Deep in the heart of Transylvania, at the northern foot of the Retezat Mountains, lie the ruins of a medieval fortress that few outside Hungary and Romania have ever heard of. Malajesd Castle —known in Romanian as Cetatea Mălăiești —stands as a testament to the region’s turbulent noble history.
Malajesd on my map: https://tinyurl.com/3zrjttx2
A Fortress of the Szerecsen Family
In the Malajesd region of Hunyad County, during the age of the Hunyadis, there lived a Hungarian noble family—the Szerecsen family—who operated as lesser landowners in the western part of Transylvania. Their name is tied to the Malajesd Castle, a 15th-century fortress with a rectangular tower that served both in the defense of the region and as a symbol of the family’s power.
The castle was built by the Szerecsen family, local nobility who dominated this part of the Hátszeg Basin. Construction began in the late 14th century with the central dungeon, a rectangular tower that originally rose to 11 meters before being elevated to 15 meters in later centuries. The walls at the base measured a formidable 1.9 meters thick, gradually tapering to 1.3 meters at the top—a clear statement of both the family’s wealth and the dangers of the era.
The fortress was a medieval residential tower with an oval ring wall and a protected walkway, equipped with arrow slits and bastion-like corner reinforcements. Throughout the 15th century, a circular enclosure wall was added, 22 meters in diameter and 8 meters high, initially equipped with battlements and a protected walkway. By the 16th century, four bastions reinforced the fortification.
From Noble Residence to Ruin
The Szerecsen family held the surrounding region for centuries, until the 17th century, when the castle was finally abandoned and slowly fell into ruin. After the death of Szerecsen István without male heirs, the fortress changed hands, eventually passing to other noble families by decree of Transylvanian Prince Bethlen Gábor in 1613. The first written documents mentioning Malajesd date from this period of inheritance disputes. Destruction came in the 18th century during clashes between local rebels and Austrian troops. Abandoned thereafter, the castle fell into decay, its stones quarried by locals for building materials.
Restoration and Revival
After centuries of neglect, restoration works began in the 2010s, and by 2014 the site was rehabilitated with EU funding. Today, the 12-meter-high tower walls still stand, and the dungeon houses a small museum with a collection of weapons, shields, armor, and coats of arms—including the Corvinus coat of arms. Visitors can also enjoy a telescope in the tower for observing the surrounding landscape and starry skies.
Practical Information
– Location: Malajesd (Mălăiești), Sălașu de Sus commune, Hunedoara County, Romania
– Opening hours: Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00; Saturday–Sunday 10:00–18:00
– Admission: Adults 5 lei, children 4 lei, groups 4 lei/person
– Distance: 16 km south of Hátszeg (Hațeg)
Today, Malajesd Castle has been partially restored, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse into the memories of this bygone noble world—the past of the Szerecsen family and the story of a forgotten castle. For those exploring the historic Hátszeg region, it offers a quiet, authentic glimpse into Transylvania’s medieval past—far from the crowds, yet rich in atmosphere and story.
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Here are pictures of the castle:
