Past, present – future? An ambiguous relationship
Past, present – future? An ambiguous relationship

Author(s): Áron Tóth
Subject(s): Architecture
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Summary/Abstract: The study examines current tendencies in heritage protection, especially the growing spread of reconstruction practices since the late twentieth century. The author argues that the conservation principles established by the 1964 Venice Charter have increasingly been challenged by postmodernism and globalization, both of which introduced more pluralistic interpretations of authenticity. While in Europe authenticity is traditionally connected to original material substance, other cultures, particularly in the Far East, often emphasize spiritual continuity and ritual renewal instead. Within this broader context, the paper focuses on the restoration of ecclesiastical monuments in Hungary, most notably the renovation of Saint Martin’s Basilica in the Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma. The Benedictine community intended to restore the medieval church’s monastic simplicity and adapt the interior to contemporary liturgical needs inspired by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. However, this process involved the removal or transformation of significant nineteenth-century historicist furnishings and decorations, which heritage protection authorities regarded as integral parts of the monument’s historical development. The author critically analyses the completed restoration, acknowledging the high architectural and artistic quality of the new interior designed by John Pawson and the Hungarian 3H Architecture studio. Nevertheless, he argues that the extreme perfection and sterility of the newly created elements produce a dissonance within the authentic medieval environment. According to the study, modern materials and machine-made precision lack the irregularities and traces of human craftsmanship characteristic of historical architecture. The paper further discusses similar interventions in other Hungarian churches, including the cathedrals of Győr and Vác, where liturgical and theological arguments were likewise used to justify the removal of historical furnishings. These examples demonstrate the recurring conflict between preserving material heritage and satisfying the changing spiritual and liturgical needs of religious communities. Finally, the author broadens the discussion through the example of the Ise Grand Shrine in Japan, where ritual rebuilding every twenty years reflects a fundamentally different understanding of authenticity rooted in intangible religious tradition. Although the author considers such an approach incompatible with European heritage traditions, he concludes that the contradiction between tangible and intangible heritage remains unresolved even in the West. The study ultimately emphasizes that present-day interventions in heritage sites may themselves become contested in the future, illustrating the inherently ambiguous relationship between past, present, and future in heritage protection.

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