In the Middle Ages, the settlement of Gilău belonged to the Diocese of Transylvania and was part of the episcopal estate located west of Cluj, the centre of which was the Maiden’s Fortress (Cetatea Fetei) in the 14th century, built south of the village of Florești. The settlement of Gilău was formed near the Roman fort and was first documented in 1246. The medieval fortress (castrum) of Gilău is mentioned in documents starting from 1428, the bishops’ residence (domus habitationis in castro Gyalw) from 1456, and their palace (pallatium) from 1465. Likely after the peasant revolt of 1437, the centre of the estate was also moved to the episcopal fortress at Gilău. At the end of the 15th century, the erudite bishop László Geréb (1475-1502), cousin of King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490), continued the construction of the fortress and the decoration of the episcopal palace. Only a few fragments of the architectural decoration of this fortress remain today, such as bishop Geréb’s coat of arms, a fragment of an alabaster pastophorium and a pillar decorated with a relief of St Michael, the patron saint of the Diocese of Transylvania. These pieces date from around 1500. Their importance lies in the fact that they are the first architectural elements of the Early Renaissance in Transylvania, influenced by the decorations of the royal palace of Matthias Corvinus in Buda.
Between 1542-1543, the fortress was rebuilt during the time of bishop János Statileo (1528-1542), under the supervision of the fortress’s castellan, Péter Moré of Galați, with a square layout, with four cylindrical towers at the corners. In 1556, the properties of the Diocese of Transylvania came into the possession of the tax authorities, and the fortress became, for a shorter period, the residence of Queen Isabella Jagiellon (1519-1559), who returned to Transylvania in the same year.
Between 1633-1643, the estate came into the possession of the tax authorities once more and was taken over by Prince George Rákóczi I (1630-1648). Between 1638-1652, the medieval fortress was completely transformed into a castle at the initiative of the prince and became a representative princely residence built in the Late Renaissance style. The episcopal palace building inside the enclosure was demolished and the four wings were built along the walls of the fortress, while the corner towers were preserved.
(Illustration) Aerial photograph of the monument and its surroundings, photographer Máté Szabó, 2019
(Illustration) The southern façade of the castle, first half of the 20th century (Zempléni Múzeum, Szerencs)