Extended renovation for landmark Matthias Church

The renovation of Budapest's Matthias Church (Mátyás-templom) will be completed two years later than originally planned, in summer 2012, writes hirextra.hu, based on a report by state news wire MTI.

The parish which has owner rights to the church said that the cause of the delay is financial and technical problems.

The renovation works started in 2004. Before that date, the church had not been repaired for four decades.

External repairs will continue next year, meaning that services and visits to the church's interior will not be affected, said Balázs Mátéffy, assistant director of the cultural center of the church. A decision will be made in February on what method will be used to renovate the dangerously dilapidated tower of the church. Two methods are being considered: replacing, or chemically enforcing the stone. Mátéffy added that the costs of the two are roughly the same.

Mátéffy also said that the reconstruction of the roof will be completed next year. The Zsolnay ceramic tiles are currently being replaced with 150,000 new Zsolnay tiles. The renovation of the stone facades started this year and will also continue next year. But restoration of the Mária-kapu - a gate which dates back to the Middle Ages - the 19th-century Gara Chapel and the bell tower are not expected to start until 2009, as these works require special permits.

The renovation of the inside of the building will start in the two museum rooms and on the choir gallery at the end of 2008.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle