Batthyány Heritage Centre Reception Building and Theatre, Körmend

Architects: Dániel Tamás Kiss, Péter Tóth 
Text: Eszter Götz 
Photos: Antal Garai, József Németh, Morfo Kft.

Situated in Körmend, the Batthyány-Strattmann mansion ranks amongst the five most significant castle complexes in Hungary. Built as a fortified castle back in the 15th century, it was transformed into a border fortress during the Turkish conquest, and then into a Baroque-style castle which has preserved the style of its old glory till now. The auxiliary and outbuildings have come down to us up until the 20th century in their revivalist Classicist style. Starting to badly deteriorating a few years ago, the castle still preserves the armour collection of the duke family, as well as their archives and highly valuable library. The complex has now been revived as Batthyány Heritage Centre which also houses several new functions besides the old ones. The restoration of the complex as a protected building was accompanied with the restoration of its live connections with the town. During the past forty or so years a lecture hall was housed in the Classicist style stables. The theatre is now a visitors’ centre, which is the cultural and tourism centre of the whole town and thus regained its direct nexus with it in the direction of Szabadság Square. The facelifting of the castle enhanced the cultural life of the nearby town. The reception building acts like a prelude to this. The revival of the landscaped park of the castle which is rich in rare plant species as well as their ancillary rooms is yet to come. The same holds true for the Hunting lodge built in 1884 with the park surrounding it which is to be converted into a research centre of science and local history.

General design: Ernőné Tölgyesi  – Renoterv Kft.
Interior design: Dániel Tamás Kiss, Péter Tóth – MORFO Kft.
Fellow designers:  Lilla Leposa, Péter Szabó, Anita Krizsán – MORFO Kft.
Structure: Zoltán Bukits – Pannon Archikon Kft.
Electrical engineering: József Molnár  – Renoterv Kft., László Bognár  – Fényáram Mérnöki Iroda
HVAC: Zsolt Kaposi – Renoterv Kft.
Acoustics: András Kotschy – Kotschy és Társai
Client: Körmend Város Önkormányzata
Main contractor: ZÁÉV Zrt.