SZENTKÚT PILGRIM CENTER / TAMÁS NAGY

SITE PLAN: SECOND ELEMENT: THIRD ELEMENT:

• The second project element contains the reconstruction of the • The third element was the total reconstruction of the pilgrim’s house
open-air liturgical place with new stone pavings, new benches, built in the thirties.
new stone altars and new lightings. • It contains 25 double rooms with bathrooms, plus a restaurant with a
• The high stone walls supporting the hillside was strengthen, a large terrace.
shop was built behind the buttress, selling religious souvenirs. • Adjacent to the monastery, a new library is located on the second floor
• All the stairs, balustrades, bridges were redesigned and rebuilt. for the monks.
• With a sliding shading system a new facade could be created.

SEVENTH ELEMENT:
• The seventh project element is the Reception Building.
• It is positioned at the entrance of the complex, at the border of the
sacred and profane zone. Its inspiration comes from this unique
LOCATION; position.
The Szentkút Pilgrim Center is located in the North-East region of Hungary, • The plan of the Reception Building is gained from the transformation
in the Matra-mountains, near Mátraverebély village. The place has been
FOURTH,FIFTH AND SIXTH ELEMENT: of this perforated disc – symbolising the lack of Christ.
• The fourth, fifth and sixth project elements form an almost 300 m
visited by pilgrims for almost 900 years because of the sacred water of the • The building is sitting on a sloping site: while the curving reception
nearby springs. Many believes in the miracle power of the water. In the long wing in the foot of the surrounding mountain.
side surrounds a semi-circular arrival square, the perforated „air-side”
• It is a green roof building containing a large toilet complex for
XVIII. century a Baroque church and monastery was built near the springs. of the building is leaving ground, supported by columns with different
the visitors, a multipurpose room for 200 people and three
length and diameter as loadbearing rules demanded.
dormitory buildings for pilgrims. • The arrival side is bounded by an arcade from which the following
• In these buildings the rooms were designed for 8-14 persons.
functions can be reached: toilets, a religious souvenir shop, an art
HOW TO REACH: • All the buildings are surrounded by an open-covered corridor,
gallery and an information center with a conference room.
The nearest railway station is wrapped by a long shading wooden structure.
The bus routes from the different places FIRST ELEMENT:
Mareaverebely from where the • The first is the renovated Baroque church and
to the destination with the time required
destination 50min walk the Monastery.
for travel.
• The Monastery went through a more radical
intervention: replacing all the doors and
windows, roof structure, paving both inside
and outside, adding bathrooms to the cells of
the monks.
• A new courtyard was designed and built for
the monks, it follows the ancient pattern of
An outdoor altar and worship place was
cloister gardens: it is surrounded by a
added around 1930, plus a dormitory
covered-open corridor.
building for pilgrims. Seven years ago the
• The whole structure is made of concrete and
Franciscan Order – who is running the place
wood.
now – decided to develop the complex,
renovate the historical landmark buildings
and build new ones for visitors
/approximatelly 200.000 per year/. The
building complex contains seven elements.

The first is the The second is the The third is the total The fourth, fifth and sixth is
renovated Baroque reconstruction of the reconstruction of the a green roof building
church and the open-air liturgical pilgrim’s house built in containing a large toilet
Monastery. place the thirties. complex for the visitors, a
multipurpose room
dormitory buildings for
pilgrims.