Classicist manor house Marháň and the tomb of the Dessewffy family.
The municipality of Marhaň is located in the Bardejov district near Giraltovce, by the river Topľa. It is thought that the municipality is named after its first owner – variants included Margón, Margóna, Margala. Over the centuries, the municipality was ruled by various aristocratic families – the Abovs, the Soos and the Dessewffys. There were originally two manor houses in the municipality, but the newer one was never inhabited. The older of the two manor houses was built in the 30s of the 19th century by Andrej Dessewffy Jr. Perhaps the most famous member of the family is Arisztid Dessewffy – the son of Gaspar, who served in 1848 as a general in Austria-Hungary army. However, he was put on a trial by a military court and executed on September 6, 1849 in Arad (today’s Romania). His remains were brought back to be buried in the family tomb. The Classicist manor house with Rococo elements is a two-storey block building standing in the middle of the municipality in one of its side streets and is visible from the main road. During the 20th century, the building underwent several renovations and served several purposes (local school, cinema, storage space for a unified farmers’ cooperative). Following the most recent renovation, the building now houses a gallery and serves as a cultural center.
In the forest above the municipality there is a large tomb in which General Aristid Dessewffy is buried.
