Timis County Council (CJ Timis) President Alfred Simonis announced on Friday the signing of the contract for the execution of restoration and consolidation works on Huniade Castle in Timisoara, which has been closed for nearly 20 years awaiting such interventions.

'Huniade Castle, the oldest and one of the most beautiful buildings in Timisoara, is about to undergo the most extensive restoration and consolidation process. I have signed the contract for the execution of the works, with nearly 150 million lei allocated for the enhancement of this architectural monument. For nearly 30 years, local administrations have struggled to revive this gem in the centre of Timisoara, but all attempts have failed. Bureaucracy, lack of funding, unreliable contractors and the incompetence of certain officials have led us to the situation we are in today. Upon taking office, I clearly and firmly said that this objective, Huniade Castle, must be brought back to life and returned to the community. Today, we can say that we are getting to work. We have identified funding sources, the tender and appeals have concluded, the design is also complete, so we are effectively starting the works,' Alfred Simonis wrote in a public post.

He pointed out that the structure requires reinforcement of the load-bearing elements, restoration of the foundations, removal of dampness, wall stabilisation, as well as many other interventions.

'We will closely monitor what happens here, and we will regularly visit the site, just as we do with other projects underway in both Timisoara and the rest of the county. At the end of the three-year restoration period, I hope we can all enjoy the beauty of Huniade Castle together, as it will once again become the home of the Banat Museum,' Simonis explained.

The Banat National Museum previously operated in Huniade Castle with all its departments until 2007, when the building was closed due to ongoing construction work.

The castle was built in the 14th century at the command of King Charles Robert of Anjou and originally served as a royal residence. Later, between 1441 and 1456, John Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), Count of Timis, lived there with his family, which is how the castle came to bear the name Huniade. In 1443, he ordered the rebuilding of the structure, which had been severely damaged by an earthquake that year. During the Ottoman occupation (1552-1718), the building served as the seat of the Pasha of Timisoara, and was later turned into barracks, eventually being used as an arsenal depot. In 1849, the building was damaged during the siege by Hungarian troops and was rebuilt in 1856 in its current form.

In recent years, the building became structurally unsafe, leading to its closure.

Once the restoration is complete, Huniade Castle will be included in the international cultural circuit. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Otilia Halunga; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)