Špicer Castle: A Private Residence in Serbia
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- Medium
- Country
- Serbia
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Austria-Hungary, Habsburg, Hungarian
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Castle
History
Špicer Castle is a private residence in Beočin, Serbia, built between 1890 and 1892 for Eduard (Ede) Spitzer, one of the principal shareholders in the Beočin cement works. Architect Imre Steindl designed the castle in an eclectic style, combining Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements with Art Nouveau, a late-19th- and early-20th-century style known for decorative, often flowing forms. Its interior reflects the Hungarian Secession, a regional movement related to Art Nouveau, and includes a large central hall and a large window above the central staircase.
Before the Second World War, the Spitzer family left Beočin. The castle later served various purposes before it was abandoned. It is now owned by Serbia and listed as a protected cultural monument, though the building is in poor condition.
