Turea (Türe) – Cluj County
Built in the second half of the 18th century, the Bánffy Mansion in Turea (Gârbău commune) has turned into a ruin filled with trash. Although it is listed as a historical monument in Cluj County, time has taken its toll on the building at No. 14.
The Bánffy Mansion in Turea, the Bánffy Family’s residence until the Compromise
According to the inscription above the main entrance (1774 G.B.M.), the Bánffy Mansion in Turea was built in 1774 by Count Bánffy M. (possibly Miklós, though this is uncertain). The Bánffy family resided here until the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, after which the estate became the property of Colonel Aladár Wilburg. Wilburg converted the manor into a barracks. It appears he was also the mansion’s last legitimate owner.
After Wilburg’s death in the war, the mansion was used as a courthouse and later as the seat of the local council. Subsequently, the baroque-style building housed the Agricultural Production Cooperative (CAP), during which most doors and windows were replaced. Only the windows near the main entrance remained untouched, featuring butterfly-shaped locks.
The Bánffy Mansion in Turea, filled with trash from the 80s and 90s
During our visit in February 2023, the surroundings of the Bánffy Mansion in Turea were light-years away from their former elegance. The courtyard, overgrown with weeds, and the unsightly annexes have stripped away any remaining beauty from the collapsing building. The roof is destroyed, rotting beams have punctured the ceiling. Rooms are filled with garbage left from the 1980s and 1990s, while the doors and windows are broken.
Rumor has it that years ago Gârbău’s Local Council initiated steps to take ownership of the Bánffy Mansion. In reality, the building, which lacks a property title, is only vaguely mentioned in the commune’s 2014-2020 development strategy. The document uses generic language to talk about the „real tourism potential offered by the historical monuments and churches in the area.” Just empty political rhetoric with no concrete plans.
Beyond the lost history, only the piles of trash and legends about the Bánffy Mansion in Turea remain, told by the few people who still care. It’s hard to believe there will ever be enough clarity, involvement, and goodwill to save this historic building…