The castle
The Teleki family was one of the most prominent noble houses of Transylvania, playing a defining role in the region’s cultural and political life for centuries. The estate at Gornești came into the family’s possession in the 17th century through Chancellor Mihály Teleki, one of the most influential statesmen of the Principality of Transylvania.
The Baroque castle seen today was built between 1772 and 1803, on the site of an earlier Renaissance fortress. Commissioned by Count László Teleki and designed in the Grassalkovich style by the Salzburg-born architect Andreas Mayerhoffer — designer of the Grassalkovich Palace in Gödöllő — its construction spanned three generations of the family. The elegant, U-shaped residence is famous for its 52 rooms and 365 windows, symbolising the days of the year, with a central pavilion crowned by a dome above the grand reception hall.
Nationalised in 1949 and used for decades as a sanatorium, the castle was returned to the Teleki family in 2011. A major restoration, completed after nearly three years of work, has restored much of its original beauty. Today the castle lives again as a museum, cultural centre and community space, connecting the heritage of the past with the experiences of the present.
Museum
The museum invites visitors into the former world of the castle through period-furnished rooms and thoughtfully curated displays. Here you can discover the history, daily life and cultural legacy of the Teleki family — a lineage that gave Transylvania statesmen, scholars and patrons of the arts, including Chancellor Sámuel Teleki, founder of the celebrated Teleki Library in Târgu Mureș.
The tradition of collecting at Gornești is an old one: in the early 20th century, Count Domokos Teleki arranged one of the castle’s first museum displays in its corridors. Continuing that spirit, the exhibitions today present historical objects, documents and visual materials, complemented by digital and interactive content that brings the castle’s story closer to a modern audience.
The museum can also be explored as part of a guided tour.
Castle Garden
The historic park surrounding the castle is a natural and cultural treasure in its own right. Laid out first as a French formal garden and later reshaped as an English landscape park, it offers centuries-old trees, a tranquil lake and carefully designed walking paths — a peaceful setting just steps from the grand façade.
Among the trees stand weathered sandstone statues brought from Budapest in the early 20th century by Count Domokos Teleki: figures of ancient deities such as Juno, Neptune, Venus and Bacchus, alongside satirical figures inspired by the French Revolution. Today the park is a favourite place for walks, quiet relaxation and photography alike.
