F. Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 1993/1. szám Az Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség tájékoztatója (Budapest, 1993)

EGYHÁZTÖRTÉNET ÉS MŰEMLÉKVÉDELEM - Horler Miklós: A Bakócz-kápolna megmentése — egyház és műemlékvédelem a 18-19. század fordulóján

Renaissance Bakóczy Chapel built to the medieval St. Adalbert cathedral destroyed almost completely during the Turkish siege in 1543. The sepulchral chapel built by the archbishop of Esztergom in 1506—1507 suffered no harm during the Turkish occupation. Following the last fights it got smaller damages, and the restoration starting in 1688, lead by the primate György Széchenyi, formed an independent building from the original side-chapel. As a result of this Baroque renovation was set up the red marble altar standing even today in front of the white marble retabulum assigned to Andrea Ferrucci of Fiesole. On the place of the red marble altar stood a white marble stipes also made by Ferrucci, but later destroyed. It is worth the attention, that — according to records — in the renovation of the chapel its value, beauty and antiquity had an important role. Besides of course the ideological meaning of the small liturgical space was also decisive, reflecting the claim to the legal continuity of the archdiocese here. In 1761 the new primate, Ferenc Barkóczy began his work with the decision to set back the archiépiscopal centre to its original place, to Esztergom. The first survey and plan was made by Isidore Canevale. Following that two variations of plans were made. On one most probably made by Franz Anton Hillebrandt the chapel could be preserved on its original place when building the new cathedral. The other one shows a classical, nine-sectioned, central church, and one of the four domed side-places could have been the Bakócz chapel. In 1763 the demolition of the ruins of St. Adalbert cathedral was begun. On the Northern side the medieval level of the castle was deepened with 7—8 metres. Beside the different fragmentary remains diary notes and field drawings were made. With the death of Barkóczy in 1765 the building was unfinished and only after 1819, during archbishop Sándor Rudnay was the building continuing. Planning was lead by Ludwig van Rémy, superintendent architect from Vienna, and Pál Kühnel from Kismarton, although the final solution was made by Johann Baptist Páckh from Kismarton. According to this latter plan the Bakócz chapel has lost its independent state and had a new place in the new building 180 degrees turned away. The removal took place in 1823 following surveying and other preparatory work. As a result of this the original entrance was lost, and together with this the experience of the opening of the interiour, and the earlier existing cupola. The light relations of the interiour have also changed and even the exterior facade as well. Following the removal began the building up of the new cathedral, which was finished only in 1886. The opinions about the future of the Bakócz chapel were changing from time to time. Contrary to compromises — parallel with the removal of the triumphal arch of Titus Livius in Rome and the building it up again — here we can face an example of a deliberate preservation of a work of outstanding artistic and historical value, made possible by a brilliant technique of taking it apart and then building it up again, carried out in 1823 as the first example of alike solutions in Europe.