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The revitalization of the Bánffy Castle, Bonŝida, Romania - Setting up the Specialization Centre in the field of rehabilitating the built heritage

Once known as the Versailles of Transylvania, the Bánffy Castle is one of the most famous castles in Romania. Due to its precarious condition, in 1999/2000 the Castle was included on the list Of the Most Endangered 100 Sites in the world created by the World Monument Watch. Transylvania Trust, together with the Institute for Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), Ministry of Culture in Romania and British Council, has identified a way to rehabilitate one of the most important historical monuments in Transylvania and to use it for specializing a new generation of qualified workers in traditional crafts.
The objectives of the project
  Revitalizarea castelului BánffyRevitalizarea castelului BánffyRevitalizarea castelului Bánffy
 

To rehabilitate Bánffy Castle in Bonŝida as an International Specialization Centre for the Rehabilitation of Built Heritage and a centre for cultural and associated activities.

To create a group of professionals and specialized workers whose knowledge and skills will contribute to the development of a national specialization strategy in the rehabilitation of the built heritage in Romania;

To create a group of workers specialized in traditional crafts in the field of constructions;

To improve communication between qualified workers and experts;

To ensure direct exchange of knowledge and information between Great Britain, Romania and the countries of the Carpathian Area, and at inter-regional level in Romania;

To contribute at the improvement of the living standard of the community through regeneration, the growth of working places at local level and the multiplication of cultural facilities.
 

Activities carried on
  Reabilitarea Castelului BánffyReabilitarea Castelului BánffyReabilitarea Castelului Bánffy
 

The International Specialization Centre for the Rehabilitation of Built Heritage was opened in 2005 and is located in one of the main buildings of the Castle (the Miklos building). Emergency interventions necessary for securing the structural stability of the building and its resistance to bad weather were undertaken in 2003 with funds obtained from the World Monuments Fund. There were set up facilities for seminar halls, laboratory and library by continuing the consolidation and rehabilitation works. The protection area of the Castle was rehabilitated by improving the natural surrounding environment.

The students of the Centre have been specialized in the technology of the rehabilitation related to the professions of carpenter, stonemason and stonecutter, through theoretical and practical modulus. The Castle is also a Centre for applied studies for the universities which organize university and post-university courses for architects, civil engineers, archeologists, art historians and landscape architects.
 

Organizing "Bonŝida Cultural Days"
 

The Castle was opened to the great public and is to become a very important regional cultural centre by hosting presentations, art performances and conferences. The community is thus enjoying cultural activities and the Specialization Centre encourages, through educational and cultural programmes, the process of making the public familiar with the historical environment - buildings, landscape.

"Bonŝida Cultural Days" are addressed to all nationalities (Romanians, Hungarians and Gypsies live in equal proportions at Bonŝida) and have become more popular since they have been launched in 2002. The programme includes the music and the dance of these nationalities, concerts, theater and special programmes for children. "Bonŝida Cultural Days" also offer the possibility of popularization of craftsmanship local products and of other initiatives (such as Magic Pencil for children of the British Council) and involve the public in the work of workshops which take place at the castle. The presentation offered by The Equine School Incitato is a real success every year. The number of the participants has grown each year, their good mood shows a major change in the perception of the historical environment in Romania.
Where? When? For how long?
The project was implemented in the Bánffy Castle in Bonŝida, in the Miklos building and in the building adjacent to the stables. The rehabilitation works took place between July 2004 and June 2005. The specialization of the qualified workers was achieved in 3 modules, each one consisting of 2 weeks in the months of July, August and September 2004. The continuous dissemination of information was assured through exhibitions and presentations at international conferences, during the implementation of the project.
Long term results
Through this project the buildings of the castle were rehabilitated and a specialization centre was established in order to facilitate the rehabilitation of the historical monuments all around Romania and in the surrounding countries.  The project has assured the regeneration through rehabilitation offering working places to the local community and a market for the local services and products. Thus, the diversification of the economy and the growth of development opportunities for local businesses are intended. These tendencies have already been observed during the first working stages.
The role of the co-organizers

The project was carried out by three institutions with vast experience in the field of historical monuments rehabilitation and of the development of cultural heritage.
Transylvania Trust ensured the project management, the recruitment of specialists and of Romanian students, led the fundraising activities and obtained the necessary authorizations for the rehabilitation and edited the publications of the project.
The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) ensured the consultancy and the surveillance of the rehabilitation works, through the experts who conducted the specialization and recruited British specialists who worked together with the local professionals in order to specialize the students.

The National Office for Cultural Heritage in Hungary led the research programme for facilitating the rehabilitation process, recruited students from Hungary and from the neighboring countries and brought professors and technical experts.
The beneficiaries

The specialists involved in the rehabilitation of the historical monuments through co-operation, know-how exchange and experience at international level;

The local economy: the rehabilitation of the Castle leads to regeneration, involving the utilization of local services and materials;

The local community, through the multiplication of the working places and the possibility to participate at an organized programme of the cultural events;

Bánffy Castle, which through the rehabilitation and the regeneration process, becomes an important educational and cultural centre, which will ensure its utility and durability in time;

The Eastern European Community at a larger scale through the dissemination of information by the students within their local community;

The students, by acquiring knowledge and expertise; the best students will come back to the Castle as professors during the course.
Added value and co-operation at European level

The rehabilitation of important historical buildings at international level;

The British know-how transfer in the field of the rehabilitation of historical monuments in the benefit of the Carpathian Area countries'.

sag mic The consolidation of the co-operation between Romanian, Hungarian and English specialists and professionals;

The regeneration of the traditional crafts in the field of constructions within the Carpathian Area.
The financing of the project

The total value of the activities developed within this project was of 173149.80 Euro, out of which 85000 Euro from the European Commission, 15000 Euro from the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affaires, 8500 Euro from the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), 8500 Euro from the National Office for Cultural Heritage, Hungary, 6157.45 Euro from private Romanian companies, the income generated by the project was of 4996.71 Euro, the rest being covered by funds obtained by Transylvania Trust.
 

Transylvania Trust Foundation
14/a, Breaza Street, 400253 Cluj-Napoca, Cluj County, România
Telephone/Fax: 0264-435489
E-mail: cshegedus@transylvaniatrust.ro

Web site: www.transylvaniatrust.ro, www.heritagetraining-banffycastle.org
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