In 1820, Lazar Agošton, a lord in Ečka, opened a new manor house on the left bank of the Begej. Every corner of the village was arranged for the opening ceremony, houses were cleaned and yards and streets were cleaned, tree lines were shaped and triumphal arches were prepared. The head chef was brought from Vienna for the occasion. The carriages and horses shone to welcome 300 distinguished guests from Vienna and Budapest.
The opening was also attended by the famous Count Esterhazy, the richest and most distinguished landowner in Hungary. In the evening of August 29, 1820, a ceremonial torchlight procession was organized so that in the morning the church bells would announce the beginning of the ceremony and invite the inhabitants of Ečka to celebrate and consecrate the castle. After the festive lunch, a hunt was organized for the gentlemen, and a gondola ride on the Great Lake and Begej for the ladies. The highlight of the festivities was the Echan ball, which resembled magic - beautiful ladies' toilets, luxurious uniforms and colorful Bengal fires along the many paths in the park. On the third day, the guests were delighted by Franz Liszt, then a "miracle child", with his virtuoso playing. For years, the castle was a gathering place for hunting enthusiasts, from the country and abroad, whose frequent guests were the Austro - Hungarian heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand and the Serbian heir to the throne Aleksandar Karadjordjevic. World War II and the destruction of the war did not bypass Kaštel either, and the owners left Kaštel forever and went to America. Since the 1990s, Kaštel Castle has been under the protection of the Institute for Cultural Monuments.
Have you been there in person?