Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere
Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima located in the remote village of Alsószentiván in Hungary is a popular place visited by a multitude of pilgrims who needed adjustments to accommodate the believers with dignity

The renovation of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima created a contemporary-romantic ambience that continues the history of the place. The message of architecture nowadays seems to be the pursuit of the deepest layers of humanity: quasi-anonymous structures at the service of a community

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

The primary objective of Robert Gutowski Architects' project was to preserve the original atmosphere: natural materials that are mainly wooden structures that were used to build the new outdoor area for a reception site, benches, a belfry and a service building

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

The concept guiding the project was to use inexpensive structures that were easy to build but designed in detail. The former classicist palace is a legacy of rural architecture favoured by the nobility of the era. During the renovation of the building, efforts were made to preserve the original spaces and traditional materials were used

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

The open-air liturgical space was renovated and a new processional route was built, the turning point of which was a glade opening onto the adjacent field. An old residence located in the wooded area was renovated together with the adjoining church

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

The new stone altar forms the emotional centrepiece of the interior renovation of the church; it was built from the base of a twenty-ton monument that was found on a site occupied by Soviet military barracks

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, architectural interventions to preserve the atmosphere

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