EU Project description
Name of beneficiary:
Komárom City Municipality
Project Title: Brigetio Heritage – Development of the visitor center in Komárom
Project ID No: TOP-1.2.1.15-KO1-2016-00002
Project planned completion date: 30th June 2023
EU European Regional Development Fund support amount: 250 000 000 HUF
EU European Regional Development Fund support intensity: 100%
Total project cost: 1 403 120 393 HUF
One of the aims of this project is to present the artefacts excavated in the area of the former Roman settlement of Brigetio in a visitor-friendly way, to equip the exhibition with interactive tools, to create an innovative, aesthetic building and exhibition space that meets the requirements of the 21st century and links Komárom’s Roman past with the expectations of the present.
Brigetio, situated in the Szőnyi area of Komárom, was the most important settlement of the Hungarian section of the Limes of Pannonia beside Aquincum. Its importance and international significance are confirmed by the results of archaeological excavations since 1992, spectacular architectural monuments (Roman baths at the site Komárom/Szőny-Dunapart in 2014 and the legio camp area in 2021-2022), world-famous finds (the famous Brigetio wall paintings discovered at the Komárom/Szőny-Vásártér), the discovery of the law tablet of Philip the Arab in 2014-2015).
Our aim is to offer the public a cultural attraction based on local assets, which can be visited on its own or in combination with other exhibition venues of Klapka György Museum of Komárom (Roman Lapidarium, DDR. Ferenc Juba Hungarian Maritime History Exhibition, Zoltán Czibor Memorial Room, László Kecskés Memorial House), or in combination with other tourist attractions of Komárom (fortress system, Brigetio Thermalspa of Komárom), to offer a programme for all ages, even for several days, thus significantly increasing the tourist attractiveness of the town.
It is important for visitors to get to know the results of a quarter century research led by Prof. Dr. László Borhy, Academician and Rector of ELTE, Dr. Dávid Bartus, Dean of ELTE and Emese Számadó, Director of the Museum.
Another aim of the project is to move the Klapka György Museum of Komárom which currently houses the artefacts, into a modernised building, providing a worthy setting and background for treasures of Brigetio. The museum building, which is now cramped, will be replaced by a new, spacious venue for the nearly 300,000 archaeological, numismatic, historical, ethnographic, fine arts, industrial and technical artefacts, photographs and documents. The museum grows by 25,000 to 26,000 finds and artifacts a year, mainly as a result of archaeological activity.
The history of the building to be renovated dates back to the early 1900s, originally belonging to the barracks of the Hungarian Royal State Horse-Stable of Komárom. The building housed the offices of the Komárom State Farm from 1962 and later its successor until 2006. The vacant property was purchased by the Municipality of Komárom in 2011. The building to be renovated under this project is an individually protected building, located in the heart of the town.
The following activities were carried out during the renovation:
- restoration of the original facade, heat insulation of 1582,29 m2,
- renovation of roof structure 1154,5 m2,
- heating modernisation,
- construction of 51+5 parking spaces on 713m2,
- construction of pavements on 984 m2,
- road construction on 1076 m2,
- construction of stormwater drainage on 534 m,
- landscaping on 1299 m2,
- street lighting on 1789 m,
- 3 new workplaces created
The building will house the following functions: tourist showroom (permanent and temporary exhibitions), warehouse, service rooms, offices, café, games room, an auditorium, and social blocks.
The visitor center also offers a café and a souvenir stall. These are expected to provide business opportunities for local SMEs. A play corner will be created to provide additional entertainment for families with children.
By creating an auditorium, we can provide educational activities related to the exhibition and any ongoing archaeological excavations for students on school trips or summer camps.
The visitor center is open all year round, including Sundays and public holidays (closed on Mondays), because it is a weather-independent attraction.
The parking spaces and bicycle storage facilities will be accessible to all, and separate waste collection will be provided in the visitor areas and during operation.
The visitor centre showcases archaeological artefacts with a rich array of innovative elements.
The structure of the ancient Roman city and the layout of the individual buildings can be imagined by the 3D reconstructions, while the interiors of the buildings can be seen in the reconstructions of the bakery, room, cellar and sanctuaries, as well as the wall and ceiling paintings displayed under the partially accessible glass panels.
The European-famous wall and ceiling paintings from the turn of the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, discovered at the Komárom/Szőny-Vásártér, displayed under a walk-through glass panel, decorated the residential buildings of the town and offer a fascinating insight into the world of Roman interior design.
Finds from the Brigetio shrine of the Syrian warrior Jupiter Dolichenus offer a glimpse into the mysterious world of ancient mystery religions, while the late Roman tombs, with their rich skeletons and artefacts, provide insights into the burial customs of a bygone world.
The highly visual and visitor-friendly exhibition is complemented by photos, reconstructions, texts, films, games, a QR-coded multi-platform multimedia guide in four languages (Hungarian, English, German, Slovak) and a virtual city walk, on monitors and screens in each room.
The visitor center will have Wi-Fi and its own website. It will also be possible to book appointments and register groups. Taking advantage of the fact that 90% of today’s phones are smartphones, we will also provide multilingual digital guided tours using QR codes. Guests will be able to receive information about the exhibition on their phones from visitor center’s website. In addition, the guides will of course also provide traditional guided tours.
The remote touch screens provide a playful experience and knowledge acquisition for all ages.
More detailed information on the project(Hungarian language description):
http://www.komarom.hu/top_1_2_1.php
YouTube video about the project (Hungarian language articles):
- Introducing the Brigetio Heritage Visitor Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNdKAxpupQ&t=2s
- Átépítése után a volt kombinát épületébe költözhet a Komáromi Klapka György Múzeum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PKLUgVmCPk
Press releases about the Brigetio Heritage Visitor Center (Hungarian language video):
