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Ráday Castle of Pécel
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.
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Ráday Castle of Pécel