Tévedések az enteriőrbemutatásokban III. Középkori, reneszánsz és barokk konyhák jó és hibás bemutatásai
Mistakes in interior presentations III. Good and bad presentations of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque kitchens

Author(s): Károly Bugár-Mészáros
Subject(s): Archaeology, Architecture, 6th to 12th Centuries, 13th to 14th Centuries, 15th Century
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Keywords: historic kitchens; castle restoration; Baroque interiors; Renaissance kitchens; medieval kitchens; monument preservation; museum presentation; culinary heritage; architectural reconstruction; cultural history
Summary/Abstract: The study examines the proper and improper museum presentation of medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque kitchens in historic castles and palaces. The author argues that restored historical kitchens should remain operational and capable of demonstrating period cooking techniques during cultural events and film productions. Several well-preserved examples are analyzed, including the Gothic kitchen of the episcopal palace in Eger and the functioning medieval kitchen of Lockenhaus Castle. The paper describes the structural and functional elements of historical kitchens, such as smoke hoods, hearth platforms, roasting spits, cooking cauldrons, bread ovens, and firewood-drying chambers. Special attention is devoted to Renaissance kitchens at Forchtenstein and Sárospatak, where the original arrangement of cooking installations can still be reconstructed from archaeological remains and historical plans. The author presents numerous Baroque kitchen floor plans from castles and urban palaces, demonstrating the characteristic Central European system of hearth platforms and smoke-guiding chimney structures. Positive examples, such as the fully equipped and operational kitchen of Vaux-le-Vicomte, are contrasted with poorly restored Hungarian interiors converted into cafés, cinemas, souvenir shops, or ticket offices. The study strongly criticizes museum practices that destroy or conceal authentic kitchen spaces and thereby falsify the historical reality of aristocratic domestic life. Detailed case studies from Pécel, Gyula, Gödöllő, Edelény, Tata, and Eger reveal recurring restoration mistakes, including the neglect of archaeological evidence and the insertion of inappropriate modern functions into historic kitchens. The author concludes that museum professionals responsible for castle restorations should possess specialized knowledge of historical domestic architecture in order to preserve and present kitchens as authentic functional spaces within the broader context of cultural heritage.

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