Construction has begun on the Orthodox Christian Dialogue Center project, which we will carry out in a consortium with Épkar Zrt. This complex is the former Károlyi Palace, located in Budapest’s 8th district at the intersection of Múzeum Street and Ötpacsirta Street. A key historical significance is that the palace is part of a complex of buildings created in the late 1800s, which we now call the Palace Quarter.
We face a major challenge, as we must preserve the historical values throughout every stage of the work. Previous renovations have affected the more valuable, ornate spaces only minimally, if at all. Among the building’s outstanding historical treasures is the fresco by Károly Lotz, created around 1897, located on the ceiling of the grand staircase, which depicts the myth of Aurora. In addition, several rooms feature Rococo-style stucco ceilings and ornately carved wood paneling. In perhaps one of the most ornate rooms on the first floor, the wood paneling features various motifs depicting the sciences, hunting, music, and the arts. In this and similar rooms, supraports can also be seen above the doors.
The goal of the project is for the Orthodox Christian Dialogue Center to serve as a venue for community events, religious conferences, retreats, and various seminars, as well as for local, national, and even international church and religious events. The goal of the renovation work is to restore the building to its original, historic, and heritage-listed architectural appearance. Furthermore, by implementing modern solutions, we aim to achieve a significant reduction in long-term maintenance and operating costs.
In terms of its layout, the lot is a corner lot on which Count Ede Károlyi’s palace was built facing Múzeum Street, and Count Sándor Károlyi’s palace facing Ötpacsirta Street. Sándor Károlyi’s apartment building, connected to the palace, was constructed on the southern side of the lot. On the southwestern and western sides of the lot, adjacent to the former stables, stands Ede Károlyi’s apartment building, which connects to the northern part of Ede Károlyi’s palace from the northwest. The buildings completely encircle the lot, creating an enclosed courtyard between them in a closed-row layout. During construction, a church in keeping with tradition will also be built on the site of the aforementioned stables.
