The renovation of the castle of Diósgyőr can start – VIDEO

Photo: www.diosgyorivar.hu

The implementation of the complete reconstruction phase announced long ago has been delayed for some time but, according to the latest government decision, the investment can start next year with more than ten billion forints (€28 million) in state support under the Modern Cities Program, with the missing HUF 1.5 billion.

According to epiteszforum.hu, in a 2018 resolution, the Government provided HUF 10.191 billion (€28 million) to the local government for the full construction of the castle. The tourism development of Diósgyőr Castle, completed in 2014, provoked serious controversy at the time due to questioning its historical authenticity, but it is fair to say that thanks to György Szekér and the design work of Gyula Cséfalvay and Judith Botos, it was preceded by historical and archaeological research. At the time, the construction was carried out along the results of these preliminary studies so that the building could be given additional tourist functions, which could thus become self-sufficient.

Photo: www.youtube.com/borsodihirek

To give just one example, they tried to build the supplemented wall structures with stones of exactly the same porosity and texture as the original stones, only in a slightly different shade that distinguishes the new and old additions. Needless to say, this is one step more advanced than the narrative practice of the 20th century, as the possibility of distinction was seen mainly in modern materials at the time, but we now know that reinforced concrete, for example, is not the right component to coexist with medieval walls.

Photo: www.diosgyorivar.hu

For the time being, there is no information about which office will record the new visual designs presented in the video shown below, which was released in 2017, and whether a design change will be made. The construction of a 19th-century castle with a moat is envisioned for the original historical ruins.

In February this year, the investment started with a loss of one and a half billion forints, and then the Public Procurement Supervision Department of the Prime Minister’s Office stated that the implementation of the project was this way endangered, so no statement of support was issued. However, yesterday’s issue of the Magyar Közlöny contains a resolution according to which six billion will be granted this year and then another four billion forints in 2022 within the framework of the Modern Cities Program. One and a half billion forints is covered by the local government, so it seems that the complete construction of the castle can finally be realised.