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PRESENTATION OF CASTLE PROGRAMS IN HUNGARY UNTIL RECENT YEARS –
WITH OVERVIEW OF STATE PRACTICES IN CASTLE MAINTENANCE ABROAD

Castles and castle-complexes are of outstanding importance for the preservation of our national cultural her-
itage and national wealth. In the field of programmed renovation of state-owned castles financial and concep-
tual improvements have been realized in several waves, but mainly from 2014 onwards. All this may give a
reason to a periodic review of the process, history, administrative, regulatory and institutional background of
programmed castle-utilization managed by the state till 2016. The overview could not avoid the reflections to
the change of estate management which initially served the preservation of the castle as a specific architectural
genre. The need and possibility for access to EU funds has begun to change the traditional „community value”
approach prevailing in Hungary, and the course is often distanced from the market view, and focuses on the
subjective factors which are important for the community instead of economic benefits. In the case of state-
owned castles the creation of the unified application of ownership rights, asset management and utilization is
considered as the most important administrative step of a technical nature, which can be achieved by amending
the sectoral legislation on one hand and by establishing an appropriate preservative organizational system on
the other hand. The unified handling system and management administration can be appropriate and up-to-date
if it is reliable and transparent, suitable for the efficient and effective use of state aid; and it can mobilize and
collect financial resources other than state aid.
Keywords: castle · castle-complex · protection of monuments · castle-program · castle-preservation · national
wealth

188 · Architectura Hungariae 17 (2018) 3