissance period, but suffered a series of restorations undertaken throughout the centuries, the most intrusive one during the 18th century. The historic documents indicated that an initial phase of construction took place at the end of the 16th century, this edifice being erected by Francisc Geszthy, supreme captain of the Transylvania’s army in 1594–1595.
         Thus the first documentary mention regarding this building is the one carved on the funerary slab of Sofia Szlyok, the mother of Francisc Geszthy, who died in 1590 at oppido Deva, in curia filii sui Francisci, sub arce eiusdem sita. This reference to this noble court in Deva indicated the existence of a complex of building down the hill of Deva Fortress, another property —at that time— of Geszthy. At the beginning of the 17th century, one can presume that the building of Magna Curia was affected too during the plundering and setting on fire of a nearby church. Immediately afterwards, in 1608 the entire domain is given by the Prince Gabriel Bathory to Gabriel Bethlen. Five years later, in 1613 Gabriel Bethlen is elected as Prince of Transylvania and he donates the domain of Deva to his wife, Susana Karolyi, who kept the castle in her possession up to her death, in 1622.
         Gabriel Bethlen is the one who undertakes the second phase of construction of the palace. The works begun in 1614 and one year later the architect Giacomo Resti da Verna is supervising the entire site. On this occasion were made a series of works to the main building, but also was erected another one in order to close the double ring of walls surrounding the castle. After the death of Susana Karolyi, the domain became the property of the nephew of the prince, respectively ttefan Bathory, the son of his brother. After the premature death of the “young duke”, the entire estate is given to his widow Maria Szechy, who lives in here her romanced life up to 1640, when the property is sold to Gheorghe Rakoczi I Prince of Transylvania.
         Maria Szechy was a beauty of her time, the Magyar literature depicting her as the “muranyi Venus”. She became a widow at age 25, but she remarried after a while and then left her second husband in 1634, seeking her refuge at Magna Curia. The abandoned husband, eager to bring her back under his obedience, attacked by surprise —in the middle of the night— Magna Curia with 300 horsemen. Meanwhile the fugitive wife managed to escape the castle —by sliping through a window into the garden— and took refuge on the fortress uphill. From here she launched a counteroffensive and rejected the attack of her husband, who run away ashamed.
         In 1686, the army of the Habsburg Empire entered the Principality of Transylvania under the pretext of defending it against the forais of the Turks and the Tatars. The Austrian troops led by general Scherrffenberg took under their authority the cities of Cluj and Dej, thus forcing the representatives of the Principality of Transylvania to sign at Vienna an agreement which set that this territory will be granted the protection of the Habsburg emperor, in return Prince Mihail Apaffi being recognised as ruler of Transylvania and his son acknowledged as lawful successor. As a warranty to the agreement the signing parts decide to install imperial garrisons at Cluj and Deva. After 1687 the domain of Deva entered under the authority of the fiscal administration of the Austrian Empire. The fiscal regime set in place a system for renting the estate. The first one who benefited of this type of settlement was general Stefan Steinville (d. 1720), later on —in 1730— the domain being used as a reward to the services provided by the count Giulio Visconti. The count will rent the domain to a financial entrepreneur, named de Nicola, while years later, in 1743, he will sell it to Ioan Haller, governor of Transylvania. Ioan Haller is the one who undertook the third —and the last— phase of construction at the Magna Curia palace, between 1744 and 1746.
         At that time the recovery of the castle was granted to the entrepreneur and mason Conrad Hammer, while the sculptures are signed by Friedrich Wacherberger. All these works had given a new baroque appearance to the palace.




         The results of such changes are clearly mentioned in the inventory drafted in 1756. The depiction starts with the outer courtyard of the edifice, the access to it being provided throughout the entrance gate, which was rebuilt and decorated with two coats of arms. After passing through this precinct one enter into the main building, having two living floors and four corner bastions.




         The inventory of the building starts from the small garden, with the monumental staircase which allowed the access to the upper floor.





         The residential feature of the building is outlined by the existence of the audience hall, the large dining room with the balcony. This exterior element is situated in the middle of the facade, being supported by consoled marked by four heads of Atlases.





         The corners of the fireplace, in shape of volutes, are outlined by a series of small pilasters which provide the support for the four exotic figures of “mori”, or the so-called black women. These feminine figures are covered around their waist and hips with a belt of feathers, while their bust is uncovered. On their back they wear the quiver of arrows and their head is crowned with a rich plumage. The decorative urns with heads of Atlases, resembling a similar manner of adornment like the one used for the balcony, complete the decoration.
         The inventory of 1756 contains information about the existence of three gardens surrounding the palace, as well as two fountains: one adorned with a lion, while the other having in the middle a swan with the arrowed neck.




         This original decorative element was rediscovered during the archaeological excavations undertaken in 1992, during the restoration works of the monument. On the upper part of the fountain there is also a kneel putto, wearing on his back a shell, above it being placed a swan, its During the last decades, namely from 1997 to 2006, took place a significant process of restoration and rehabilitation of this important historic building. Throughout detailed works it was possible to give back to the palace its former splendour, but also to organise it as a cultural attraction of the city of Deva. Thus becoming a symbol of the city, together with the fortress situated nearby, the building of the museum is one of the landmarks visited by the native inhabitants and other visitors.