The official opening ceremony of the Teleki Castle in Gornești

On 1 August 2026, the restored Teleki Castle in Gornești will reopen its gates to the public in a festive setting. Following almost three years of restoration and conservation work, one of Transylvania’s most important Baroque castles becomes accessible once again, welcoming visitors with a varied programme throughout the day.

The reopening is not merely the handover of a building, but a celebration of the rebirth of a historical heritage. For centuries the castle played a defining role in the cultural and social life of the region, and now it can once again become a meeting point where the values of the past meet the community of the present.

Throughout the day, visitors are welcomed with guided tours, activities for children, professional discussions, exhibitions and a festive concert. The vast majority of the programmes are free of charge, so anyone can take part in the castle’s historic reopening.

Schedule

11:00–18:00 — Guided castle tours  Available in Hungarian and Romanian, with on-site registration, adapted to visitors’ needs.

From 12:00 — Craft workshops for children

15:00 — Official opening and welcome speeches

16:00 — Non-verbal puppet theatre performance  Performed by puppeteers Bonczidai Dezső and Szabó Dániel.

17:00 — Living Heritage – Castles, Tourism and Community  A round-table discussion on built heritage and the development of cultural tourism. Participants:

• Hegedűs Csilla, monument protection specialist and president of the Transylvania Trust Foundation
• Ötvös Koppány Bulcsú, archaeologist and Secretary of State at the Romanian Ministry of Culture
• Péter Ferenc, President of the Mureș County Council
• Dr Kálmán Attila, historian

Moderator: Szántó Lóránt, President of Visit Maros.

17:00 — aSzakkör  A talk on the history of the Gornești embroidery circle and an introduction to the temporary folk costume exhibition held at the castle. Presented by Matei Mária Erzsébet and Szász Erzsébet.

18:00 — Preserving Noble Heritage?!  An introduction to the Research Centre for Transylvanian Historical Families. Presented by Ugron Győző.

19:00 — Festive concert  A concert by pianist Cári Tibor with the participation of dancer Macaveiu Blanche, preceded by a performance from Navarra Dance.

Throughout the day

• 112 Coffee – Teleki Brunch
• Operation Kronos escape room

The brunch and the escape room are paid programmes and require advance online booking.

Please note: the round table and the presentations at 17:00 and 18:00 are held in Hungarian. The puppet performance at 16:00 is non-verbal and can be enjoyed regardless of language. Guided tours are available in Hungarian and Romanian.

Let us meet on 1 August in Gornești and be part of the moment when a story several centuries old comes back to life.