Former Ruttner House and Castle Gardens to be Revived

A tripartite agreement has been signed by the Self-Government of Veszprém Municipal City, Veszprém-Balaton 2023 Jlc. and Veszprém Regional Court. The agreement facilitates the development of the Veszprém Dungeon Museum, the former Ruttner House, and the Castle Gardens area. 

The award of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) title is an international recognition for the exceptionally rich cultural life of Veszprém city and the surrounding Bakony-Balaton area. The ECoC title gives us the opportunity to establish one of the most significant cultural-creative regions in the country. The expected results will not only impact our society but also the economy, putting the region on a new development trajectory and paving the way to genuine cooperation within the area.

As early as the bidding phase, VEB2023 Jlc. made a list of infrastructural developments aimed at reviving existing but out-of-function dilapidated buildings in the city to fill these with new life and functions, thus boosting the commercial, tourism and cultural life of the city centre. Under this scheme, the development of Veszprém castle and the Dungeon Museum in its territory, 8 Jókai St (the former Ruttner House), and 17 Vár St (locally called Castle Gardens) were planned with possible connections between them to raise the castle’s status as a tourism attraction.

The subject of the agreement signed today is to reach the above listed targets with joined forces, contributing to the realization of the VEB2023 – ECoC projects and programmes. The agreement settles the Regional Court’s property management duties and objectives, the procedural rationalization of the dungeon’s operation, and the infrastructural investments necessary to achieve these goals. Under the agreement it is the duty of the Regional Court as a trustee to oversee the conservation of the national property it manages and preserve this piece of cultural and architectural heritage for future generations. A shared task of the Self-Government and VEB2023 is to invigorate Veszprém castle’s tourism and cultural life, which involves a necessary development of the exhibition located in the dungeon currently under the Regional Court’s management.  

Ruttner House is a locally protected heritage building which is at present out of use. The aim of the development is the renovation of the building and the creation of an exhibition space, a restaurant section, and a hostel which could accommodate school classes on field trips. A guard box adjacent to the Castle Dungeon Museum (in fact, the Regional Court building) is located above Ruttner House. Demolishing the guard box and simultaneously opening up a new entrance to the prison museum would provide easier access to the exhibition and at the same time make it possible to avoid crossing the area of a functioning Regional Court. With the installation of a lift, the new entrance could be turned into a barrier-free admittance point, which will further enhance VEB2023 equal opportunities aspects.

17 Vár St, Veszprém – the so-called Castle Gardens national heritage building is likewise out of use at present. The development planned for the building is full renovation and a new designated function as a venue for creative visual and performing arts. This building is also suitable to serve as an admission facility to the dungeon museum without disturbing the Court’s work. 

Detailed information on the concept of these developments will be made available in March 2021, with necessary procedures possibly launched in that month.