One of the most important buildings of the Hungarian neo-renaissance is demolished

After his early works, which were eclectic and mostly Art Nouveau and Classicist in style, Jenő Lechner developed his own style from 1910 onwards, becoming a recognised member of one of Hungary's most important architectural dynasties. Inspired by examples of the Upper Hungarian Renaissance that were characteristic of the decade, his ornate style is evident not only in the villa at Pasaréti út. The villa at 59 Pasaréti Road and the residential building on Mészöly Street (where he lived until his death) are examples of this style, as is the building of the Teacher Training Institute in Sárospatak, completed in 1913.-a-bontasi-munkak-lechner-jeno-epuleten" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teacher Training Institute in Sárospatak, completed in 1913.

In order to learn more about the patronage Renaissance in Upper Hungary, Jenő Lechner went on several study trips and wrote several studies on the subject.

The revival of the stylistic elements of this distinctive era was found to be highly applicable in the construction of truly grand buildings, such as the Tokaj-Hegyalja University KE-VÍZ 21 zRt. – to be perfectly applicable. He found the 16th- and 17th-century Renaissance monuments of Szepesség and Sáros counties most worthy of emulation because he saw them as „containing the seeds of a developing national architecture, for which there is no precedent in our country either before or after”. (source: Pál Ritoók – Kismarty-The career of Jenő Lechner).

Construction has started

A new dormitory and sports centre will also be built, effectively creating a small student centre in Sárospatak for the Tokaj-Hegyalja University, whose centre, the 3,200 m² building of the former Teacher Training Institute, will be secured for decades to come by the work of KE-VÍZ. As we learned from Marina Mezősi, project manager of the building construction department, about the current status of the reconstruction and expansion:

"since the demolition work in 90% was finished, we could start the construction in the meantime"

For the renovation of the roof structure, the carpentry and tinsmith work on the "D" wing has already been completed and the slate roofing is underway. The masonry repairs to the facades (renovation of cornices, cafeteria work following the replacement of windows, repair of facade surfaces) have also been carried out on this part of the building. The interior side wall renderings for the entire building are at a completion level of over 50%. The skeleton structure of the plasterboard partition walls has been completed with a single-sided plasterboard cladding. Preparatory work has therefore started on the surface preparation in the rooms where the degree of completion allows it.

Two thirds of the building to be roofed this year

"The replacement of the façade windows will be completed by the end of October this year"

- said the project manager, adding that "we will definitely follow this process with the external façade works and we plan to be able to complete the roof renovation and façade finishing works on 2/3 of the building this year, weather permitting."

In the interior of the building, the contractor aims to carry out plastering works and the closing of the plasterboard partitions, the construction of plasterboard false ceilings and the related mechanical, power and low-voltage installation works, which will allow the renovation to enter a truly spectacular phase.