A multidisciplinary investigation of the Konopi mansion in Odvos, Romania

Abstract

Architectural heritage represents one of the most important assets of a local community, as it embodies their authenticity and spirit of place. This paper takes a look at the nobiliary manor houses in the extra-urban area of the county Arad, which is located in the western part of Romania, close to the border with Hungary. Along the Mures River, there are many manor houses and the interest and curiosity for this type of former residences of the nobility in Romania has increased in the last few years, whether we are talking about entrepreneurs who want to restore them to their former glory or passers-by curious to discover hidden treasures in rural areas. This architecture, that of the extra-urban noble residences, is a particular feature of the Modernity, very valuable in terms of cultural heritage because it was the result of a culture of the European area. It can be said that the noble architecture of the region Banat-Crișana is a result of the regional interpenetration of Central European canons. Early modern noble residences –known by their classical architecture – are characteristic of rural landscape of the Mures Valley, with more than ten such mansions and buildings of high historical value. Of these, the Konopi mansion, whose architecture makes its presence felt in the consciousness of the community, as it marks the silhouette of the Mures valley. The aim of this paper is to study the manor house and the ensemble Konopi and the way in which the residences were thought of and perceived at the time, both from the point of view of their function as a dwelling and as a symbol of the family power in the countryside. The overall objective of this paper is to identify the ways to intervene on the Konopi Castle complex and to generate a strategy for its long-lasting functioning so that the historical monument of regional and local interest can be left for future generations.