EURÓPA-UDVAR    NÁDVORIE EURÓPY     EUROPA PLATZ    EUROPE PLACE

Pavol Hamžík who undertook the patronage over the work is tipping the foundation stone Saláth Richárd

   The history began in the summer of 1998: a meeting of a well - qualified architects at the right place, at the right time. Peter Takács, the private entrepreneur, visited me in my office on Petőfi street and mentioned the idea of cooperation. The conditions therefor were evident as we both separated from our previous partners a few months ago. Besides several concepts, the possibility of building up the courtyard of Zichy Palace was also mentioned. This idea was not new - the thought that this area should be built up has already occurred to several people. However, the town had tried to use this space, it had announced a competition for building it up, but these activities failed one after another. The discussions with P. Takács were followed by action : we worked out the philosophy of the project (the European fellowship, common traditions, statuary park of the historical personalities) and we prepared the analysis. We baptised the project „the Europe Place“ under the influence of approaching turn of the millennium.

The foundation stone surrounded by the folk dance groups „Shipbuilder“ and „Danube“ Štefankovič József - Jakó

   Little later, Peter Varga, with whom I already worked joined the team. The rise of the work, as well as the appointment of the company Euro Investa, a.s. Bratislava as the main investor relates to these three persons. In fact, these three persons are responsible for the existing project. We all three have had praxis of around ten years behind us, we were full of energy and effort to realize something. We wanted to do something for Komárno, where we are tied up with sturdy bonds, to show what we are able to do. Such division of work arose soon within the team within the meaning of which I was engaged with the designing and the preparatory works, the duty of P. Takács was the difficult task of the supplier of the construction and Peter Varga fulfilled his function as the versatile project manager. It was P. Takács who gained the lot for the construction from the town - the back part of Zichy Palace's courtyard with an area of almost 6.000m2. Our proposal enclosed with the analysis was unanimously agreed by the town council.

Peter Varga as one of the authors is presenting the work in the exhibition in Banská Bystrica Štefankovič József - Jakó

   In the permission received from town - in contradiction to the resolution of the town council - they limited the proposal: they did not approve the building of the view tower and of the Transylvanian House. Later on, we repeatedly submitted this fact to the town council, which confirmed its previous resolution and they permitted the building of these two buildings of the whole complex, too.

   We quickly started with the demolition works of the valueless buildings (garages, stalls) situated on the lot. The town provided the substitute commercial and residential spaces to the tenants of the building at the end of Jókai Street in that building which was condemned to demolition because of its bad technical status. After the eviction, according to the resolution of the town council, this building was demolished.

   „This replacement is the basic formula of the development of the town: the less important will be replaced with the more important.“

The phenomenon of light accompanying the ceremony Štefankovič József - Jakó

   On the basis of the analysis we started to work with a strong exertion on the pre-project documentation; after its accomplishment we had to face the never-ending game of nerves in the process of receiving the permission for the whole construction.

   We asked the Vice Prime Minister of the Government of the Slovak Republic for the European Integration, Pavol Hamžík for the patronage of the project, who agreed with a pleasure. The catalogue introducing the work was finished in four languages (Slovak, Hungarian, German, English) in the meantime, which we enclosed to the invitation to the invited guests for the laying of the foundation stone. We insisted also later on using of these four languages.

   It has been an impatiently awaited day, 23th February 1999, when finally it was the turn of town's modern history unique event : the laying of the foundation stone of the Europe Place. The triangle shaped foundation stone is decorated with the coat of arms of the town Komárno made of bronze with the inscription chiselled around it in four languages : Nádvorie Európy - Európa - Udvar - Europa Platz - Europe Place. The guests coming from all parts of the world were welcomed by the living wall made of the members of Shipbuilder and Danube folk dance ensembles. The Order of Knights of Saint George from Visegrád (Hungary) entertained the participants of the ceremony on the Zichy courtyard.

The inhabitants assembled on the occasion of the passing of the Europe Place Štefankovič József - Jakó

   The members of Mór Jókai's Scout Troop from Komárno carried the flags of individual countries. The weather has tested not only the audience and guests but also the Ladislas the Harvester in the tower of town hall, who indicated the beginning and ending of the celebration. The event attracted many interested persons. We could see also the members of the town council among the audience or a number of representatives of the media. Our guests were Kálmán Petőcz, the ambassador of Slovakia to the United Nations Organisation, the state - secretary Vladimil Podstránsky, Pavol Traubner, the honorary chairman of Slovak Jewish Community in Slovakia, Erzsébet Pogány represented the International Association of Hungarians. The representatives of the Embassies of Angola, Bulgaria, Cuba, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Island, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom, were present too. The first speech was given by the Vice Prime Minister Pavol Hamžík. He was followed by Christian Bourgin, the chargé d'affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission in the Slovak Republic. As the last spoke Martin Varga, the director of Euro Investa, a.s. Bratislava. Pavol Hamžík symbolically tipped the foundation stone with the bronze hammer made especially for this occasion by sculptor Peter Bukovský We gave this hammer to the patron of the project. This significant event was finished with the reception and the international press conference .

There were many interested in the ceremonial laying down of the foundation stone. Štefankovič József - Jakó

   So, the construction could start. Thanks to good advertisement (catalogue, leaflets, frequent presentation in media) has raised the interest for the construction. Therefore we decided to organise an open house and to present the whole process of birth of this project to the public. The first event of this kind was realized on 1st May 2000 and visited by round seven thousand people. The second one was organised on 15th September, which was visited by nearly ten thousand interested, among them Pavol Hamžík, the Vice Prime Minister, Béla Bugár, the Vice Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Ján Figeľ, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic and Walter Rochel, the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Commission of the Slovak Republic. The cultural performances and the fair of folk arts and crafts enriched the programme of that day.

   In the meantime the realisation of the model of a scale of 1 : 100 was finished, which enjoyed wide concurrency during the whole time of the construction. The exhibition devoted to the Europe Place could be seen in Banská Bystrica, Bratislava, Győr, Neszmély, Budapest (Hungary) and, last but not least in Komárno. The great majority of the public liked the project. The professionals accepted the creation of the building complex much more differentially. First of all, we got words of appreciation from our Hungarian neighbours, but there were lots of Slovak, Czech, Austrian colleagues - architects who presented their acknowledgement. I particularly appreciate the words of a well - known Hungarian architect Imre Makovecz, which still resonate in my ears: „Congratulations to the excellent work“.

József Istenes and Ján Kyselica opened the exhibition presenting the Europe Place in Bratislava Štefankovič József - Jakó

   On 13th December we placed a small copper - box into the small pedestal of the symbols of the Sun and Moon situated on the top of the tower of Matthias Corvinus where we put three letters signed by their authors („Message I“., „Message II“., „I am writing to the future generations“), Slovak and Hungarian coins as well as the daily press. Peter Varga wrote the second letter, Zoltán Farkas Hodosi the third one and I wrote the first one.

   The first stage of the construction was in the presence of the significant guests passed on 16th December 2000. The director of the Cultural Institute of the Hungarian Republic in Bratislava, Éva Molnár Czimbalmosné and József Istenes, the vice - president of Slovak Association of Architects opened the exhibition named: „The Living Architecture“ presenting the Slovak organic architecture in the morning in the exhibition room under the Music Pavillion. Also in the morning other connected events took place: the vernissage of two photo exhibitions. The exhibition of Ladislav Vallach: „Europe(ans)“ could be seen in the Welsh and Scottish Houses and the exhibition of Róbert Varga: „I went into the world“ in the Cultural Centre of the town. The solemn passing of the construction was honoured by the presence by Ferenc Mádl, the President of the Hungarian Republic, Béla Bugár, the Vice Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Pavol Hamžík, Vice Prime Minister, Pál Csáky, Vice Prime Minister, István Harna, minister of construction and regional development, László Miklós, minister of environment, ambassadors and diplomats from several european countries, representatives of the Parliament and the town. Peter Varga, the director of Euro Investa, a.s.Bratislava, welcomed the guests in front of the Officers´ Pavilion.

The toast given by Ferenc Mádl the President of the Hungarian Republic on the occasion of the ceremonial passing of the Europe Place in the main hall of Officers´ Pavilion Štefankovič József - Jakó

   After the reception held in the main hall of the building, where Ferenc Mádl gave a solemn toast, the guests accompanied by the members of the Order of Knights of St. George from Visegrád (Hungary) moved to the Europe Place. After the Ode of Joy and the Slovak and Hungarian anthem Peter Varga greeted the guests, then Pavol Hamžík , Ferenc Mádl, Walter Rochel and Béla Bugár were speaking. In their ceremonial speech they stressed: this project is the symbol, the sign of fellowship.

   The sightseeing of the Place and the press conference was followed by the concert in the main hall of the Officers´ Pavilion, where the music groups „Gaudium“ and „Eastern Wind“ had their performances. In the evening Ferenc Mádl met the politicians of the Hungarian Coalition Party representing Hungarians living in Slovakia in the „Gallery T“ of the Bastion V of the Palatinus line of the Komárno fortification system. At the end of the evening Štefan Tóth, the owner of the Gallery T and myself got the memorial plaque on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Christianity on the territory of Hungary from Ferenc Mádl, the President of Hungarian Republic.