The first phase of the renovation of the palace, in Fertőd, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site Hungary shares with Austria, will cost HUF 1.6bn.
The phase will involve the renovation of the main assembly hall, the music hall, the grand staircase and the summer dining room on the ground floor, said director of the National Trust of Protected Monuments Kálmán Varga. A transparent tunnel, through which visitors can pass and watch the renovation work, will be built in the summer dining room, he added.
Work on the palace's façade will continue, as will landscaping in the courtyard. The roof of the "small palace" at the site will be repaired and an events centre established in the building.
The first phase of the palace's renovation is expected to be completed in early 2011.
The second phase of the project, with a projected budget of HUF 2 billion, should be announced next year, Varga said. It will involve the construction of an elegant reception area.
The palace draws nearly 90,000 visitors a year, but this number is expected quadruple as a result of the renovation work.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
