Discover Săvârșin: Estate, Garden and History

Săvârșin draws attention to a Royal Estate with water features, historic buildings and the Grădina Ascunsă. In the town, the Casa Memorială și Colecția de Artă Eugenia și Eugen Popa adds a memorial house and an art collection to these themes. For planning your trip, the estate’s seasonal opening hours and the various historical dates are especially important. The landscape, architectural history and collection history each have their own focus.

Opening hours and park visits

The Săvârșin Royal Estate is open to the public from 1 May to 1 October every week on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 to 18:00. The park can be visited with a guide. Plan around these days and times, and check the seasonal opening hours again before you arrive. If you plan to visit the park, also take into account that you will be accompanied by a guide.

Lake, bridge and garden

Landscape features were added and renewed at different times around the lake. In 1943, a tiny island was added; at the same time, the eastern shore was adapted for a small landing stage. The island lies in the middle of the lake and is connected to the shore by a birch bridge. This bridge was renewed in 2001. The work on the water features can therefore be distinguished by date: the island and landing stage date from the additions made in 1943, while the bridge was renewed later.

The Grădina Ascunsă, one of the visitor attractions on the Royal Estate, offers a different perspective on the landscape. It is home to trees and shrubs that are relatively rare in Romania, including albizia, Judas trees, Japanese maples and Royal Red maples. There are also Visteria floribunda, several magnolias from America and Asia, as well as hydrangeas, hostas and phlox. While the information about the lake focuses on the island, landing stage and bridge, the garden highlights the diversity of the plants mentioned.

Buildings and historical dates

The first building on the grounds of Săvârșin Royal Castle was constructed between 1650 and 1680. The Micul Pavilion, together with the old stable, is among the oldest buildings on the Royal Estate. It is thought to date either to the second half of the 18th century, during the time of Baron Andras Forray senior, or to be associated with the castle’s second incarnation, between 1806 and 1815. Both possible dates remain in place.

Aleea Stejarilor Bătrâni also has its own historical date: it dates from 1816. Six to eight of the original oak trees remain. Alongside the dates associated with the buildings, the age and surviving number of oaks on the avenue offer concrete reference points for the estate’s history.

Automotive history in two buildings

The Muzeul Regal al Automobilului is located in the restored building of the royal garage in Satul Regal. Another connection to automotive history is the Atelierul Auto al Regelui Mihai I: it was opened to the public and is located in the original part of the building dating from the 1940s. Original tools and spare parts have been preserved there. The distinction between the buildings is clear: the museum is in the restored garage building, while the atelier focuses on the original part of the building and its preserved tools and spare parts. Check current access arrangements before planning a visit to the atelier.

Memorial house and art collection

In spring 2008, the childhood home of painter Eugen Popa and an important art collection with ethnographic pieces became public property through a donation by Eugenia Hagiu Popa. The house was designated a memorial house, and the collection an art collection. The Casa Memorială și Colecția de Artă Eugenia și Eugen Popa in Săvârșin opened to the public in 2008. It is also listed on the Traseul Valea Mureșului tourist route. If you plan to visit the memorial house, it is advisable to check current access arrangements in advance.

The town’s themes thus range from garden and waterside landscapes to historic buildings and the story of a donation and its collection. When planning your trip, you can consider which of these themes is most important to you.

Discover more destinations: Curtici, Fântânele, Lipova, Şilindia, Ghioroc, Ineu, Moneasa, Buteni

For the main travel overview: Arad.