The perfect harmony of intention and necessity
Renaissance of the Dubniczay Mansion in Veszprém
MúzeumCafé 18.
It’s no exaggeration to say that, four years after its re-opening, the Dubniczay Mansion has risen from the dead and become one of Veszprém’s major attractions. Previously the building had to be concealed from the view of the world-famous performers and their fans arriving for the annual Veszprém Festival. Today, however, with the Bishop’s Palace facing it, the mansion provides a grand setting for the concerts held in the town’s Holy Trinity Square. The renovation of the Dubniczay Mansion, which had experienced many vicissitudes, was so successful that it was awarded the Pro Architektura prize of the International Council on Monuments and Sites. In the opinion of the judges the architects had preserved the inherent merits of the building, while the new elements gave voice to a modern architecture which created a harmonious unity with the old parts. Today the wonderful mansion is the home of an exquisite collection. Everything that has happened in Veszprém’s Castle District, where the mansion is situated, was initiated with the aim of repositioning the town as a tourist attraction. The condition of the Dubniczay Mansion, a potentially fine example of a late Baroque edifice, had become disgraceful, and from the start it was clear that local resources for the project were limited. Reconstruction of the mansion, and with it the creation of a collection unique for its kind, was a true success story – there were no accounting problems, nor was there any social or political opposition in connection with project. Could another exhibition have been installed? Initially there was no plan for the compilation of the noted art collector Károly László to find a home here, but it was the good fortune of Veszprém that the decision makers met him just when he was able to offer what they were looking for.