Renovation of Centuries-old Hiemer House Completed in Székesfehérvár2012. január 2.
“The rebirth of Hiemer House is part of a large scale program implemented with more than 1.7 billion forints of support by the New Széchenyi Plan. Altogether 148 towns and villages will receive 176 billion forints for similar urban rehabilitation purposes within the New Széchenyi Plan”, said Ms Ágnes Molnár, Secretary of State for Development Policy Coordination of the Ministry of National Development at the inauguration ceremony of the Hiemer-Font-Caraffa building complex in Székesfehérvár on 24 November, 2011.
At the inauguration ceremony of the Hiemer-Font-Caraffa building complex, which was left vacated and in ruins for close to two decades to be completely renovated from funding by the New Széchenyi Plan, Ms Ágnes Molnár said the improvements not only appeal to people’s sense of beauty, but also increase the economic power of cities, promote commerce and catering, attract the business investors and create jobs.
The New Széchenyi Plan pursues urban rehabilitation programs for an integrated renewal of urban areas with special attention to their economic and social activities. The closing phase of the renovation of Hiemer House was implemented within a priority project called “Continued downtown rehabilitation”. This encompassed the reconstruction of the Main Street in downtown Székesfehérvár, including the installation of decorative lighting for the monuments, decorative pavement and a fountain, with extensive upgrading of public utilities. “City centres not only play a key role in the well-being of local residents or as historic reference points, but also have a huge potential for the economy and tourism”, Ms Molnár emphasised.
Located in the heart of Downtown, Hiemer-Font-Caraffa House evolved from the “merger” of three medieval buildings with a style which combines reminiscences and solutions of Baroque, Rococo and Modern architecture. After the three phase renovation the centuries-old building now hosts the Doll Museum of international significance, a restaurant, and a multifunctional event room suitable for hosting community events, temporary exhibitions and shows. Attendants of the inauguration ceremony included President of the Republic Pál Schmitt and Mayor András Cser-Palkovics.