The historical mansion in Orlové, Považská Bystrica. (source: Gino Park Palace)
Orlové, a borough in the town of Považská Bystrica, Trenčín Region, boasts a mansion from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.
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The old manor has been used as a hotel since 2016. However, its rich history can also be admired by the public, in addition to hotel guests. Starting from the new year, the hotel offers a guided tour on the last Sunday of a month.
"We have three time slots, at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, and they are always booked out," Hotel Gino Park Palace's business development manager Elizabeth Šilhanová told the My Považská website.
The tour, for which visitors have to register, lasts about 50 minutes.
Rare chapel
Visitors can walk through almost all areas of the mansion, with the exception of hotel rooms. The most interesting part of the tour is probably the chapel.
"It's a Slovak rarity and the only part of the mansion that is two storeys high," added Šilhanová.
The chapel is a late-baroque sacral building dedicated to Saint John of Nepomuk, also depicted on the main altarpiece. It was added to the mansion in the 18th century. A rarity is the statuette of baby Jesus - the Infant Jesus of Prague, added to the chapel in the 19th century by the mansion owner, Countess Šarlota Majláthová.
Before coming to Orlové, the countess had been a court lady to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sissi.
A large historical park with native trees surrounds the mansion, which was built by Bystrica Castle owner Zigmund Balassa.
Taste Georgian alcohol
A few years after the Second World War, the mansion was taken over by Považské strojárne, a mechanical engineering plant. In 1955, the plant turned the mansion into a dormitory for its employees.
"During this period, the interior suffered the most. They even wanted to turn the chapel into a concert hall, but luckily they didn't succeed," Šilhanová described.
Some premises were used as warehouses. For a short period, the mansion also served as the state district archive, as well as a museum.
Later, there was extensive restoration of the historical building. It gave the mansion a luxurious appearance. The renovation took place between 2014 and 2016.
"The scope of the renovation was large, because it was also necessary to set it up for the hotel operation," said Šilhanová.
Like the hotel, the restaurant also underwent renovation. It can boast an original massive marble fireplace, crystal chandelier and a coffered ceiling. The restaurant serves Georgian wines and cognacs, while the mansion houses a small Georgian exhibition.
©My Považská
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