Castle Chapel
The chapel of the Castle of Füzér was completed at the end of the 15th century thanks to the expansion works of the Perényi family. It still contains original wall parts even to this day. The ceremonial blessing of the Castle Chapel, which was rebuilt in honour of the Ascension, took place in 2020 in the name of the acumen by local historical churches:
- the Roman Catholic Church on 14 August, 2020 (on the eve of the Ascension),
- the Greek Catholic Church on 6 September, 2020 (on the day of the Blessed Virgin Mary),
- the Reformed Church on October 30, 2020 (on the eve of the Reformation Memorial Day).
After the ceremonies, the Chapel can be used again for church and liturgical events, so the worshippers in Füzér and among the mountains and the visitors can hold masses, services, marriages and baptisms in the Castle Chapel, with the blessing of the Church.
Liturgies are open to the public, our visitors are free to participate in them with their valid ticket!
DATE OF THE NEXT LITURGY (in Hungarian)
Soon.
History of the Castle Chapel
According to recent research, the Castle Chapel could have been built at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries by Imre Perényi.
The currently visible building was not the first version, since the secondary carved elements are clearly visible in the substructure, which indicate the existence of an earlier chapel.
The late Gothic Castle Chapel, which can be seen today, is mentioned every time except 1644 in the inventories available to us. Its door opened from the main hall, its four windows were already crumbling when we became aware of its condition. In 1654 we find a simple stone altar at the eastern window and in 1670 an altarpiece depicting the Virgin Mary in the list. We also know that in 1654 or 1668 a pulpit made of stone was found here. The top was once covered by a star mesh vault that collapsed over the times.
On the south side of the chapel there were originally tracery windows now with lancets, on their east and west sides. Its walls were originally painted, must have been covered with frescoes, and traces of red paint on the rib fragments indicate this.
The mode of the painting of the four Gothic window panes is the portrayal of the Blessed Virgin Mary: presents the Mother of God, embracing the child Jesus to her heart in glory (dressed in the sun), standing on a crescent Moon.
The other nine figures depicted are: female, donating saints, princesses of the Árpád dynasty. The floor is unique, salt-glazed ceramic tiles, the ceiling has received artistic painting, displaying the starry sky and Milky Way. The stone seating cabins have been restored and the altar and pulpit are made of Tardos red stone. The back-to-back Mass winged altarpiece is a Blessed Virgin Mary altar modelled after the winged altarpieces in Csíkdelne and Mateóc.
Windows and their attributes
Eastern window
Blessed Virgin Mary:
(Virgin Mary)
Patron of Hungary and the little Jesus held in her lap
First Southern window
Saint Margaret of Scotland: crown and means of weaving and spinning
Saint Piroska:
crown and Imperial certificate
Saint Agnes of Prague:
church
Second Southern window
Saint Kinga of the House of Árpád: ring
Saint Margit of the House of Árpád: a wreath of thorns
Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád: plate, fish, rose bouquet
Western window
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal: wine barrel
Saint Elisabeth of Töss:
lily
St. Hedwig:
shoe
The flags lined up in the Castle Chapel represent the landowners, they are seen from right to left in chronological order. The fresco fragment depicting Veronika’s shawl on the winged altar and the pastophory (sacred niche) in the wall are representations from the 13th century St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church in Füzér. Their presence is representative of the local faith community within the building.
Who were the owners of the castle?
Several references to the Perényi family can be seen in the chapel. For example, the family crest on the sides of the lamps, but also one of the brackets of the ornate ribbing of the beautiful ceiling. It is not by chance, because it is their constructions that we owe this breath-taking beauty of the Castle of Füzér.
Furthermore, the marble stone altar in the middle and the winged marble altar show us the Roman Catholic religion of the Perényi family. Later on, however, they were greatly influenced by the Reformation and thus became representatives of the Lutheran faith. This direction is represented by the pulpit in the left side.
Virtual tour in the Castle Chapel
Now you have the opportunity to explore the Castle Chapel of Füzér using 3D technology. However, the original spectacle cannot be substituted by anything else, its beauty, when experienced on the spot, gives you the most beautiful experience.
