Műemlék-helyreállítások tegnap, ma, holnap (A 27. Egri Nyári Egyetem előadásai 1997 Eger, 1997)

Előadások - The phylosophy of monument restoration Debate – moderator: András ROMÁN

important while - maybe a bit heretically -1 think it can't be confused with originality. A restoration can be perfectly successful while it doesn't use much original material. One of my favorite exampels is the case of the Luczern Bridge, which burnt down in the Summer of '93 and it was restored by the Summer of '94 in its original form. So the main criteria met the demands and in this sense the restoration of the historic monument was successful but it is more like reconstruction. To cut it short I think authenticity is an essential measuring instrument but it must be true what a resoration of a historic monument achieves and demonstrates. János Sedlmayr That question is one of the most difficult ones to answer. We've already held couple of conferences and if I remember well the comprehensive and final result of it has not come out yet. It is difficult for the reason because considering its material, I can't take it authentic as it has already been changed. We have to consider it new material. I don't trust the formal authenticity. It is nearly impossible to imitate the work of a man from the 13th century on the same kind of stone in comparison of a man from the 20th century let alone the machines. It is possible that the mouldings can follow the perfect form of a certain period - mouldings with silicon- but it is true only for the stones not for the formal authenticity of all kinds of material. But there is also a loss of methods. Does everyone understand the content that is hidden in the form that was understood by a medieval man but not by a man of the 20th century. That is, I don't believe in formal authenticity. Other kinds of authenticity also has to face great problems. The characteristics of a building or a quarter should remain authentic. I always have the feeling that it has changed though it is still value but not really authentic. In my opinion, a building contains old parts that has been changed and there are new parts that are authentic - now I'm talking about restoration. The authentic and new parts have a great significance. Restoration has to face several demands to be able to bring the values of the building into the limelight to help to develop the already established scientific results. I have to emphasize that it becomes authentic only in the appropriate restoration. Tamás Fejérdy I believe that we could think about that one question itself for a day. I'm of the opinion that it is crucial to define the exact purpose of the intervention. Excuse me for carrying on talking about restoration of historic monuments though we can differenciáié between basic conceptions and acts inside this circle of conceptions. I think that historic monument restoration in the strict sense of the word should be done if all the criteria is fulfilled. If not, then we have to stay at some other ways of intervention with a sort of self-control and this inervention can be reparation, renovation, modernization of certain parts but not the whole. If we lake the concept of the restoration of historic monuments as we said earlier, so that it aims at completeness and brings its value to light. We don't have to bring everything to lighl nowadays. So what kind of authenticity are we talking about? About the authenticity of the whole or some parts of the building? And the questions will raise here. What makes it authentic? In what sense is it authentic? I'm sure it can't meet all the criteria. It won't be authentic in its material, function. As a criteria it should be dealt with a great care. I find those interventions very much mistaken when under the label of monument research they find so evident pieces which would not require a researcher as - excuse me for this - only a blind can't find. A sothern walled-up window or a gate on the southern facade of a church building which has to be there from this to that lenght and if he penetrates then it might be there or not.