A székesfehérvári romkert és mauzóleum a Gerevich-korszakban
The Székesfehérvár ruin garden and mausoleum in the Gerevich era

Author(s): Viola Pleskovics
Subject(s): Museology & Heritage Studies, Architecture, History of Art
Published by: Pécsi Tudományegyetem Művészeti Kar Művészettörténet Tanszék
Keywords: Székesfehérvár ruin garden; Gerevich Tibor; monument preservation; Hungarian heritage; Lux Kálmán; Lux Géza; Saint Stephen; Italian influence; cultural memory; architectural restoration
Summary/Abstract: The study examines the creation of the Székesfehérvár ruin garden and mausoleum during the leadership of Gerevich Tibor in the 1930s. The article places the project within the broader cultural and political context of post-Trianon Hungary, where monument restoration became closely linked to questions of national identity and cultural representation. It explains how the excavations and presentation of medieval royal centers such as Visegrád, Esztergom, and Székesfehérvár were intended to symbolically reinforce Hungarian historical continuity. The study highlights the strong influence of Italian monument preservation theory and Fascist-era cultural policy on Hungarian restoration practice, especially through Gerevich’s Italian connections and study trips. Special attention is devoted to the architectural concepts developed by Lux Kálmán and Lux Géza, who designed a hybrid complex combining modern architectural language with abstracted Romanesque and Lombard stylistic references. The article analyzes how the ruin garden balanced scientific monument presentation with symbolic and emotional functions connected to Saint Stephen and Hungarian statehood. It also discusses the creation of the mausoleum built around the so-called Sarcophagus of Saint Stephen, which transformed archaeological remains into a national cult site enriched by the artworks of Aba-Novák Vilmos and Sztehlo Lili. The study emphasizes that the complex reflected both modern conservation principles and ideological ambitions, while also drawing inspiration from Italian lapidariums and archaeological gardens. Considerable attention is given to the later deterioration and transformation of the site, including the practical difficulties caused by Hungary’s climate and changing museum requirements. Overall, the article argues that the Székesfehérvár ruin garden remains an important but insufficiently understood example of twentieth-century Hungarian monument preservation, urban planning, and cultural memory politics.

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