Alsóbogát, Festetics-Inkey Castle

Architects: Endre Szűcs, Péter Tóth
Text: Attila Turi
Photos: Endre Szűcs, Csaba Nagyházi

In the category of preserving cultural heritage the minor Festetics castle of Alsóbogát has been awarded Europa Nostra prize. Csaba Nagyházi and his wife, the owners of an art gallery in Budapest bought the deteriorating castle in Alsóbogát in Somogy county which was then used for „the purposes of agriculture”. Their highly refined taste made them aware of the value of the structure even in its disastrous condition, and they did not approach the purchase as a chance of investment. Architects Endre Szűcs and Péter Tóth had been experienced in projects restoring historic buildings. They carefully surveyed the potentials and stood up for restoring the castle to its original function. On the ground floor the partitions built later were pulled down to return to the original interior spatial system in its entirety. As a modern-age invention, the bathroom was created from rooms retaining their original dimensions. The only intervention of radical change was the opening of the two lounges into the terrace which resulted in restoring the asymmetry of the facade. The cellar now houses a community room, a winery and a store room. All the openings were remade based on the available original designs, the attic remained as it was, and while walking along the wooden pavement above the vaulting one can enjoy and admire the Baroque structures and the view of the picturesque chimneys.

Client: Marietta Soóky, Csaba Nagyházi
Architects: Endre Szűcs, Péter Tóth
Fellow architect: Zsuzsa Magó Vámossy
Main contractor: several villager contractors, leaders: Csaba Nagyházy Endre Szűcs
Project management: Csaba Nagyházi, Endre Szűcs, Gábor Szendrei
Monument expert: Henriette Levárdy
Technical installations: László Skrobák
Electrical engineering: János Gulyás
Interior design: Endre Szűcs, Gábor Gereben
Wall eyxpert: László Gere
Restoration of frescoes: Miklós Szentkirályi, Péter Boromisza, Klára Nemessányi, Miklós Gyöpös, Gergely Szűcs, András Heitler, Ferenc Springer
Garden design: Balázs Bucskó
Timberwork: Tibor Réti