Reconstructing Long Lost Buildings: The Example of the Buda Castle District

A tour and discussion

Event Overview

Reconstruction of destroyed pre-war historical buildings has occurred in numerous cities across Europe since World War II, yet they remain controversial projects. Should we look backward to look forward? Is it a good idea for a republic to restore monuments of a monarchic past? Is reconstruction an honorable tradition or an architectural dead end? Reconstruction supporters argue that not only buildings but justice will be restored through these reconstructions, while opponents criticize many of the reconstructions as inauthentic and “fake.”

On a walking tour in the Buda Castle District, we will investigate and discuss questions like the meaning of authenticity, function, symbolism, and design, as well as aesthetics and urban landscape through the example of the Hauszmann Program. The program, launched by the Hungarian government in 2019, aims to faithfully restore the built heritage that was destroyed and lost during World War II and the ensuing communist years. As a result of the rebuilding projects, the city will regain buildings that have been unseen for 70 years or more and will forever alter the landscape and look of Budapest.

Event Details

The 2-hour tour, led by CSS–HU director Orsolya Domaniczky and Stephen Sholl, will begin at 2:00 p.m. CET at the Fishermen’s Bastion in front of the statue of St. Stephen.

Following the tour, we will engage in informal discussion at the Ybl Bistro, where refreshments will be served.

This event is limited to fifteen people. Registrations are on a first come, first served basis. Please note that CSS members enjoy priority.

The Architecture and Beauty Event Series

This event will be the second in a series of three events on architecture and beauty taking place this season. These events provide a foundational and educational experience about topics like aesthetic judgment, the history of modernist architecture, and the new classical revival, as well as the meaning of harmony and wholeness in buildings. All three events highlight the importance of beauty in architecture and in the design of humane places, as well as present the antagonisms that modernist architecture creates in contemporary environments.

The first event was a reading club on traditional and modernist architecture, and the third event will be a lecture by a distinguished architectural critic.