Memoirs concerning the Reconstruction of the Esterházy Castle in Tata

Architects: Csaba Molnár, Viktor Szentkuti, Dénes Halmai
Text: Zorán Vukoszávlyev
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

The National Project of Castles and Castle Events embrace the renewal of 33 historic buildings – 18 castles and 15 forts to be restored to their original glory, and enriched by new functions so that they can present themselves in a worthy condition in the variety of facilities offered by contemporary tourism. The Esterházy Castle in Tata boasts of a history of rich architecture and political history that enables it to shape our common memory. The National Project of Castles has a decree about the designs of the rehabilitation of this building with a dedicated role, meaning the project could be started quickly. Interventions started in 2015 as restoration surveys to define the surfaces for intervention and in 2016 in the design stage the main principles for utilization were phrased. The team of designers including Csaba Molnár, Viktor Szentkuti and Dénes Halmai employed the decision-making mechanism in Tata which has been proven as effective, well-calculated and efficient in the Marionette Theatre in Fertőd. The concept by Szentkuti started from the condition of a „readily found object” and thus had the chance to standardize a configuration in a relatively good condition.

General design: M Építész Iroda Kft.
Leading architect: Vikor Szentkuti
Architects: Dénes Halmai, Csaba Molnár DLA
Fellow architects: Marica Horváth, Lelle Kovács, Regina Pethő, Giselle Ramiro, Kinga Sámson, Tamás Vörös DLA, Balázs Zsoldos
Framework: dr. László Kakasy
Structure: dr. Miklós Armuth
HVAC: Zsolt Almási
Outdoor public utilities: Györgyi Petkovicsné Kiss
Electrical engineering: Csaba Zentai
Weak current: Gyula Bosch
Fire protection: Dr. Károly Gombik
Rehabilitation: András Pandula
Landscape: Anita Szabadics
Elevator: György Schmelzer
Lighting: László Kralicsek, János Farkas
Restoration: András Seres