The Kemény-Bánffy Castle from Luncani
The Kemény-Bánffy Castle from Luncani, Cluj county, was built on the domain that was by then belonging to Gerendi family, as a document from 1268 shows. The next reference on this domain was made in 1270 by István, the son of the Hungarian King Béla the 4th, referring to Péter and Jakab Gerendi and also on “Villa Guerend”.
In 1529 in Luncani there was a diet of Transylvania, and they decided the raising of the Translylvanian nobles against the principle Ioan the 2nd Sigismund Zápolya.
The last time when the Gerendi family is remembered about the domain and the castle from Luncani, was in 1597 when, because of betrayal the family loses the domain and the castle, later becoming possessions of the families Jósika şi Sarmasághy.
As a result of the 2 World Wars the castle suffered damages, especially between 1918-1919, being transformed during comunsim in C.A.P centre, and a big part of the annexed buildings were demolished. In its actual form the castle has 44 rooms.
The Banffy family gets back the castle and some territorial lots in 1990, following that in 2003 the whole fortune to be left as an inheritance to the “Volunteer Bánffy Association” from Luncani village. The Baron Bánffy István left as inheritance to this association some mobile possessions, 53 paintings and some furniture pieces.
The castle was transformed into a center for children with deficiencies.
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