Mikó Castle - Székelyudvarhely (Miercurea Ciuc)
History
Its owner was Ferenc Hidvégi Mikó, captain of the Székely seats of Csík, Gyergyó, and Kászon, a trusted advisor, diplomat, and chronicler of Prince Gabriel Bethlen. The likely architect was Giacomo Resti, the prince’s court architect. In October 1661, the castle was captured and set ablaze by Ottoman and Tatar troops led by Ali, the Pasha of Timișoara. Reconstruction did not begin until 1714–1716, under Habsburg rule. In 1735, four new Italian-style bastions were added, along with an external fortification—of which only remnants survive today. The Austrians later added a rectangular gunpowder magazine to the southwestern side and converted the southern bastion into a chapel. Over time, the castle served various military functions: first as a garrison for imperial troops, later as the headquarters of the First Székely Infantry Regiment. Even after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848–49 was crushed, it continued to serve military purposes. In the 1880s, the castle’s moat was filled in, and in 1890, two new wings were added beside the gate bastion. These additions, however, were demolished in 1990.Style
Mikó Castle is a late Renaissance fortress-castle with a rectangular layout, measuring approximately 75 by 70 meters. It features Italian-style bastions at each corner. The ground-floor rooms of the bastions are covered with barrel vaults, and the facades include period windows and loopholes.
The chapel’s ceiling displays ornate late Baroque stucco decorations, while its Gothic-style windows reflect later, historicizing architectural interventions. The arched stone gate and bastioned layout are representative of 17th-century Transylvanian late Renaissance fortifications.Famous residents
To construct the castle, Ferenc Mikó received not only permission from Prince Gabriel Bethlen but also parcels of land that were expropriated without compensation. As a result, his heirs had to pursue legal action to resolve the dispute, although Mikó himself did not live to see the outcome.
Eventually, the castle passed into the hands of Tamás Damokos Jr., chief royal judge (főkirálybíró) of Csíkszék. Located in the heart of the city, the fortress remains a significant symbol of local identity, Székely military tradition, and cultural memory.Present day
Following extensive restoration work in the 1970s, the Mikó Castle housed several departments of the Kájoni János County Library until 2012. Since its foundation in 1930, the Csíki Székely Museum has been located within the castle, with rich ethnographic, historical, and art collections. Today, the castle’s courtyard serves as a vibrant cultural venue: it hosts the annual Early Music Festival of Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), a prominent event in Central Europe celebrating medieval and Renaissance music.Sources
Erdély történeteby Kristó Gyula
