Lendava castle is first mentioned in the records in 1192 as a property of the Hungarian noble family Bánffy and was theirs until the middle of the 17th century, when it fell to the Nádasdy family for a short period, and in the 18th century came under the management of the Eszterházy family.
Today it is a massive two-storey building with a mansard roof overlooking the town of Lendava-Lendva. The walls are supported by massive buttresses and the south-west façade is emphasised with a central tower.
The castle was in past centuries many times entirely restored and rebuilt. The present-day Baroque appearance of the castle dates from 1690–1707, following the withdrawal of the Turks from the area, when the Esterházys had it rebuilt to form an L-shaped building as a sign of their loyalty to the Emperor Leopold I. The castle became a show piece of Baroque architecture, and remained in the hands of the Esterházy family until World War I.
The museum collection boasts a permanent archaeological, historical and ethnological exhibition, as well as a memorial room for the most famous sculptor of Lendava, György Zala. The art heritage of Lendava artists is preserved in the institute’s gallery collection, which features a collection of artwork that has emerged from this traditional international artistic community.
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.