The Betliar Manor House

          The picturesque village of Betliar is situated seven kilometres far from the historical mining town, Rožňava. The village is proud of the noble manor house with its original equipment and collections. Devastating World War II left only three manor houses in Slovakia untouched: those of Orlové, Hodkovce and Betliar. Unfortunately, only Betliar, the manor house of the Andrássy family, has been preserved until now.

          In the Middle Ages, Betliar formed part of an extensive feudal estate owned by the Bebek family. Assumingly, it was the Bebeks who had a small water castle built at the place of the present manor house. However, the Bebeks had to leave the territory of Upper Hungary in 1566. Their property became the possession of the imperial court and was administered by captains of the Krásna Hôrka Castle. In 1578, Peter I. Andrássy was commanded to Krásna Hôrka, whereby almost the four-hundred-year "reign" of the Andrássy family began in the region of Gemer. The Andrássys held the post of castle captains for many years, but Mathias II was donated the Krásna Hôrka castle and the Betliar estates to hereditary ownership in 1642 by Emperor Ferdinand III. At the end of the 17th century, the family property was divided and two family branches were established: the older one resided in Betliar, the other one, that of Dlhá Lúka (Hosszúrét) or Monok, stayed at the Krásna Hôrka Castle.