Nádasdy Castle, Nádasdladány

Architects: Alajos Hauszmann, István Linzbauer (1876), Lajos Ónodi Szabó (2021)
Text: Zoltán Dragon
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

After several decades of preparation and construction, Nádasdy Castle in Nádasdladány is now open to the public. The authentic atmosphere and the revival of legends are the achievements the count’s family, who have ceaselessly documented the castle and their lives in photographs and writing. The castle is described as a free-standing L-shaped building with a main wing made complete with a carriage drive and a ground-floor annex. The opposite corner of the main building has a turreted tower with portholes and a lattice roof and a pinnacle at the corners. The architectural restoration has been carried out so as to authentically preserve the Schmiegg Castle, which formed the original core of the complex and hs been integrated into the new building as an annex to it.
Started in 1873 and completed three years later, the Tudor-style designs for the castle were made by István Linzbauer, while the Hall of Ancestors, the library and the chapel were designed by Alajos Hauszmann. During the restoration, special attention has been paid to the presentation of the period engineering solutions and machinery: an animated film shows the central boiler and the rails of the wagons that fed it through the underground corridor, while upstairs, the water-flush and internal communication network, also known as the intercom network, can be viewed. One of the special features of the project is the restoration of the ground-floor conservatory, based on archive photographs, which was demolished by the Nádasdy family in 1940 because of its poor conditions. As a large part of the farm buildings had been destroyed, the restoration of the granary and its conversion into a restaurant is of high priority. Made complete with the addition of a hotel service, the economic self-sufficiency of the castle has also been the focus of attention.

General architecture: TSPC Ltd., Mihály Kádár
Leadig architect: Lajos Ónodi Szabó – Bicske Építő Ltd
Fellow architects: Piros Fáy, Ákos Ónodi Szabó, Gergő Sámsondi Kiss, Ferenc Csurgay, Péter Jakus
Interiors: Helga Porubszky
Monument history survey: András Fülöp
Restauration: Ment-Artis Ltd.
Monument history supervisor: Ildikó Vaszkó
Garden: György Szloszjár – Garten Studio Ltd.
Structure: Judit Aninger – Aninger Ltd.
HVAC: Tamás Vörös – Perfect-Plan Ltd.
Elextrical engineering: József Máté– Ens-Vill 3000 Ltd.
Outdoor public utilities: Szabolcs Dobos – Penta-Kör Ltd.
Insulation: Oszkár Zádor
Rehabilitation: András Pandula
Fire protection: Bendegúz Csuba – OPTOMM Ltd., Róbert Kováts – Szikraeső ’77 Ltd.
Project management: FŐBER
Main contractor: Merkbau Ltd.