Markušovce Chateau

Markušovce, Slovakia, Slovakia

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Markušovce Chateau in Markušovce, Slovakia, began as a late 13th-century Gothic knight's castle built by Nicholas, son of Mark, after the Mongol invasion, featuring a residential tower and defensive walls around a small courtyard. Rebuilt in Renaissance style in the mid-17th century by the Mariássy family—first documented in 1643—it later received Rococo updates around 1770-1775, including rhythmic stone windows, corner ring-shaped towers, attics, a central staircase with stucco-vaulted barrel and lunette ceilings, and an adjacent Dardanelles summer villa constructed in 1778 for Emperor Joseph II's expected visit. Once housing a humanistic school founded in 1567 and later exhibiting Neo-classical furniture plus historical keyboard instruments in its concert hall, this preserved architectural gem reflects Slovakia's noble evolution from fortress to elegant residence.