Apor Mansion

The Apor family is considered to be one of the oldest and most significant families in Háromszék; they bought a considerable amount of land in Altorja in 1309 (Altorja used to belong to Felső-Fehér District). The medieval residence of the family was destroyed when Prince Mihai`s army invaded Transylvania in 1600. But later, in the first part of the 17th century, it was reconstructed on royal mayor Apor Lázár`s command, one of the most significant official personalities in the history of Kézdiszék. The model of the newly constructed residence might have been the mansion of Zabola decorated with wall-paintings that has been demolished. At that time the mansion was formed of three rooms, a kitchen and a pantry. Construction was finished under Apor András` guidance (Apor Lázár`s son). According to a document, the house was painted in 1651.

Later, the mansion, which had undergone serious damages made during the armed attacks led by Thököly, was transformed in 1693 in late Renaissance style by Apor István (1638—1704). His constructions are signaled by stone doorframes with the year carved in them, the stucco decorations on the ceiling of the southwestern rooms, and by a marble, carved tablet that has and inscription and the coats of arms of the two families – the Apor and the Farkas (1696). He enlarged the building with two rooms decorated with stucco and two basements placed under the two rooms. It was this year when the painted decorations of the rooms were also made. The decorations of the windows representing the figures of some women were opened up in 2004. The feet of the ovens, made in Renaissance style, also date back to this period.

Memory-writer Apor Péter (1676--1752) used to live in this mansion for almost 50 years, and he presumably made some alterations on it. In the middle of the 1710s the house named Gabonás Ház, was built in the surroundings. Other significant alterations were made by Counsellor Apor Lázár, who repaired the roof immediately after acquiring the house. The old kitchen with open fire was transformed, the entrances of the rooms were modified, and he also built the multi-leveled porch in classical style.

In 1947 Apor Péter (1888-1982, Lord Lieutenant of Háromszék from 1940 to 1944) was evicted, and the building was overtaken by the state. For almost half a century the building was used by the local state farms. After 1989 the mansion became the property of the Apor family again, thanks to Apor Csaba.