Humenné Mansion

Humenné Mansion, also called a castle, was originally built for the Druget family in the Renaissance style. After the Andrássy family took ownership in 1819, it was remodeled in the Neo-Baroque style. Together with its surrounding park, it is a national cultural monument and now houses the Vihorlat Museum. It ranks among the largest and most sprawling manor buildings in Slovakia.

The earliest structure on the site was likely a medieval moated castle, which—along with the nearby castles of Brekov and Jasenov—came under the control of the Drugeth family in 1317, after being invited by King Charles Robert of Hungary. Traces of this earlier fortification were uncovered during renovations in 1966. A Gothic castle is mentioned in a 1449 record of a fire that followed its occupation by Hussite mercenaries. Local legend speaks of an underground passage connecting the castle to Jasenov Castle, about three kilometers away. Excavations have revealed a passage heading in that direction, but it stops after 50 meters; a short underground corridor was also found inside the castle itself.

Major rebuilding began in 1610, when the Gothic fortress was turned into a four-winged Renaissance castle with a large square courtyard, four corner towers, and an extra tower at the former Gothic entrance gate. After another fire in 1684, the castle was rebuilt again. When the Drugeth family died out that same year, ownership passed to families including Keglević, Althan, Zichy, and Csáky. Around the mid-18th century, the interior was significantly redesigned, adding a Sala Terrena, illusionistic ceiling paintings, late Baroque figurative scenes, and richly furnished rooms such as the Coin Cabinet, the Maria Theresa Salon, the Hall of the Hungarian Kings, and the Chinese Salon. The inner courtyard arcades were walled up, a large balcony was built on the south wing, and attics were added.

In 1812, through the marriage of Etelka Szapáry to Count Károly Andrássy, the castle entered the hands of the Andrássy family, who, like the Drugeths, are closely tied to its history. During the late 19th century, the exterior was redesigned in a pseudo-Baroque style modeled on French châteaux, and both a French and an English park were laid out nearby.

Shortly before the end of World War II, the castle was damaged.