The lonely tower above the fields can stand for another 200 years - the demolition of ROM Vándor in Tolna is complete

The fifth sacred monument, the 14th-15th century Somölyi Chapel, restored as part of the Market Építő Zrt. ROM Vándor programme has been handed over. The project, with a budget of HUF 25 million, included professional conservation work, landscaping, and the incorporation of contemporary architectural elements into the ruins. The heritage preservation investment was financed entirely by the construction company, and the related preparatory work, the complex licensing process and the implementation were also coordinated by the company.

The ROM Vándor programme, launched by Market Építő Zrt. in 2021, aims to discover, preserve and promote our domestic Árpád-era sacral architectural heritage. The church ruin of Somoly is the fifth successful project of the programme, following the church ruins of Tök, Kövesdi in Asovő, Csákányospuszta near Tatabánya and Varjaskeri in Somogyszentpál.

The ceremony was addressed by Kristina Deák, Deputy State Secretary for Monument Protection and Cultural Heritage, Sándor Scheer, Founding CEO of Market Építő Zrt., Budai-Vajk Ildikó, Mayor of Regöly, and Belecz Péter, Programme Director of ROM Vándor. As part of the inauguration ceremony, Pastor Tamás Lábár blessed the sacral monument.

The village church, deserted since the castle wars, was saved

The gothic church on the outskirts of Regöly in Tolna County is a reminder of the former village of Somoly, which was finally depopulated during the Fifteen Years' War. The remains of the building, abandoned for centuries, were only conserved in 1963 by the National Inspectorate for Monuments and Sites on the basis of plans by Klára H. Nándori. The monument has deteriorated considerably in recent decades. The main objective of the interventions carried out under the ROM Vándor programme was the professional protection of the remaining monumental values. The project involved the structural strengthening of the preserved centuries-old brickwork, the professional treatment of cracks in the tower using modern wall-seaming techniques, the coherent consolidation of the different masonry units, the restoration of the original plasterwork, the creation of a lightning protection system and the landscaping of the ruin and its approach.

Preserved for centuries

As a result of the environmental planning and restoration work, an access route to the ruin has now been created and the area around the disturbed ruin has been cleaned up to ensure that the site can be safely walked around and to provide a coherent landscape. And in what has now become a tradition, a company volunteer day with nearly fifty employees planted flowers and shrubs, enriching the protection of the inner "green island". The trees surrounding the ruin were cleared, pruned and tended.

One of the unique features of the ROM Vándor programme is that it does not just preserve the ruins, but reinterprets their sacred and communal role through restrained contemporary architecture in keeping with the spirit of the place. This was also the case in Regöly, where two unique "benchmark" contemporary architectural tools were integrated into the building. The first is a steel lightning rod that serves both a technical function and as a cross, creatively linking the lightning protection of the building with its sacred function. The other is a unique suspended metal sculpture inside the tower, which, when viewed from the centre of the horn, forms a soaring dart - in Christianity a symbol of the Holy Spirit, purity and innocence. It is through this installation that the architects address visitors: "Arrive and look to the sky!"

"For us, value creation and preservation, as well as patriotism, are not empty words, but a responsibility for the built heritage that shapes our national identity and culture, manifested in real actions. The ROM Vándor programme is a fine example of this spirit, based on the Market community partnership. During the volunteer days, our staff put their heart and soul into saving a forgotten monument, the added value of which cannot be measured in monetary terms. We believe that respect for tradition and a commitment to heritage conservation is our fundamental duty, so that the values of the past can be passed on to future generations in a renewed and inspiring form" said Sándor Scheer, Founder and CEO of Market Építő Zrt..

"Since its birth, the Hungarian heritage protection has considered the exploration and preservation of our Árpád-era churches a priority task. It is a special pleasure to see that the century-long mission of the great founders, Imre Henszlmann, Arnold Ipolyi and Flóris Rómer, is now being carried on by the Market Építő Zrt. ROM Vándor programme, giving new impetus to the work of the great predecessors. Today, when these scattered ruins can no longer rely on the sustaining power of the local community, the significance of this programme is particularly appreciated. Not only does it physically save a piece of our national heritage, but it also strengthens local communities and provides a deeper knowledge of the building history of the period through documentation using modern tools." - added Krisztina Deák, Deputy State Secretary for the Protection of Monuments and Cultural Heritage.