Fantast Castle

Fantast Castle

Fantast Castle (Serbian: Фантаст / Fantast) is a Serbian castle built by Bogdan Dunđerski from 1919 onwards. Dundjerski family originally came from Herzegovina to Vojvodina (Serbia) in the late nineteenth century and at one point he owned 1500 hectares of land.[1]

The castle became one of the most famous castles in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. After 1945, it was heavily bombed and seized by the Communists at that time, who proclaimed it as a state wealth. Most of the original furnishings have not been returned and today 65 hectares is what remains.

It is said that Bogdan Dunđerski built the lavish castle and lands to prove to all that he was not bankrupt as had been rumored. He never married but it was known that he had a great fondness for fine women, horses and wine.[1]

Today

The castle's park

The castle lies 12 km from the town of Becej and about 60 km from Novi Sad and today it is used as a tourist destination, where it serves as a hotel with restaurant. Tourists are free to enter and explore the castle's large park and the mausoleum where former owners are buried as well as play on the tennis courts and use the runway for small airplanes.[1]

A fully functioning horse stable and farm still exists, it was famed for producing some of the best thoroughbreds in the lands, once numbering 1400.

There is also the Church of St George, inside of which is a painting of the Virgin Mary by the artist Uroš Predić, however it is said that the face was changed to that of Mara Dinjacki (the blacksmith's wife), whom Dunđerski was in love with.[2] There is also a small ostrich farm to visit and guided tours around the castle and lands are 1 euro per person.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Dvorac Dunđerski (Fantast), Bečej". www.serbia.travel. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "The Fantast castle, built by Bogdan Dundjerski". www.viabalkans.com. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "Fantast Castle". www.thetravelclub.org. Retrieved 31 March 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fantast Castle.

Coordinates: 45°39′09″N 19°54′07″E / 45.6526°N 19.9020°E