In mid-July, we visited the castle in Stará Ľubovňa which hosted the ceremonial opening of a new permanent exhibition entitled The Treasury. The display invites visitors to admire the treasures of the noble Zamoyski family, which included Princesses Carolina and Isabel de Bourbon.
The event began with a symbolic act: the grandson of Princess Isabel, Count José Miguel Zamoyski de Bourbon y Navarro, together with Dalibor Mikulík, the director of Ľubovňa Castle, planted a summer oak beneath the castle. Afterwards, they officially opened The Treasury.
Precious objects
Count Zamoyski presented eight rare items he had loaned to the castle. Among them, he drew particular attention to a silver box decorated with floral motifs, which contained a small pouch of Spanish soil. This gift was given by princesses Dolores, María, and Esperanza de Bourbon to their sister, Infanta Isabel Alfonsa de Bourbon, as both a gesture of sisterly love and a keepsake of Spain when she departed for Stará Ľubovňa. Visitors can also admire a diamond-studded prayer book, a silver jewelry casket, a beautiful blue rosary, a diamond brooch, a lady’s necklace, and a rare silk handkerchief worn by Princess Isabel on her wedding day, among other treasures.
Diamond-studded prayer book.
Prayers and fashion both
Once the guests had the chance to admire the collection, a memorial service followed in the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel. It was held for the entire Zamoyski family, with special prayers for Isabel de Bourbon, whose 40th anniversary of passing fell on July 18, the very day of the exhibition’s opening. The service was conducted by Mons. Ján Kuboš and Pavol Lacko. Afterwards, the atmosphere shifted as a fashion show of historical costumes took place, organized by the Fringia civic association. Over the course of the program, the stories of some of the most notable female aristocrats of the 16th to 18th centuries were presented. Audiences saw Elizabeth Báthory – the infamous “Blood Countess,” Anna Rosina Listhius – the “Witch of Šintava,” Žofia Bosniaková – the “Saint of Strečno,” Mária Széchy – the “Venus of Murány,” Julianna Géczy Korponayné – the “White Lady of Levoča,” and others. The dresses and jewelry worn by the models were fashioned over many years, based on archival and iconographic sources as well as authentic finds preserved in depositories or displayed in museums. The evening closed with a festive reception in the Crystal Hall of the baroque palace, rounding off a day full of history, artistry, and remembrance.
The treasures of the Zamoyski family have been brought to light thanks to the dedication of director Dalibor Mikulík and the generosity of Count Zamoyski, who loaned part of his family’s heritage to the museum. Every visitor to Stará Ľubovňa Castle can now experience their beauty and grandeur firsthand.
Peter Závodský (TBS) and Count José Miguel Zamoyski de Bourbon y Navarro.
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