Heltai House, also known as the “Printer’s House” lies in the old fortress of Cluj on Matei Corvin street.
In spite of its exterior aspect, the house is one of the oldest buildings in Cluj and it was built in the 15th century by the Eppel family.
In 1544, a 24 years old young man moves in – Caspar Helt (Gaspar Heltai is how he is known by the Hungarians), who would later become one of the most well known authors, editors and printers of Transylvania. Right in this house Heltai opened in 1550 the first printing house in Cluj and the most active printing press of Transylvania.
In the same house prince Ştefan Bocskai of Transylvania was born in 1557. His father had been arrested and kept as prisoner in Heltai house, following the orders of Janos Zsigmond. In one of the rooms we can still find Stefan Bocskai’s emblem sculpted in 1606. Over the time the house was also the residence of counts Teleki and Bethlem.
A passage has been discovered recently under the building with a height of 1 meter and a length of 3 – 4 meters. It is presumed that this passage used to serve as a hideaway.
Text preluat de pe visitclujnapoca.ro.
