In the summer of 2024, the Transylvania Trust Foundation, responsible for the restoration and revitalisation of Bánffy Castle, Bonțida, Romania, held two built heritage conservation training modules at the castle. The first module took place from 4 to 17 August, under the title Training Programme in Traditional Building Crafts and Built Heritage Conservation.

The training was intended for university students (in architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture, archaeology, art history etc.) and professionals working in the construction industry, but we also welcomed interested participants from other fields as well. In the first module of the training programme, we hosted 26 participants from four different countries (Romania, Hungary, France, Finland).

During the training, participants took part in three workshops led by experienced practical instructors. The practical training was preceded by theoretical lectures delivered by teachers from both Romania and abroad. Additionally, during some evenings, participants had the opportunity to meet invited experts, view presentations and engage in discussions on various topics related to heritage conservation.

The first day of the training was dedicated entirely to theoretical lectures, during which participants learned about the training programmes that have been running at the castle for over two decades, the history and architectural development of the castle, as well as various topics regarding the protection and conservation of cultural heritage (principles of heritage protection and restoration, technical, archaeological, urban planning, engineering etc. aspects). To introduce the programme, archaeologist Zsolt Csók presented the Built Heritage Conservation Training Centre operating at Bánffy Castle for around two decades. He then discussed the role of archaeology in the management of built heritage, followed by mining expert Kálmán Szőke, who introduced and illustrated the different types of rocks used in construction industry, along with their properties. In the afternoon, art historian Zsuzsanna Eke presented the brief history of Bánffy Castle, complemented by a guided tour around the castle. Following this, architect Endre Ványolós gave a presentation on contemporary urban planning and public space interventions in heritage environments. The day concluded with a lecture by engineer Dorottya Makay on structural interventions, illustrated with case studies. In the second half of the training, participants attended theoretical lectures by architect Nicole Sutton on the use of lime and other historical building materials, as well as on the importance of minimal intervention and continuous maintenance, the compatibility of building techniques and materials, and the significance of traditional craftsmanship.

For the remaining days of the training, after a joint session on health and safety regulations at the start of the second day, the participants received practical training in various workshops, where they learned about masonry, vault restoration and decorative mural techniques (fresco, secco, sgraffito, stucco marmorino), traditional joinery, furniture restoration and stone carving. The practical workshops were introduced by site manager Márton Bikfalvi and his team, with the exception of the stone carving workshop, which was led by sculptor István Márton Sipos.

In the masonry workshop, participants first familiarised themselves with the tools and materials used during the two weeks, especially the characteristics of the lime-based mortar required for the castle’s restoration works. They then worked in groups at several locations, in rotation, to ensure that everyone had the chance to try out everything: some renewed the render at the base of the round tower connected to the kitchen block, thus practicing rendering; others reinforced the base of the stables, acquiring techniques for wall reinforcement; while a third group worked on the reconstruction of a sail vault in the stables, learning about the theoretical and practical aspects of vault reconstruction. In addition, each participant had two days to master decorative mural techniques (fresco, secco, sgraffito, stucco marmorino). In the traditional joinery and furniture restoration workshop, all participants worked together. They first got acquainted with the specific tools and instruments of the craft, learned about the wood and the traditional joints used in the craft, before restoring a piece of furniture manufactured with traditional techniques, going through each phase of the restoration process. Within the stone carving workshop, participants recreated the missing elements of the stone base of the brick masonry pillars in the stables, during which they learned about the different types of chisels and tools specific to the profession and were also introduced to methods of stone cleaning and repair.

To supplement the theoretical lectures of the first day, we organised a total of four evening discussions, where participants could explore the communist past of Bánffy Castle with art historian Ioana Rus-Cacovean, examine case studies with wood restorer Ferenc Mihály, discuss the significance of colour in restoration with architect Virgil Pop, and discover opportunities for valorising vernacular architecture and rural built heritage with architect Claudiu Salanță.

As part of the programme, the students also participated in a study field trip. Their first stop was in Rimetea, Alba County, a settlement famous for its beautiful vernacular architecture. Here, they admired traditional houses and visited an 18^th-century mill, as well as the local Ethnographic Museum and Unitarian Church. They then travelled to Sic, Cluj County, where they were able to admire the mediaeval Calvinist Church and learned about the village’s traditions, followed by a walk in the Sic reed bed, a local natural reserve.

At the end of the training programme, the participants were evaluated based on a written exam, and those who met the required criteria received a certificate of achievement. At the same time, the students visited all the workshops and presented to the other participants the work they had completed during the two weeks.

The training programme was co-funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN) and Communitas Foundation.

“The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.”