Gyula - The history and a possible vision of the former island fortress

Abstract

The medieval brick castle is the bestknown symbol of Gyula, but there are some other interests on the area
of island fortress, too. Opposite to the brick castle there is the Almásycastle with a 200 years old English landscape garden. Around the whole complex was the plank castle, which has also a very interesting story. The
castle was built by János Maróti around 1403. László Kerecsényi was the most important and famous captain of the castle, who made a big renovation on it in 1561. The plan of the renovation and extension was made by Paolo Mirandola, who was a famous Italian military engineer. The important part of the plan is the depiction of the existing plank castle’s line. This plan is an important source for the restoration. János Harruckern got the area in 1720. He built the predecessor of the present castle (Almásy-castle) in 1723. The next owner was the Wenckheim family. They built the present castle in 1803, after a big fire, which destroyed the old one. The Almásy family got the area in 1888. The English garden was planned and built in 1812, with an area of 8 hectares. There were a flshpond, a vineyard, flower gardens, a truck garden and a pheasant garden in the castle park. In the course of the archaeological excavation we got many informations about the plank castle in the ’6o’s. The brick castle was renovated in 2005, but unfortunately the Almásy-castle is empty and neglected now. Perhaps it will be a wellness hotel in the future.