Manor houses Krompachy

Surrounded by the picturesque nature of the Horný Šariš region, in the district of Prešov, in a quiet part of the village of Fričovce, you will find a true gem of Slovak Renaissance architecture. The beautiful Kaštieľ Fričovce manor house dates back to the beginning of the 17th century, when the construction of manor houses in Slovakia was at its peak. Its uniqueness lies primarily in its exterior sgraffito figurative decoration depicting around 150 historical and mythological figures. In addition to its beautiful architecture, the manor house attracts visitors with an excellent restaurant and an adjacent park with small ponds and historical trees.

This charming monument was built between 1623 and 1630 by the Berthóty family. The author of the figurative decoration is the painter and sgraffito artist Martin Waxman. He created the artwork on the building's facade using the two-color sgraffito technique, utilizing ivory and greyish-black charcoal. An interesting feature of the figures is their larger heads compared to their bodies. During creation, the author took into account the vertical perspective of the viewer looking up from below. In terms of content, you can admire up to 150 figures from various fields on the decoration. Here you will find ancient gods, figures symbolizing human virtues, figures from Hungarian and Polish history, kings, sultans, and emperors of the Roman Empire.

In 1998, the Tomko family became the owners of the manor house, breathing new life into the dilapidated building after more than 40 years. Extensive reconstruction included structural repairs, restoration of the exterior, interiors, outbuildings, and the park. The foundation of the greenery consists of deciduous trees reaching ages of 100 to 150 years. You can admire old linden trees, chestnuts, maples, as well as wingnut, mulberry, tulip tree, and ginkgo. Small ponds complete the beautiful scenery. In addition to touring the historical building and taking a walk through the picturesque park, you can also treat yourself to a delicious lunch or sit down for a fine coffee in the manor house. Directly inside the historical premises of the manor house, you will find a popular restaurant with a selection of culinary specialties of Slovak cuisine.

You can combine a tour of this beautiful manor house in Fričovce with an exciting adrenaline adventure: a ride in an armored personnel carrier. Would you like to step into the role of a soldier for a moment and explore the surrounding nature from aboard a tank? Or do you prefer a journey into history and making a trip to the ruins of Lipovský hrad castle? In nearby Lipovce, you can also venture into the mysterious underground of the unlit Zlá diera cave or to an interesting spot defying the laws of physics called the Lačnovská gravitačná anomália. Will you uncover its secret?

This region boasts a wide range of points of interest and attractive, albeit lesser-known, hiking trails. To have enough time to discover them all, we recommend booking accommodation near Kaštieľ Fričovce. The selection of popular cottages in Fričovce and neighboring villages is truly diverse. If you prefer the comfort of a guesthouse or accommodation in apartments, we recommend choosing from the accommodation offer in Prešov. You are sure to find a holiday base according to your expectations here.

The manor house in the village of Markušovce is one of the most representative buildings of the southern Spiš region. Together with the summer house Dardanely, it is situated in the setting of a magnificent French park with three stepped terraces. Come and see the unique exhibition of keyboard musical instruments and historical furniture. At the same time, the summer house is a place where various musical events regularly take place, especially classical music concerts.

The history of the manor house dates back to 1643 and is associated with the name František Mariássy. The original building was in the Renaissance style. Following a change of owners, it was rebuilt into the Rococo style between 1770 and 1775. Shortly after, the new owner Wolfgang Mariássy had the summer house Dardanely built in the garden. The manor house served its owners as a fortified residence for over 100 years. Following extensive reconstruction of the manor house, which took place between 1983 and 1994, a permanent exhibition of historical furniture is located here.

The main goal of the historical furniture exhibition is to point out the development of individual types of interior accessories and their chronological arrangement from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century. Individual pieces originating from the older period of classicism, empire, or Biedermeier can be found on the upper floor. Furniture from the younger period, representing historicisms, can be found on the ground floor. The exhibition is complemented by examples of crafts and applied arts, and you can also find collections of glass, porcelain, and period costumes. Also interesting is the collection of historical weapons, clocks, and mirrors. A special part consists of paintings by prominent painters such as J. Rombauer, J. Czauczik, or J. J. Stunder. The exhibited pieces of furniture come from Kaštieľ Markušovce as well as Kaštieľ Hodkovce.

The magnificent representative hall in letohrádok Dardanely is decorated with grand frescoes and still serves as a concert hall today. Did you know that this charming building was constructed specifically to welcome Emperor Joseph II? In the summer house, you can view a splendid exhibition of historical keyboard musical instruments, which is the only one of its kind in Slovakia.

The manor house in Markušovce together with summer house Dardanely is definitely worth visiting. And if you still have the urge to explore, put on your hiking boots and head to the Hornádska kotlina. Approximately 5 km from the village of Markušovce, you will find Markušovský skalný hríb, which is reportedly the largest of its kind in all of Europe. Children will surely be delighted if you visit the zoo and Alex park in Spišská Stará Ves with them. The Spiš region is practically packed with great attractions, so book your dream holiday today. You can find a wide range of accommodation in the vicinity of Kaštieľ Markušovce on our page accommodation Markušovce. We wish you a successful holiday full of unforgettable experiences.