The Preservation of Ottoman Monuments in Hungary: Historical Overview and Present Endeavours

Abstract

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the central territory of Hungary was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. This long occupation resulted in the creation of what are the northernmost examples of Ottoman architecture in a cultural environment framed by non-Muslim structures. Since 1699, when the Ottoman Empire lost its influence over its Hungarian territories, Islamic religious buildings became private property or came under the maintenance of the Church or monastic orders. In 2013, an extraordinary process began: with the official cooperation and the financial support of the Republics of Turkey and Hungary, experts from both countries initiated projects to preserve and restore the Ottoman monuments in Hungary. Although a similar approach had been adopted in many countries in the Balkan Peninsula ‐ for example in Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Kosovo, this was one of the first attempts at an institutionalised, global dialogue on the preservation and restoration works of Islamic sacral heritage within both Hungary and the European Union. This article presents the history of the preservation and restoration works of Ottoman heritage in Hungary. In addition, some of the unique structural features are outlined as these will be taken into consideration during present and future restoration efforts.

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“…The previous bell tower and minaret were demolished and replaced with a bell tower, a metal mechanism that could rise at any time. A contemporary understanding of conservation approaching the past periods with respect is in line with Article 11, written in the Venice Charter, and traces of the period when the building was a mosque (window arches, exterior facades, muqarnas traces, pencil works) are preserved (Kovács & Rabb, 2020).…”

“…Situated beneath the mosque is a museum facility. Adjacent to this site, specifically beneath the administrative edifice depicted on the right-hand side of the frame, archaeological excavations have uncovered remnants hypothesized to be associated with an Ottoman-era madrasah (Kovács & Rabb, 2020). Figure 17 focuses on the newly appended section now serving ecclesiastical functions as part of the church.…”

“…Figure 17 focuses on the newly appended section now serving ecclesiastical functions as part of the church. While the original structural elements have been preserved, additional mural work has been integrated into the overall design scheme of the new ecclesiastical extension (Kovács & Rabb, 2020).…”