- Noémi Vizi
- Fotó: Borbély Levente (RECHungary)
- Reading time: 2 minutes
The Biedermann Castle of Szentegát
Szentegát, a small village in Baranya County, hides a magnificent castle. It is located approximately 40 km from Pécs, and the area originally belonged to Count Kázmér Batthyány1. However, he attempted to cover his continuously increasing and large-scale expenses through loans, which he took out from the Biedermann banking house. (The imperial court itself was also indebted to them.) The financially insolvent count eventually offered the Batthyány estates, later known as Szentegát and Mozsgó, in exchange for settling his debts. Simon and Gusztáv Biedermann became the new owners. Among Simon’s children, Ottó (1852–1905) received Mozsgó, while Rezső (1854–1938) began construction in Szentegát in 1880. Rezső was elevated to the rank of baron by Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1902.2
The settlement was established around 1870 and was surrounded by extensive forests, therefore the castle was originally built as a hunting lodge. In 1896 it was transformed into a residential building. Rezső married Elza Bleichröder, whose father was the banker of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck3. Following the union of the two families, they lived happily in the Szentegát Castle, which was built in an eclectic style, although several Art Nouveau elements can also be discovered on the building.
The castle is approximately 90 metres long and features a richly articulated structure. In the centre there is a two-storey wing, while the western façade includes a veranda, and the building is further enhanced by a tall tower4. It is surrounded by a park, which once included a fountain, a swimming pool, and a palm house. These were all exceptional features of the era, affordable only for the wealthiest families. A family mausoleum was also built on the estate, which simultaneously served as the village chapel. A true curiosity is that its organ was manufactured by the renowned Angster factory.
The Biedermann family donated significant sums to charitable causes. Among other achievements, they founded both boys’ and girls’ schools in Szigetvár, and the establishment of a hospital, a fire brigade, and a narrow-gauge railway are also connected to their name. The family estate was later inherited by Rezső and Elza’s son, Imre. After 42 months of military service at the front, he created a model farm here5. He also considered philanthropy important: he provided financial support for the poor of Pécs, ensured education for those living on the Szentegát estate, and introduced old-age pensions6. Between 1931 and 1935, he also served as a Member of Parliament representing the Szigetvár region7.
Thanks to connections and a stroke of good fortune, the Biedemann family avoided nationalization in 1945 and managed to keep the manor. However, in 1949, the communist regime finally caught up with them as well. Their estate was nationalized, and for the next few years, they lived in their apartment in Budapest’s District V. Imre was taken away without cause by agents of the ÁVH (State Protection Authority); he subsequently died under unclear circumstances while in captivity at the Kistarcsa Central Internment Camp, alongside a number of other aristocrats.
In the 1950s, the castle’s movable elements—such as its furniture—were dispersed, the windows were bricked up, and the parquet flooring was torn up. It passed into state ownership, which saved it from total ruin. Its first renovation began in 1999 with the replacement of the roof, followed by the restoration of the façade in 2007. Since then, it has come under private ownership; it is being cared for and beautifully renovated, and is beginning to shine once more in its former glory.
1 https://drlaszlofycsaba.com/alvo-csoda-szentegaton-a-biedermann-kastely/
2 https://amultemlekei.hu/biedermann-kastely-szentegat/
3 https://amultemlekei.hu/biedermann-kastely-szentegat/
4 http://www.szentegat.hu/index.php?modul=falvak_object&muvelet=view&id=3153
5 https://drlaszlofycsaba.com/alvo-csoda-szentegaton-a-biedermann-kastely/
6 https://amultemlekei.hu/biedermann-kastely-szentegat/
7 https://drlaszlofycsaba.com/alvo-csoda-szentegaton-a-biedermann-kastely/
8 https://drlaszlofycsaba.com/alvo-csoda-szentegaton-a-biedermann-kastely/
