The village of Markušovce is a major treasury of cultural monuments
in Spiš and its history is linked to the Máriássy family.
According to the first written mention from 1280, Markušovce arose
as a border and guarding village. Its landmark is the medieval castle
(fortified mansion ) and the Church of Saint Michael.
An important monument in the village is the originally Renaissance
Máriássy manor house from 1643, built by Francis Máriássy III.
The building’s rococo style is from the years 1770 to 1775.
Currently, the building is managed by the Spiš
Museum in Spišská Nová Ves and it shelters the Exhibition of
Historical Furniture. It displays the development of furniture art
from the Renaissance to the first half of the 20th century,
complemented by applied art objects.
The surroundings of the manor house are adapted as a French park. The
Dardanely summer house is located on its highest terrace, an
important Rococo architecture monument in Slovakia. Wolfgang (Farkas)
Máriássy permitted it to be built in the last third of the 18th
century for social and ceremonial reasons. Currently, there is an
exhibition of keyboard instruments, with a unique collection of small
organs - positives, pianos, clavichords and table pianos of Slovak
provenance. The hammerklavier is an extraordinary instrument, made
by Carl (Károly)
Schmidt, the manufacturer from Bratislava, richly decorated with
inlays of mother of pearl, ivory and metal. He made it in 1846 for
Count Mariássy. The community hall upstairs stands out due to the
Greek mythology fresco. It’s used as an exhibition area and a
concert hall, hosting classical music performances. Mostly Christmas
concerts are a tradition here. The Dardanely summer house is also
a center for a music history department, along with all the
museum’s professional activities.
The Spiš Museum still maintains contact with Heidi Máriássy, who
lives in Stockholm, and the family living in Košice.