Kapetanovo Castle

Kapetanovo Castle is located in the area outside of any town on the road Zrenjanin - Vrsac near the village of Stari Lec in northeastern Serbia. This neo-gothic castle was built in 1904 by the Mayor Botka Bela, who wanted to create a residence that would resemble a medieval castle. In 1991, it was included on the national list of monuments of culture of great importance, and since then it has been protected.

The building is an example of extreme neo-Gothic architectural concept of harmonious proportions. On three sides are high gables, with stepped edges, which rise above the rooftops. On the fourth side of the square is the high tower with serrated endings, which mimics the medieval castles. All windows have severely broken Gothic arches. Its location outside of the village and the exemplary architecture, make this buliding an extremely interesting example of pseudo-medieval castle.

Interesting is the story of Kapetnovo's past. After losing almost all of his wealth on gambling, Bela decided to sell the castle, as the last possible solution to solve his financial situation. After he told his wife Ema about this, she was so devastated that on the night of 2nd of August, 1938, she climbed to the highest tower of the castle, poured gasoline on herself and burned to death. 

That same year, the castle was bought at auction by a wealthy merchant Franc May as a dowry for his daughter. After the wedding, the daughter and her husband Milan Kapetanov moved in, and the castle took his name, that has stayed to this day. During this time, Kapetanovo flourished. The couple created large fountains and gardens all around the castle compound, and the only part that was constantly locked was the tallest tower, where Emma Botka burned herself. Milan Kapetanov kept the castle in their possession up until the end of the Second World War, after which it was seized by the communist Yugoslavia's government. After it was seized, the castle was mostly abandoned and empty for nearly 40 years.

In 2006, vast work on the restoration of the castle commenced, and it was renovated into a restaurant with a hotel. The reconstruction was a faithful restoration of the original design. 

Some say the castle is even haunted. There is a legend that says that every second of August, on St. Elijah, at night in one of the castle's rooms appears a shadow of a woman with long blond hair looking at the Banat plain. Sometimes, when the reapers mow the grass around the castle, on their scythes and rakes instead of grass, they find a strand of blond hair.