Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attended the inauguration of the refurbished Hagymatikum spa, in Makó, in south-eastern Hungary, on Sunday. The spa was designed by renowned architect Imre Makovecz (1935-2011).
In his address, the prime minister said the renewed and enlarged spa “is the most beautiful thermal bath in Hungary and probably in the whole world”, adding that by building a new wing to the complex “we have somewhat reduced the debt we owe to Makovecz”. Referring to the works of the late architect, PM Orbán said “we have not been taught that he designed those buildings; we simply recognise them just by looking at them … they are not examples for a style: they represent a distinct style themselves”. PM Orbán likened the significance of Makovecz to that of Antoni Gaudí, and said “what Barcelona was for Gaudí, that was Makó for Makovecz”. Concerning contested plans to implement projects left in the design phase by the architect when he died, PM Orbán said “Makovecz is still alive, as evidenced today by the completion of this building he had designed, his legacy”.