Fairies of Balvanyos
Abstract
Description
Bálványos Castle, perched on Várhegy in Covasna County, is one of the oldest medieval fortifications in southeastern Transylvania and long associated with traces of ancient Szekler idol-worship. A legend tells of István Apor, a pagan noble, who fell in love with Imola, the daughter of a local family. When their forbidden union led to a siege, Imola urged him to accept Christianity to save them. His promise enraged the fairies said to build the castle, and they cursed it to collapse. After the ruins settled, the couple survived unharmed and were finally able to marry, marking the end of the fairies' presence at the fortress.