On April 28, 2024, history and technology converged at Bánffy Castle, Bonțida, with the opening of the digital exhibition “The Lost Statues of Bánffy Castle.” Housed in the newly reorganized lapidary of the former chapel, this exhibition allows visitors to explore the castle’s storied past through their smartphones, using QR codes on a physical panel. This innovative project is part of the SOS Heritage initiative, co-funded by the European Union, designed to share and test best practices in digital content creation and communication.
A Journey Through Time and Technology
The primary goal of this pilot project was to digitize all surviving pieces of Bánffy Castle’s Baroque sculpture gallery and present them as a comprehensive digital collection. Today, these sculptures are located in four different places. Some remain at Bánffy Castle, providing visitors a unique chance to compare the physical statues with their digital versions. Other pieces are housed in the National Museum of Transylvanian History’s Medieval and Early Modern Lapidarium and artifact storage in Cluj-Napoca, as well as at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca.
Mapping the Exhibition
The exhibition panel features a detailed ground plan of Bánffy Castle, highlighting the known locations of the sculptures. This visual guide not only helps visitors navigate the exhibition but also enhances their understanding of the castle’s architectural and artistic layout.
The Historical Significance
Bánffy Castle, Bonțida, once hosted a remarkable gallery of Baroque sculptures, created in the mid-18th century under Count Dénes Bánffy, Master of the Horse to Empress Maria Theresa. Sculpted by Johannes Nachtigall, these statues depicted figures from Greco-Roman mythology, likely inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The gallery, adorned with 37 statues along the interior façade of the horseshoe-shaped courtyard, and additional pieces on the exterior, was a testament to Rococo artistry and the castle’s grandeur.
However, World War II and the subsequent rise of communism dramatically altered the castle’s fate. The main building was ravaged by fire in 1944, and further damage in 1956 led to the collapse of the riding school walls, resulting in the loss of many statues. To protect the remaining pieces from further destruction most were relocated to Cluj-Napoca in 1978 and 1983. Today, these pieces are preserved at the National Museum of Transylvanian History and Babeș-Bolyai University, while the Transylvania Trust Foundation continues to care for the castle and its remaining artefacts.
The Creation of the Digital Exhibition
As part of the SOS Heritage project, this digital exhibition brings together the surviving sculptures of Bánffy Castle’s Baroque gallery in a virtual format. Early in 2024, photogrammetric images of the statues and urns were captured to create detailed 3D models. This digital exhibition allows visitors to view the surviving pieces of Transylvania’s most significant Baroque sculpture gallery in their entirety, regardless of their physical location.
Exploring the 3D Models
The exhibition features 3D models of all surviving sculptures, with each model’s pedestal indicating the name of the mythological figure and the current location of the original piece. By interacting with the models, visitors can uncover fascinating facts about the mythological figures depicted.
The digital exhibition “The Lost Statues of Bánffy Castle” is a remarkable blend of history and technology, providing a unique way to explore and appreciate these priceless artefacts. This project not only preserves the legacy of Bánffy Castle but also makes it accessible to a wider audience, showcasing the power of digital technology in heritage conservation. For more information and to explore the digital models, visit our website. Step into the past and experience the grandeur of Bánffy Castle’s Baroque sculptures, brought to life through the lens of modern technology.
Download the press release of the exhibition: