Restoration of the Hunyadi Castle in Banat, planned for two decades, begins

Restoration work on the Hunyadi Castle in Timisoara will begin after the signing of a contract for the renovation of the four-cornered bastion fortress, Timis County Council President Alfred Simonis announced on Friday.

One of the most spectacular buildings in the Banat town used to house the Banat Museum, but it has been closed for years due to its deteriorated state. Its renovation has been 20 years in the making, and it will not be easy, as the medieval building has been found to have structural problems.

County President Alfred Simonis said on his Facebook page that the renovation, which is about to begin, will be the most comprehensive restoration work in the history of the building, and is expected to restore it to its original state.

According to the county president

The intervention will involve reinforcing the supporting structure and foundations of the four corner bastions, drying and reinforcing the walls, followed by minor works. The renovated building will house the Banat Museum.

From Charles the Great to the Revolution of '48, the site has felt the storms of history

The predecessor of the Hunyadi Castle in the centre of Timisoara was built by the Hungarian King Charles Robert. János Hunyadi had the building fortified and used as a residence as the Prince of Timis, and it remained in the family until the death of King Matthias.

The castle was destroyed during the Ottoman siege of 1552, and after the liberation from Ottoman occupation, an artillery barracks was built on its site around 1727. Damaged by the 1848 Revolution, it was rebuilt in 1856 in an eclectic style. High neo-Gothic windows and other features reminiscent of the old fortress were added. Its restoration was delayed because of the high cost.

Money for the project comes from four different sources

The restoration and conservation work will be carried out with a budget of around 150 million lei (€29.5 million) and is currently estimated to take three years.

According to previous press reports, the funding will come from four different sources: the National Recovery Plan (PNRR), the Earthquake Buildings Rehabilitation Fund, a Romanian-Hungarian border cooperation project and the support of the county government.