Degenfeld Mansion, Baktalórántháza

The Degenfeld Castle in Baktalórántháza is located in the city centre, surrounded by a several‑hectare nature‑protected area. Since December 2015 it has operated as an interactive museum.

Location

The castle is situated in Szabolcs‑Szatmár‑Bereg County, in the Central Nyírség, 31 km northeast of Nyíregyháza.

History

The first written mention of the noble manor dates from 1515. According to it, members of the Nyíri family, as a wedding gift, “...in Bogda prædium a deserted noble manor, they donate to István Ibrányi, canon of Esztergom.” Before 1593 Bakta already belonged to the Báthory family’s estate. In 1630 II Ferdinand gave it as a new donation to László Barkóczy of Szalai: “...possessionibus Bakta curiaque nobilitari ibidem fundata et exstructa...” i.e. “a noble manor founded and built in the settlement of Bakta.” According to tradition, the predecessor of the present castle was built by László Barkóczy around 1630.

From 1687, through the marriage of Kristina Barkóczy and Sándor Károlyi, the castle acquired a new co‑owner, the great‑Károlyi family. Between 1720 and 1724 the building was renovated and an additional floor was added. The castle’s last major alterations were carried out around 1840.

In 1919 the castle became one of the main headquarters of the Romanian army occupying the Tiszántúl region. After their withdrawal the building was left empty and stripped. Following restoration it was inhabited by the Degenfeld family until the end of the Second World War.

After 1945 the building was used as a lung sanatorium, taking advantage of the characteristics of the Baktalórántháza forest. The castle park was carefully maintained and in the 1970s it officially became a nature‑protected area.

From 1995 for more than 20 years the castle stood empty and stripped, and only in 2006 did it become the property of the Baktalórántháza municipality. It was renovated in 2015, and on 15 March 2016 the Degenfeld Castle Museum opened its doors.

Degenfeld Castle Museum

The local‑history, ethnographic, natural‑science museum, through unique and innovative technical solutions, presents visitors with interactive computer tools and a virtually constructed world shown via tablet cameras.

In 2019 the museum was expanded with two additional permanent exhibitions: a separate building was arranged as the memorial house of Prime Minister Count Gyula Károlyi. On the floor of the main building an interactive forestry exhibition was also created.

The castle park

The castle park contains unique tree rarities. Part of the surrounding 312‑hectare forest – known as Nyírerdő – is under nature protection.