Endangered Architectural Heritage -
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PROGRAM SUMMARY The immediate aim of this project is to create the background for the preservation of the endangered architectural heritage through completion of a state assessment and inventory of endangered buildings, which need urgent interventions, as well as creation of proper conditions for their continued maintenance.
I. PREAMBLE The notion (1), state (2), qualitative and quantitative parameters (3) of the endangered Transylvanian (Middle Eastern European) architectural heritage, as well as the past and present state of its preservation, the social co-ordinates (4-5-6) and the tasks of specialists involved in its preservation all sustain the necessity of this project.
1.1 The Notion of Endangered Architectural Heritage The endangered architectural heritage consists of buildings (castles, manors, mansions, churches, monasteries, dwellings) that are out of use, or are not being maintained by their owners, or the maintenance of which will sooner or later become impossible because of the disappearnce of the community they belong to. A building may belong to this category for centuries (for example castles and fortifications - these are all in ruins.) At the same time a building does not have to be in ruins to be classified as endangered, as if it is not maintained it will become a ruin in 10-15 years.
1.2 Present State of the Endangered Transylvanian (Middle and Eastern European) Architectural Heritage The present state of the Transylvanian (Middle and Eastern European) architectural heritage is influenced by three main factors: - the ethnic, religious and cultural complexity of the area; the constant (spontaneous or forced) changes of the ethnic composition many times forced the different ethnic groups to leave their built environment even in the 20th century; - the Treaty of Yalta, followed by the communist period causing forced, significant and irrevocable social changes; - the level of architectural culture, determined by geographic and historic factors; Transylvania is the most Eastern region of the Western architectural culture, presenting the characteristics of "border-cultures" (time-lag, lower architectural and technical level, influence of the neighbouring cultures' style).
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1. The ethnic complexity of the area is a historic fact; Transylvania (like other Eastern European regions) has witnessed constant changes in the ethnicity of its population for centuries. For example, in the Someš valley (between Cluj-Napoca and Dej) the Hungarian population has continuously emigrated since the 18-19th centuries, being replaced by a Romanian population. This case is not a unique one (to mention only the recent emigration of Transylvanian Saxons and Jews). Due to these facts, at the end of the 20th century there are many 11-16th century historic structures in Transylvania (and the states of Middle and Eastern Europe) that do not have an owner. A part of this heritage is in ruins (for example the reformed churches from Benic, Orman, Nima), and other buildings will become ruins in 10-15 years. The fact that new inhabitants reject the houses and churches of the former population makes the situation even worse; there are thousands of deserted Saxon houses and churches because of this.
2. Consequences of the Treaty of Yalta resulting in forced and irrevocable social changes include the exile of the owners of a significant part of the architectural heritage. The owners of manors, palaces and mansions were exiled by the communist regimes established in the 40s. Hardly any of them are alive today. The descendants who remained in Transylvania (Middle and Eastern Europe) do not represent an economic potential, being incapable of revitalising the technically deteriorated, many times ruined buildings. The descendants of the emigrant owners rarely wish to return. The social upheaval of the communist era deprived many owners of their lands, in turn depriving their manors and mansions an economic means of survival. These buildings have not been given back to their owners in Transylvania, as well as in the majority of the countries of the region. However, even if they were, the material background for their continuous maintenance could only be provided by the surrounding dominion, as in the past. Not to mention the fact that continuous maintenance is a different investment than a single restoration, the latter often meaning the complete reconstruction of the building. Some examples of the hundreds of victims of the communist regime are the Bánffy, Haller and Radák manors at Bontida, Sâ npaul and Ozd.
3. Level of architectural culture determined by geographic and historic factors. The state of the endangered Transylvanian (Middle and Eastern European) architectural heritage is also determined by some architectural and professional factors: first of all, the correlation between the age and value of the building, and its technical condition. The oldest, 11-12th century small churches are in the worse technical condition. The case of the Renaissance manors, mansions representative of the most flourishing period of Transylvanian history is also a good example: the more valuable these buildings are (the less interventions they have suffered), the worse technical condition they are in. Socialist owners preferred the more modern, more comfortable 19th century manors (or the older ones restored in the first half of the 20th century); these served as museums, hospitals, asylums, being sometimes completely rebuilt, but having finally survived.
1.3 Qualitative and quantitative Parameters of the Endangered Architectural Heritage Buildings belonging to the endangered architectural heritage have been preserved in Transylvania (Middle and Eastern Europe) since the 11th century. Although the majority of them have been destroyed, there still exist more than 1200 (1600) such historic monuments. The exact number is unknown, the periodic inventories compiled in the past 120 years are not complete.
1.4 Preservation of Endangered Architectural Heritage in the Past Although modern historic preservation has existed for 120-150 years, a period in which more or less thorough studies, inventories and restorations of historic monuments have been achieved, no full inventory and scientific processing of data concerning the whole heritage has ever been completed. Neither do official, ecclesiastic or non-governmental decrees and regulations regarding the owners' attitude exist.
1.5 Preservation of Endangered Architectural Heritage in the Present The endangered architectural heritage has never been and is still not guaranteed any real protection. Neither has it ever had, not even today, an overall preservation strategy.
1.6 Preservation of Endangered Architectural Heritage - Social Co-ordinates The postcommunist Transylvanian society facing an economic and mental crisis has other priorities at the moment. Unless it consciously turns its attention in this direction, society will only be able to provide the endangered architectural heritage the care it deserves in a few decades. But until then many of these buildings will have been destroyed or will have suffered irrevocable damages, losing a lot of their value. Inestimable values are destroyed every day: buildings collapse or are taken apart and used as construction materials.
1.7 Tasks of Specialists involved in the Preservation of the Endangered Architectural Heritage It is the duty of Transylvanian specialists, fully aware of the seriousness of the situation, to make their thoughts public, and, more important, to create concrete projects and co-ordinate the preservation activities, finding and using all available resources, in order to save the endangered architectural heritage. They should turn to governmental, commercial, ecclesiastical, non-governmental organisations from home and abroad, to legal entities and private persons, specialists or not, to everyone who can, will or should participate at the preservation activities.
II. AIM OF THE PROJECT
2.1 Immediate Aim The immediate aim of the project is creating the background for the preservation of the endangered architectural heritage by completing the state assessment and inventory of these buildings, which need urgent interventions, as well as creating proper conditions for their maintenance.
2.2 Long-term Aim The final aim of the project is the maintenance of the endangered architectural heritage, the development of a protection system for this heritage, and complete documentation containing written history, mesured drawing and medium or large format photography.
III. CONTENTS OF THE PROJECT
3.1 The immediate aim is to be achieved by:
1. Elements of state assessment:
1.1 Architectural study, structural and physical expertise; 1.2 Estimates; 1.3 Classification according to possible reuses; list of priorities;
2. Terms of maintenance interventions:
2.1 Specification of tasks preceding and following the interventions; 2.2. Financial and professional background of the interventions (conservations). 2.3 Compilation of necessary documentations; 2.4 Execution of interventions (conservations).
3.2 The long-term aim is to be achieved by:
1. Development of a protection strategy for Transylvanian (Middle and Eastern European) endangered architectural heritage;
2. Mobilising the different social strata and making them assume their responsibilities in creating favourable conditions for the preservation of the built heritage. Therefore the project formulates proposals regarding:
2.1 Activity of specialised governmental departments; 2.2 Methodology of the owners' education and information; 2.3 Tracking down of potential users and raising their interest; creation of a funding system; 2.4 Creation of a well-organised community of specialists by training new generations, organising specialist examinations and ensuring the protection of their interests; 2.5 Specific activities of NGO-s wishing to join the preservation projects and ways of increasing their efficiency;
3. Putting into practice the long-term preservation project.
IV. EXECUTORS OF THE PROJECT
4.1 Supervisors The Transylvanian (Middle and Eastern European) Endangered Architectural Heritage - State Assessment and Preservation 1997-2005 project was initiated in 1997 by the Department of History of Architecture and Preservation of Historic Monuments of the Budapest Technical University and is supervised by the Transylvania Trust Foundation.
4.2 Executors of Specialists' Tasks Specialists' tasks are executed at present by specialists of the Transylvanian Monument Restorers' Society and of the Department of History of Architecture and Preservation of Historic Monuments of the Budapest Technical University. The organisers wish to co-operate in inventorying the heritage with other groups as well.
4.3 Supporters and Funders The project has been funded by the Budapest Technical University, the Foundation for an Open Society from Romania, the Transylvanian historic Churches and the UTILITAS research and design workshop specialising in architectural restoration, from Cluj-Napoca. In the future we would like to increase the number of our supporters; for example we anticipate fundings from the Romanian Ministry of Culture and the European Union.
V. Accomplishments
5.1 The project started in 1997 with the survey of 7 churches, to which 15 other churches were added in 1998.
5.2 The form and content of the documentations will soon be finalised. These will contain: 1. Registry sheet, containing general information: locality, congregation (owner), data concerning the congregation, topographic lot number, number in list of historic monuments; 2. Brief art historic study and architectural description; 3. Structural description, structural and building-physical assessment; 4. Specification of historic values and maintenance suggestions (including estimates and priority list of interventions).
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