Frics (Fričovce) is in Slovakia, founded in the mid-13th century by settlers in the County of Sáros in the Kingdom of Hungary. Before 1330, according to documents, Frics belonged to Palatine Drugeth Fülöp, who received it from King Károly Róbert I of Hungary. After the death of the Palatine, it was inherited by Drugeth Vilmos.
In 1330, the Szalánc branch of the Aba clan exchanged the castle of Szalánc with Drugeth Vilmos (“Vylermus”) for the estates of Bertót, Hedrichfalva, Frics (“Eferych”) and Siroka in the county of Sáros under royal pressure. Frics was later in the hands of the descendant families, the Hedrys, Berthóthys, and Sirokays.
In 1320 the sons of Magister Benedek, son of Merse (“Magister Nicolaus Touth, Petrus, Dominicus, et Merse”) shared their estates, the castle of Sáros (“Castri Sarus”) and also Frics (“villam Frich”). In 1338 the son of Petheuch, Master Mihály, owned Frics (“Frich”).
In 1357 it belonged to the Petőcz family, and in 1360 to the Somos family. In 1403, in connection with Frics, we find the names of Frics Bárius and István, who joined the rebels of Durazzo László of Naples, plundering royal estates and churches in Dalmatia. As a punishment, King Zsigmond (Sigismund) took their lands and gave them to Kelemen of Sáros and György of Hedry.
According to the charter of the Chapter of Szepes dated 24.02.1446, Görgői (Görgey) Benedek is the owner of Frics (“Feych”). On 15 May 1454 King László V ordered the Chapter of Szepes to grant the prelate László of Misle and his brother János, the son of Péter of Syroka, and their listed companions, by way of a new royal grant, the possessions of Syroka, Frich, Hedrych, and Berthold in the county of Sáros, as well as the other listed possessions and the royal right to them, which their ancestors had already peacefully possessed.
In 1510 King Ulászló II confirmed the ownership of Bertholdi Szaniszló with his sons György, Tamás, Mihálly, and Márton, his brother Ferenc with his son Miklós and the remaining Hedry and Frychi family members of the Szalánc branch of the Aba clan in the possession of Berthold, Kis- and Nagy-Vitéz, Hedry, Frics, Siroka, etc.
The castle was built by Berthóthy Bálint between 1623 and 1630, as the inscription reads: “HOC OPVS EXTRVXIT VALENTINVS BERTOTI ANNO 1.6.3.0”. It was built by Sorger Mihály from Eperjes (Presov)(“MICHAEL SORGER AEDIFICAVIT ANNO 1.6.3.0.”). The castle is thought to be the site of a fortified mansion from the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Renaissance castle once had 3 towers, a rampart, and a moat. The walls are decorated with two-colour figural and floral sgraffito paintings by Martin Waxmann. Around 150 mythological and historical figures are depicted in the blind vaults, including Roman emperors, and Hungarian historical figures, but also images of the Hussite general Jan Zizka and the Turkish sultan Amurat. The coat of arms of the Berthóthy family was made using a similar technique. The corner towers have loopholes and there is a series of loopholes under the blind vaults.
We can see similar architectural phenomenons in Késmárk (Kezmarok, Käsmark), Betlenfalva (Betlanovce or Betlensdorf), and Transylvania in Gyergyószárhegy (Lazarea):
More about Gyergyószárhegy: https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/transylvania/gyergyoszarhegy/
More about Késmárk: https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/kingdom-of-hungary/kesmark/
Here is more about Betlenfalva: https://www.hungarianottomanwars.com/kingdom-of-hungary/betlenfalva/
Bertóthy János was involved in the Wesselényi Conspiracy and his property was confiscated by the Emperor. On 1 June 1673, the Szepes Chamber of Commerce appraised the confiscated castle: it was described as large enough, with three towers and decorated with Italian stucco. There was a cellar underneath, but it was empty. The whole castle was walled, already in ruins; on one side an allodial house, three stables, a calf stable, and a pigsty, this whole wing was covered with shingles.
Next to it were two fishponds, and a hunting garden with deer and roe deer. According to the census of 1676, the Fritsch manor was “… once beautiful, now largely deserted, with a garden, an apple orchard…”. On 29 April 1686, the confiscated properties of Berthóthy János were again inventoried and valued, including the Frics Castle.
According to the Chamber census of 1693, the confiscated Berthóthy property was returned to Miklós, the son of Berthóthy János, who restored the ruined castle. On 9 December 1715, the castle was described as follows: “Rectangular four-story castle in ruins, kitchen, bakery, cellarium unum ingens sub toto Castello”. After the death of Berthóthy Miklós in 1739, his daughter was married to Ghillány Domonkos who became the owner of Frics.
The ruined castle was rebuilt in its present form in 1840. The third tower and the outer wall were demolished and the moat filled in. At this time windows were cut into the ground floor walls of the castle. An English park was also laid out around the castle.
In 1867 Myskovszky Viktor wrote about the castle in the columns of the Vasárnapi Újság and made drawings of it. He wrote: “The castle is currently owned by Baron Ghillányi József, and only the rooms on the ground floor are habitable. The rooms on the first floor, namely the large hall with nine windows occupying the whole of the middle part, are in a deserted state, where a colonnade – probably for musicians – with various dancing and merrymaking figures in 17th-century costumes can be seen. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful English park”.
After 1945 it became the property of the Czechoslovak state, and the castle deteriorated. It was renovated in the mid-1950s and again in 1977-78. By the 1990s it had fallen into disrepair again, and in 1998, after it was taken into private ownership, restoration of the interior and exterior began. It is now a hotel and café.
Source: https://varlexikon.hu/frics
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Here are more pictures of Frics:
