Bethlen Pal Castle

Beclean, Romania, Romania

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Bethlen Pál Castle in Beclean, Bistrița-Năsăud County, Romania, originated as a 16th-century fortress around 1543 on the Someș River's left bank, serving as the Bethlen family's key demesne center with multiple structures over centuries. Count Pál Bethlen (1851–1935) rebuilt it around 1900 in neoclassical style under architect Mór Kallina, preserving two corner towers while adding a new level, baroque fronton alterations, and a massive stone wall enclosure. Nationalized post-1945 and used for storage, a pioneer camp, and agriculture, it retains 16 rooms plus one surviving secondary building now functioning as a museum amid ownership disputes.