The prime minister emphasized that the 20th century was not favorable to heritage conservation in Hungary. “The 20th century was not the era of patrons in Hungarian monument history,” Prime Minister Orbán said, citing the long-term damage inflicted by war and nationalization. “That era has ended with this act.”
Under the agreement, OTP Bank will contribute HUF 20 billion, which the government will match. Over the next nine years, the project will restore the castle and gardens—covering 17,000 square meters—to the condition they were in during the time of Empress Elisabeth (Sisi). The prime minister underlined that this was not only a matter of historical debt, but also an economically sound initiative. “Last year, 2.5 million people visited our castles and palaces, generating HUF 2.5 billion in revenue,” he said. “These are not luxury expenses; they are rational investments.”
The castle also houses the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which the prime minister praised as a key national institution. Its proximity to Budapest and the excellence of its academic output further reinforced the location’s selection.
OTP Chairman and CEO Sándor Csányi noted that the bank had reviewed ten sites before selecting Gödöllő. “Its cultural and educational importance made it the obvious choice,” he said. He added that HUF 1.6 billion of the OTP contribution comes directly from the bank’s senior leadership through share allocations.
Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár, who initiated the project, described the commitment as the largest public-interest donation by a private actor in Hungary’s modern history. He also highlighted the castle’s historic role in uniting Hungary’s elite from different spheres—wealth, power, and intellect.
Prime Minister Orbán concluded with a broader political message: “We support Brussels only when that support does not go against Hungarian interests,” he said, tying cultural investment to national sovereignty. “This is a castle not just of memory, but of aspiration. If we want to remain worthy of our history, we must preserve what we inherited.”