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Symbolic spaces for Hungarian literature – the reborn home of Péter Esterházy

Published

2026. 01. 26. 10:27

Magyar Építők

Péter Esterházy's renovated villa in Rómaifürdő opened its doors on Hungarian Culture Day. The Hungarian Literature Friends' Creative House (MIBA) Foundation and Market Építő Zrt. ceremoniously handed over the creative house that was born from the writer's former home.

The former home of Péter Esterházy in Rómaifürdő, which was renovated through the joint efforts of Market Építő Zrt. and the construction companies it approached, will now serve as a home for culture-loving communities, a creative hub, and a venue for cultural events. rel="noopener">Market Építő Zrt. and the construction companies he approached, has been renovated to once again become an inspiring space for communities.

They exerted great effort to succeed.

The eight-room building, which had been vacant for a long time, was put up for sale. Writer Miklós Vámos took up the cause of the house and succeeded in getting the Óbuda-Békásmegyer Local Government to purchase the villa in cooperation with MIBA (Creative House of Friends of Hungarian Literature). This made it possible for the building to continue to serve as a venue for cultural events.

When Miklós Vámos, György Dragomán and Daniel Kehlmann received the keys to the property, they were confronted with the fact that the house, which had been vacant for almost six years, had deteriorated significantly and would require urgent renovation work before it could be used.

It was then that Market offered to carry out the work essential to the operation of the house free of charge as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.

The plans were drawn up pro bono by Prof. Levente Szabó, Ybl Miklós, Prima and Pro Architectura award-winning architect and head of the Department of Public Building Design at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, with the involvement of the Hetedik Műterem team. The preparation and design were supported by the staff of Lean Tech Mérnökiroda Kft. from Market Csoport, who also accompanied the project during its implementation.

The aim was to preserve the original character of the house with as little alteration as possible: to retain the appearance it had during the Esterházy family's time.

This is also served by the fact that Esterházy's study, with its original objects and furniture, will be open to visitors as a memorial site.

A host of helpers came forward

The number of participants in the project alone represents the extent of the joint effort to preserve value, as numerous companies and individuals contributed to saving the building:

Ács-Bádogos-Szigetelő Kft., Bakart Kft., Color-Fess Hungária Kft., Dirickx Kerítés Kft., Dósa Padló Kft., Dörken Kft., Dummel Dániel, Harappa Kft., Hetedik Műterem, Hörmann Kft., Hydroproof Kft., Interamind Kft., Katona Manufaktúra Kft., Kisvakond Zöldtetőépítő Zrt., KM Parker Kft., Knauf Építőipari Kft., Layher Kft., Market Building Services Kft., Merkon, OKM Kft., Őszkorona Kft., Prefa Hungária Kft., Power-Roof Bt., Stabil Építő Kft., TGP Kft., Tilux Kft., Velux Magyarország Kft., Vilati Szerelő Zrt., VMZINC Raktár és Szervizközpont/Zambelli Colorferr; YooWC Kft.

Renewal from the roof to the garden

Market Építő Zrt. carried out the renovation as part of a genuine construction industry collaboration, drawing on its own professional experience and extensive industry connections. During the renovation, the existing roof structure was cleaned and structurally reinforced. The building was given a new roof, the unused chimney was demolished and another was relocated. The eaves boards were also renewed. The villa was insulated and a new electrical network was installed. The project went beyond the walls, with landscaping work also being carried out.

On Hungarian Culture Day, the time had come for Miklós Vámos, co-founder of the MIBA Foundation, Dr. László Kiss, Mayor of Óbuda-Békásmegyer, Levente Szabó, lead designer of Hetedik Műterem Kft., and Sándor Scheer, CEO of Market Építő Zrt., to hand over the symbolic spaces to the next generation of Hungarian writers, who were thus given the task of preserving freedom of thought.

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