Mátra Hills Museum, Gyöngyös – Europa Nostra Main Prize, 2009

Architects: László Eperjesi, Tamásné Kelemen, Zsolt Kurta
Text: Eszter Götz
Photos: René Kalácsi, László Eperjesi

In Taormina in the summer of 2009 Grafit 37 – a team of architects from Gyöngyös – were awarded one of the seven Europa Nostra main prizes for the protection of cultural heritages. Members of the team – László Eperjesi, Tamásné Kelemen and Zsolt Kurta designed the reconstruction of Orczy Castle, the revitalization of the original landscape garden and the newly constructed building to house the museum of natural science on the site of the former orangerie in Gyöngyös. The Baroque-style castle was restored to its original beauty before the remodelling taking place in 1826. Besides the permanent exhibition occupying two storeys now it houses a library and a conference hall as well as an imposing central room for events lit by natural light through the glass roof by day and artificial light by night.