Situated in the town of Holíč in western Slovakia is the only private residence of the Habsburg family in today's Slovakia. It was a summer manor house used by Emperor Franz Stephan of Lorraine and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa. In 1963, for its monumental and grandiose architectural concept and its historical background it was declared to be a National Cultural Heritage site.
The original forerunner of the Manor House at Holíč was constructed in a strategically important place, on the frontier between Moravia and Hungary, as a stronghold to protect the western border of the Kingdom of Hungary. The first written mention of the building dates back to 1205, it is referred to as the Wywar (Water Castle). The stone castle located on the Hungarian border mainly watched over the surrounding area, but it also became the administrative centre of the estate. New requirements for the quality of housing in the 14th century resulted in extensive construction activities. In the 16th century, the castle, as were many other aristocratic residences, was gradually rebuilt to provide a more comfortable Renaissance residence. As pressure from the Ottoman's grew over the following century, it was later fortified. The fortification was in the shape of a star with bastions.
The house was owned by Comes Kemyn, Matthew III Csák, Stibor of Stiboricz, the House of Schlick, Bakić and Czobor and finally, in 1736, it moved into the ownership of Franz Stephan of Lorraine. The richest man in the monarchy was well able to afford the financially demanding reconstruction of the stronghold, which was executed in several stages, which took place between the 1740s and 1760s. This gave rise to a monumental building and the only example of the Theresian style in Slovakia. The building and its large surrounding grounds significantly dominated the landscape. Although today we are not sure who was the architect of the reconstruction, we know that part of the construction works in Holíč was managed by Andreas Winthalm and the largest orders went to Tadeáš A. Karner. The architect could have been one of the following: Jean N. Jadot de Ville, a builder from the Imperial Court of Vienna, Jean J. Chamant, a painter and architect, or Franz A. Hillebrandt.
The House of Habsburg-Lorraine owned the manor house up until 1921, when it was handed over to the First Czechoslovak Republic.
Today, the manor house is the property of the town of Holíč. The town is not only reconstructing and restoring the manor house to its former glory but also the adjacent areas.
Veronika Chňupková
