THE CHATEAU

AND ITS HISTORY

Since its first foundation stone laid around the year 1450, the Lučivná Chateau has witnessed several kings on the throne, changes in the territory arrangement, and owners of the chateau, who more or less contributed to its present form.

HISTORY

BEFORE THE VÁRADI-SZAKMARI FAMILY

At the beginning of modern times, the land in the area of the present Lučivná used to belong to the lords of Štiavnica. In 1539, the abbey changed hands based on the King´s consent and belonged to aristocrat Hieroným Laský who owned the Kežmarok Castle too. The Laskys were engaged in political and military actions and therefore due to the financial problems they pledged their property in favour of Anton Sekel who acted as the official of the Laskys. In 1571, the family pledged the entire Kežmarok Castle and relevant villages below the Tatras (Lučivná including) in favour of Ján Rueber. Due to similar reasons, in 1579 he sold his right of lien to a merchant from Trnava, Sebastián Tököli, for a period of three years and the amount of 42 000 gold coins. In 1584, the Tököli family became the landlords owning Lučivná and they had the chateau rebuilt in the renaisasance style.

Thanks to the adventurous character of Imrich Tököli, a member of the Tököli family, the territory that he managed became legally a vassal of the Ottoman Empire after Turkish vicegerent Ibrahim crowned him, in 1682, the king of central Hungary as a Turkish vassal.

Imrich´s success was conditioned by the success of Turkish army. in 1683 the Ottoman Empire started an extensive offensive against Vienna, which meant the beginning of the liberation of the Slovak and Hungarian territories from the Turkish rule. In 1684, the property was confiscated by Leopold of Habsburg, Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary and Czechia, and Roman and German Emperor from the Habsburg dynasty. Three years later, he sold the property to count Ferdinand Rueber who died without having a male descendant. Based on an agreement with the Emperor and heirs of Reuber, the Kežmarok Castle and relevant villages were bought by the Town of Kežmarok for 80 000 gold coins.

Immediately after the uprising of František II. Rákoci, the Town of Kežmarok sold Lučivná to Ján Nolten, who sold it in 1753 for 28 000 gold coins to his townsman and holder of the title of nobility Donáth Váradi-Szakmari. Inhabitants of Lučivná served to the new landlord until the abolition of servitude in 1848.

FAMILY

VÁRADI-SZAKMARI

Descendants of the old Váradi-Szakmári family were the last owners of the chateau until the year 1945. The family bout the chateau from the Town of Kežmarok. The memoirs of a living descendant of the family, Adorjan Várady-Szakmári, show us that the chateau was built as a summer-house of King Matthias (Matthias Corvinus) in the middle of the 15th century, but it was smaller than today. Gradually, new rooms were added in the eastern section and later, in 1873, a ground floor hall that was 19 metres long was built on the southern part by Adorjan´s father, Dónat IV. Várady-Szakmári. After World War II, the property was confiscated and taken away from the family by the new leaders of the National Committee. Some pieces of the original furniture and equipment can be found in the Košice Museum today. You can recognize them thanks to the crow symbol.

The last member of the family died in 1960. He is buried in the family graveyard in Lučivná.

• The chateau and its surroundings
• History
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CONTACT

LUČIVNÁ CHATEAU

Lučivná 269
059 31 Lučivná

Reception desk 13:00-17:00:
mob.: +421 918 323 333
tel./fax: +421 52 7884311

Events,
other reservations:
mob.: +421 918 323 333

recepcia@kastiellucivna.sk
www.kastiellucivna.sk

GPS:
N49° 03' 06"
E20° 08' 30"