The Museum of Applied Arts, designed by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, was inaugurated in 1896. The use of ceramic ornamentation on the building makes it one of the most distinctive in the capital. But decades of pollution from vehicles on the street in front of the museum, one of Budapest?s busiest thoroughfares, have taken their toll, said museum director Zsuzsanna Renner. The main entrance hasn?t been touched for at least 70 years, she added.
The first phase of the restoration, involving the tiles on the walls on either side of the entrance, took place in 2008 and 2009 at a cost of more than HUF 8 million.
Repairing the tiles proved a formidable task, as there is no space between them, said restoration expert László Czifrák.
The second phase of the restoration focused on the tile-covered ceiling of the entrance. The tiles were cleaned and covered with a special coating that will protect them from the elements at a cost of HUF 15.6 million.
In the third of phase of the project, the wrought iron fence in front of the museum will be restored. The phase is to be completed in 2011.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
