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Ráday Castle of Pécel

Castles & Country Houses
The Ráday castle of Pécel is a charming baroque castle, built in the 18th century by the Ráday family, a noble family with highly intellectual interests and who actively participated in public life, until the pre-WW II period, county officers, ecclesiastic officers, ministers... The castle became a leading cultural center.

The wife of Ráday Pál I. (1677-1733) received it as a dowry. He took an active part in the War of Independence (1703-11) against the Habsburgs, as one the most important advisors of its leader, Francis II Rákóczi (1676 – 1735).

After his mansion in Ludány was renovated, he had built this one in Pécel from 1722-1730. His son, Gedeon I Ráday (1713-1792) renovated and extended the castle according to designs of  the Salzburg born Mayerhoffer András (1690-1777) and his son János, and moved the family to Pécel for good.

The beautiful wall paintings of the ceremonial hall were done by Gedeon Ráday himself, inspired Bernard Picart’s copperplates.

Gedeon's book collection of about twelve thousand volumes, included the most excellent works of all branches of science, classical basic readings and the literature of the French Enlightenment. Today they belong to the The Ráday Collection,  an umbrella institution of the reformed church. It consists of a library, an archive, and two museums: the Bible Museum in Budapest and the Ráday Museum in Kecskemét.

The castle is open to the public.

For more detailed informations, see website

 

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Ráday Castle of Pécel

Kálvin tér 1
Pécel
2119
Hungary