Castle at Ardud, Romania

A small medieval castle is situated on a low hill on the north side of Ardud (Satu Mare county). The castle, which has been recently studied and preserved thanks to funding from the European Union, the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, and Satu Mare County, has a long history of construction and usage from the end of the 15th century through the 19th century.

The most recent phase of the castle, which visitors see today, dates to 1730 under the patronage of Karoly Sandor. By this time, the castle consisted of a perimeter wall with 4 turreted towers, domestic and military units, and a chapel. This phase replaced an earlier structure, completed in 1629, which, in turn, improved upon the first phase, completed in 1481 under Bertalan Dragffy. The castle was part of a defensive network to the south and west of the Somes River, on the northeastern section of the Pannonian Plain. The castle remained primarily under the control of Hungarian Lords with a brief period of Ottoman control in the second half of the 16th century.

Visitors may enter the premises of the castle at no cost (as of summer 2015). A guide will open two of the restored towers and deliver a presentation on the site's history. The southwest tower contains a modest museum exhibition with didactic panels and a sample of medieval furnishings, costumes, and weapons.
(composed 2015 for website of Transylvania Alive Association for Cultural Heritage) 

Castle at Ardud, Romania. (photo Eric De Sena, 2017)