Reconstruction of Wenckheim Castle, Szabadkígyós

Architects: Csaba Balogh, Ágnes Deigner, Levente Sirokai, Péter Sónicz
Text: Zoltán Dragon
Photos: Levente Sirokai

After the Wenckheim-Almásy Castle in Gyula, the Wenckheim Castle in Szabadkígyós became a place of arrival for both the family who built it and the architectural firm that managed the reconstruction. For Krisztina and Frigyes Wenckheim, it was here that they finally found a home instead of Gyula, and for Konkrét Stúdió, it was the experience they gained during the project in Gyula that enabled them to reconstruct a manor house and its interior.
The destruction and decay of the castle was hastened by the World War II, the flight of the Wenckheim family and the evacuation of their belongings, as well as by nationalisation, when it was used as a vocational school specialised in agriculture and food industry. The restoration of the castle took place between 2019 and 2022 within the framework of the National Castle Programme, coordinated by the NÖF (National Heritage Conservation Development) Nonprofit Ltd. During the reconstruction project, the main focus was on preserving the original, as this ensures the authenticity of the view of the site.

Project owner: Prime Minister’s Office, National Castle Programme, NÖF National Heritage Protection and Development Non-profit Ltd.
General planning: Konkrét Studio
Architects, interior architects: Csaba Balogh, Ágnes Deigner, Levente Sirokai, Péter Sónicz
Fellow architects and interior architects: Soma Pádár, Soma Pongor, Judit Radovics, Dávid Toronyi, Ági Vértesy
Landscape: Ágnes Herczeg – Pagony Landscape and Garden Architects
Structures: Zoltán V. Nagy – Lapidárium Engineering
HVAC: Attila Lucz – Hvarc Engineering
Building structures: Károly Nagy – Épszerkinfo
Electrical engineering: Judit Balázs – Artvill
Public utilities: József Mult – Mult és Fia
Roads: Krisztina Grosz – Fejér Európa
Fire protection: György Decsi – Fireeng
Water technology: Endre Rudó – Rudó Studio
Kitchen technology: Katalin Harangi – Artakim
Environmental expert: Géza Kiss Leizer – Enviworld
Building history: Zsolt Virág, Zsuzsanna Bulbuk, Beáta Ulreich, Erika F. Dóczi, Márta Csukai, Klára Kovács, Márta Velladics
Archaeology: Zsófia Nádai, Zoltán Fullár, András Koppány
Garden history survey: Ágnes Bechtold, Zita Németh
Restoration survey: Anikó Bottyán, Melinda Bölöni, László Kovács†, János Papp, Marianne Kemény, József Sütő
Monument history experts: Márta Velladics, Éva M. Nagy, Anna Mária Tarbay, László Bíró
Curator of the exhibition: Péter Tóth G.
Project management: NÖF National Heritage Protection and Development Non-profit Ltd.
Main contractor: Modinvest