History

Galanta is situated in Southwestern Slovakia, in the middle of the Danubian plain. The Slovak capital, Bratislava, is only 50 km away to the east of the city. In the eastern edge of ​​the town, the river Váh flows. The oldest written record of the town dates from the years 1237-1240. Galanta was developing as a town of nobleman with the right to create markets. In the history of the town, the Esterházy family played an important role and for many years had a tremendous impact on the everyday life of Galanta. The Esterházy family built many buildings in the town. The Neo-gothic castle, originally a fortified Renaissance building from 1633, is among the most significant. In 1736 it was rebuilt in a baroque style. Today's Gothic appearance stems from the renovations of 1861.

Galanta’s neo-gothic castle was built in 1633 by the brothers Daniel and Paul Esterházy during the first period of massive expansion of power and prosperity of the family. Another member of the family, Imrich, bishop of Nitra, rebuilt the object in a baroque style in 1736. The marble fireplaces from this period have still been preserved to this day. The current form of the castle is the result of a radical renovation in 1861 into a romantic English-Gothic style. The castle is surrounded by a landscaped park whose abruptness contrasts with the rich decoration of the facades and the building. The castle is a monumental building that is built in the shape of a U. Side annexes enclose the honourable court. The middle part is two-storied, the side outbuildings are single-storied; these are located directly in the original Renaissance fortification. In the middle of the main building, there is a representative staircase leading to a ceremonial space on the first floor. Facades are richly structured in an English-Gothic style. The interior stucco arches also imitate a gothic style.

The reconstruction of the castle was delayed because of a lack of funds. As part of this project, a new space was built in the attic to increase the capacity of the building. Statically disrupted vaults were strengthened and the building was isolated against devastation. Basement rooms are also available and the ground floor windows were replaced. The building is guarded and secured against devastation. Furthermore, the building is also protected against severe weather. Today there is beautiful wine celler and the stylish coffeteria. More on www.esterhazygalanta.sk