The restoration of the floor of the Knights’ Hall at Corvin Castle in Hunedoara has entered its final stage, with 7,969 hand-made ceramic tiles set to be installed in the coming period. The tiles are produced using the same 1868 technique employed by the first restorers of the hall.

The ceramic pieces are being manufactured by the same Hungarian company that supplied decorative elements – especially floor tiles – for the castle’s restoration more than 130 years ago, during the works carried out between 1868 and 1917.

Hunedoara mayor Dan Boboutanu said the project is essential for the city, for Romania, and for the European heritage. Preserving the monument, he noted, ensures that ‘this symbol of medieval history remains a major tourist landmark, authentic and properly protected for future generations.’

The restoration of the Knights’ Hall began in 1868 under architect Ferenc Schulz, but was completed only after 1890, when architects Antal Khuen and István Möller created the designs used by the Zsolnay factory in Pécs, Hungary, to produce the original ceramic tiles.

Corvin Castle is currently undergoing its most extensive restoration and conservation program in decades. The first stage, worth €5 million, was completed with support from Regional Development Agency West through the 2014 – 2020 Regional Operational Program.

The second stage, now underway, is a €6.6 million project co-financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

According to the Hunedoara Directorate General for Monument Administration and Tourism Promotion, the castle attracted 381,000 visitors in 2024, confirming its status as one of Romania’s most visited historical sites. AGERPRES (RO – writing by: Livia Popescu; EN – writing by: Simona Klodnischi)