The palace being rebuilt in Buda Castle is now really coming into its own

The reconstruction of Archduke Joseph's palace on Szent György Square in the capital is progressing according to schedule. The project, which is taking place in Buda Castle, is being carried out by Magyar Építő Zrt. on behalf of Várkapitányság Nonprofit Zrt.. The National Hauszmann Programme, the official website for the renovation of the Buda Castle District, reported on the status of the work, which began in July 2021, on its Facebook page.

Rebuilding from scratch the palace blown up in 1968

The entry also reveals that the palace of Archduke Joseph Károly was completed by 1906, after the rebuilding of the former Teleki Palace, in the historicist style, based on the designs of Flóris Korb and Kálmán Giergl. The building suffered serious but not fatal damage during the siege of Budapest in 1944-45, but was nevertheless blown up in 1968 for ideological reasons.

As part of the National Hauszmann Programme, the palace will be rebuilt in its original state, and will in the future be home to the Constitutional Court.

One of the most complex parts of the reconstruction is now underway

The report recalls that the structure of the building reached its highest point last April. The palace's grand staircase and ballroom are now structurally complete and will be restored to their original turn-of-the-century appearance. The contractor is currently laying the foundations for the loggia and gates of the József Garden, which borders the building to the north.

The entry also mentions that earlier this year, work started on the roof of the Archduke Joseph Palace, which is one of the most complex parts of the reconstruction. The new steel and timber structure of the roof, which covers a total surface area of 3,000 square metres and consists of 27 different planes, has already been completed.

The most spectacular part of the roof covering, the decorative tile work, is still ongoing. As part of this work, a number of edge and ridge ornaments are being made, which will be the real jewels of the roof.

Visually no less than conventional technology

The installation of the façade elements will be one of the most interesting phases of the building's rebirth. The work will involve the installation of traditional carved stones on the plinth and a ventilated and lightweight cladding system mounted on heavy-duty brackets.

The advantage is that less carved stone is needed to "dress" the building, it is faster to install and fix, and it is visually no different to traditional technology," says Magyar Építő.