Cultural Heritage Days at Festetics Palace

Dear Visitors!

On September 19–20, as part of Cultural Heritage Days, several of iASK’s iconic buildings will open their doors to visitors. One weekend, three special locations, centuries of history. ✨

FESTETICS PALACE

📅 September 19 | 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

📌 9730 Kőszeg, 10 Chernel Street.

The building, which incorporates part of the former city wall, dates back to the 16th century. Imre Festetics—one of the first discoverers of the fundamental laws of heredity and genetics— purchased the building in 1802, which later passed into the ownership of the Chernel family through marriage. Following nationalization, the building was converted into council public housing.

During the first phase of the 2017–2018 historic preservation project, the building underwent a complete exterior and interior renovation. As part of the historic preservation work, the exceptionally valuable Baroque-era wall paintings, which were part of the construction of the Baroque palace in 1766–1767.

The building’s historical spaces and spatial relationships were preserved , and the service functions required by the new purpose were integrated with the same naturalness that the former owner would have employed. As a result of the renovation, the town of Kőszeg has regained one of its most beautiful historic buildings,, whose future is now secured through the FTI-iASK thanks to the Hankiss Archive, the creation of research rooms and spaces for public use, while the ground-floor space, which previously served as stables, now hosts exhibitions.