Derelict Rural Heritage: The Case of the Castles in the Lower Mureș Valley, Romania

Castles situated in rural areas occupy a distinctive position within the European heritage landscape, serving economic, residential and symbolic functions. While the great urban royal residences have benefited from constant attention, conservation and valorisation in Central and Eastern Europe, castles in rural areas have often been subjected to systematic neglect. The objective of this study is to analyse three castles (Bulci, Căpâlnaș and Petriș) in the Lower Mureș Valley in Romania, with a view to observing how these symbols of a fragmented past have been marked by historical ruptures, regime changes and marginalisation policies, and the current potential of these castles to be transformed from derelict spaces into spaces of local importance. Should our research contribute to the study of the transformation of derelict spaces of historical castles into invigorating spaces, from a methodological point of view the following three steps were taken: (1) an assessment of the state of conservation and the factors that led to the degradation of these noble domains was carried out; (2) research was conducted on the perception of stakeholders regarding how castles can become a generator of local development; and (3) an analysis of the development proposals around these castles from stakeholders was performed. The study is based on 35 semi-structured interviews conducted with stakeholders and residents of the castle communities analysed, and on a thematic content analysis of these interviews. The findings of the research suggest a state of conservation that is insecure, and the perceptions of stakeholders indicate a necessity for institutional intervention and public–private partnerships. There is also a conviction that attracting large-scale investors is essential for the revitalisation of these monuments. The responses indicate a genuine concern for the future of the castles. The proposals for the development of the castles are oriented towards their utilisation in cultural tourist circuits.