Matthias Corvinus House - Cluj-Napoca
History
Mátyás király szülőháza (the Birth House of King Matthias) is one of Cluj-Napoca’s oldest and most historically significant residential buildings, dating back to the 15th century. Located in the city center, it is widely accepted that King Matthias Corvinus, one of Hungary’s greatest rulers, was born here in 1443. His parents, Hunyadi János and Szilágyi Erzsébet, rented the house from Méhfi Jakab, a local noble.
At the time of his birth, the house was a modest, multi-story stone structure, already considered one of the city’s most important buildings. Over the centuries, the building underwent expansions—first during the Renaissance, when it was widened, and later in the 18th century, when it was extended in depth after becoming a military hospital in 1740, following its acquisition by the city council.
According to historian Lupescu Radu, Mátyás likely spent his first 5–6 years in this house. He was baptized nearby at St. Michael’s Church and likely learned to read and write within these very walls. Interestingly, his birth in Cluj was not coincidental—according to chronicler Heltai Gáspár, it was a well-considered decision by his family during a politically uncertain time.
By the late 19th century, the house had fallen into disrepair. During his 1887 visit to Cluj, Emperor Franz Joseph was reportedly dismayed by its condition and personally funded the creation of a commemorative plaque, installed in 1889 following a grand civic celebration. Restoration followed in 1899, led by Gyalus László, who gave the building a modern, civic appearance. In 1942–43, Kós Károly restored it once again, stripping back later additions to reveal a more medieval, restrained facade, which remains today.Style
The building features a blend of Gothic and Renaissance elements, though its architectural appearance evolved significantly through later centuries. The facade was once adorned with Zsolnay roof tiles, added in the 19th-century renovation, but these were removed during Kós Károly’s mid-20th century restoration, in favor of a more historically accurate look.
While tourists are often shown the vaulted ground-floor room to the left of the entrance as the supposed birth room, historians suggest that Matthias was likely born on the upper floor, in the warmer and more private noble apartments. Some 19th-century accounts even mention a stone cradle once seen upstairs—an evocative, if unverifiable, detail that adds a touch of mystery and emotional depth to the building’s story.
Famous residents
While King Matthias remains the building’s most prominent historical figure, the house has drawn attention from many cultural and political figures. Notably, Emperor Franz Joseph visited the site in 1887, and his concern for the building’s state led to a commemorative plaque. Historians, writers, and city officials have continued to advocate for the site's preservation, acknowledging its rare status as a surviving royal birthplace.
Renovation
After centuries of wear, the house was first restored in 1899 by architect Gyalus László, who gave it a more modern, civic look with decorative elements like Zsolnay roof tiles. A major restoration followed in 1942–43 under Kós Károly, who removed the more decorative facades and returned the structure to a purer, medieval appearance. Though smaller maintenance works have occurred since, no further comprehensive renovation has been undertaken despite repeated calls to convert the building into a museum.
Present day
Today, the building houses the University of Art and Design, a role it has fulfilled since the post-WWII era. Previously, it stood unused until it temporarily hosted the Móricz Zsigmond College, accommodating students in the years following the war. Despite its historical significance, no official museum or memorial room has been created inside the house—something that has been discussed since the 1940s, with renewed interest in the 1990s, but remains unrealized.
Nevertheless, the ground floor is occasionally open to visitors, and the building continues to stand as one of the few surviving royal birthplaces in Europe—a remarkable feat in itself. Its quiet presence offers a rare, tangible connection to a figure who shaped the history of Central Europe.
Nearby, in Piața Unirii, stands the Mathias Rex Statue, a grand equestrian monument unveiled in 1902. Designed by János Fadrusz, the statue was placed in Cluj-Napoca precisely because this is where the king was born. The proximity of the statue and birth house creates a powerful urban ensemble that preserves both the memory and the human story of Mátyás, az igazságos—Matthias the Just.
