The contract for the funding, which will cover much of the HUF 1.6 billion cost of the phase, was signed in the Eszterházy Palace in Fertőd by Jácint Horváth, director of the Western Transdanubian Regional Development Agency, and Dr. Kálmán Varga, director of the National Memorial Preservation Agency. State secretary for culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture Ferenc Csák also spoke at the signing.
The project aims to develop the castle and its surroundings in a way that transforms it into a sustainable tourism and cultural business. It lays the foundation for cultural, tourism and entertainment infrastructure that will significantly boost visitor numbers, thus raising revenue.
Developments made at the castle over the last several decades, such as minor restorations and renovations of its façade, have not led to results that are sustainable in the long term. Experience has shown that only a complex development scheme for the region around the palace can produce this result.
The Estzerháza, Central European Cultural Centre Project was launched to expand the number of tourist attractions at the palace. The first steps of the programme involve, renovating the façade of the palace that faces the park, renovating the courtyard and reconstructing the grand hall in the palace's main building, to be followed by the reconstruction of the Apollo Chamber, the Haydn Chamber, the Sala Terrena, the Summer Dining Hall and the grand staircase. The reconstruction of the roof of the puppet theatre and the construction of a parking lot are also part of the programme.
The government made the HUF 1.6bn phase of the palace renovation a priority project in November 2007, creating the possibility for access to more EU funds for buildings of special cultural importance.
The phase is expected to start in the spring of 2009 and finish in 2011.
Photo: Nemzetimuemlek.hu
