Description of the attraction
The White House is an architectural monument of the 17-18th century, which for a long time was the family residence of the Transylvanian princes of Rakoczi, who left a significant mark in the history of the city. Today, the palace is surrounded by later urban development, but earlier it was an architectural dominant in this area of the city.
Construction began in the year 67 of the 17th century, and for almost a century the palace looked completely different than today: the building was erected as a one-story baroque building of natural stone, square in plan, with an open gallery. A distinctive feature of the palace - a white facade - became the reason for the popular "nickname" of the White House. In the 20s of the 18th century, the Austrian Counts of Schönborn became the owners of the castle, having carried out a serious reconstruction, which resulted in the current appearance of the building. The reconstruction was carried out under the supervision of the Austrian architect J. B. Neumann. In the course of the work, the doors acquired a U-shaped plan, the second floor, natural stone was supplemented with brick, and the features of a lighter Renaissance joined the lush Baroque. At the same time, the decoration was also added to the central entrance in the form of an elegant Baroque portal and open stairs.
Despite a thorough reconstruction, many elements of the original building have survived: the cross vaults, stucco decoration for windows and the interior, stone frames for window and door openings. The entrance to the territory of the residence is preceded by a beautiful wrought-iron gate with a massive fence.
