New Visitor Entrance, Benedictine Archabbey Of Pannonhalma / CZITA Architects

Architects: CZITA Architects
Location: Pannonhalma, Hungary
Architects In Charge: Tamás Czigány, Anikó Páll, Györgyi Tóth
Year: 2013
Photographs: Tamás Bujnovszky, Tamás Czigány

Structural Engineering: István Serfőző

From the architect. The individual admittance for tourists visiting the world heritage building complex emerged in the short-term objectives of the Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma. The realisation of such a system includes individual information transfer and a new route for the visitors, without passing through the private areas of the Abbey.

The Tourist Centre on Kosaras-hill still has preserved its welcoming function, however, after arriving at the Abbey, instead of walking through the main gate and the buildings of the high school, tourists now follow a forest path below the castle walls and enter through the New visitor entrance at the southern corner of Hóman bastion, getting directly to the main square in front of the Basilica.

An audio-guide system was implemented around the whole Abbey, including the Arboretum, the Winery and the Lavender Farm, providing multi-level information for individual visitors too. Group visits and thematic tours are still available as before.

The New visitor entrance incorporates a staircase and an elevator hidden behind the Hóman bastion, connecting the 10,5 m height-difference of the castle’s outer promenade and the raised square in front of the Basilica. The building is stretched in-between the medieval and the current castle walls from the 20th century, introducing the medieval walls lit from above with a well-like skylight. The reinforced concrete structure was built using planed board framework.