Pioneers and Promoters: The Role of the Venice Charter in Constructing the ‘Grand Narrative’ of Hungarian Monument Conservation, 1964-1972

From its outset, the Venice Charter served as a common baseline of monument restoration in geopolitically divided Europe. In Hungary, leading experts, like Dezső Dercsényi, Miklós Horler, and Ferenc Merényi, embraced the document regarding the compliance with its principles as a measure for the country’s relevance and prominence in the field. This paper traces how Hungarian experts employed the Venice Charter to promote a ‘grand narrative’ of Hungarian monument conservation focusing on two international exhibitions which showcased the Hungarian position on the international stage – the Second International Exhibition of Restauro Monumentale in Venice (1964) and the Protection of Monuments in Hungary in Florence (1972). By analysing the selection of projects and main promoters, this work seeks to open up new perspectives on the international afterlife of the Charter in Central European geographies and challenge one-dimensional narratives which are perpetuated to this day.