Primate Wine Cellar

Under the Castle Hill of Esztergom, in the massive 19th‑century primatial cellar system, or simply the Primatial Cellar, operates the wine museum created by the archdiocese that presents the twelve wine regions of historic Hungary, which opened its doors in 2010.

Description

The classicist cellar system that runs beneath the Castle Hill and the basilica covers a total of 3 700 square metres. It is split by the tunnel called the Dark Gate. At both ends of the tunnel there are two entrances each into the vaulted building, and there is a larger entrance on the north and south sides of the Castle Hill ramp. The Czech barrel vaults that close the cellar are supported by the surrounding walls and 28 interior pillars. On the vaults, a 5–7 metre‑high earth fill was built for the intended design of the ramp. Its interior height is 11 metres.

History

The historic cellar system was created during the construction of the main cathedral in the mid‑1800s to store wines coming from the Esztergom archdiocese’s territory and, when the artificial ramp of the Castle Hill was built, to reduce the amount of fill required. According to the Primatial Archive’s wine‑cellar inventories, wine still played a major role as a natural benefit even in the 20th century. In 1873, the basilica’s dean was allocated 11.48 hectolitres of wine for one year. A musician received 1–4 hectolitres, a singer 1–2 hectolitres of white wine. The lists named the artists, from the sacristan to the organ blower. In 1876, two litres of red wine were issued to the Primatial Auditors’ Office for ink production. After the Trianon decision, most of the archdiocese’s lands fell within the newly formed Czechoslovakia, and the cellar system lost its function. Today the diocese has no agricultural lands and does not continue viticulture. From the 1950s the adjacent Old Seminary building served a military function, the whole area was closed off, and the cellar also became inaccessible.

In some parts a vegetable warehouse and distribution center operated. On the southern side of the hill ramp a restaurant operates today, but the rest of the building complex remained unused. By 2006 – the 150th anniversary of the basilica’s consecration – the renovation of a part of Szent István Square, the Old Seminary, the Dark Gate and some surrounding buildings was completed. Until September 2, 2006 the majority of the cellar system could not yet be entered.

The cellar system was built without insulation. The compacted clay fill protected the vaults from rainwater that reached the ground for more than a hundred years. The most recent utility installations broke the old insulating layer, causing the vaults to begin leaking.

Over the years the building complex deteriorated so much that its moisture threatened the structural stability of the cellar system and the basilica’s crypt.

In May 2007, when Dr. Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom, founded the Prímási Wine Order, which intended to make the long‑unused cellar system its centre. According to his plans, the works of the Carpathian Basin’s finest winemakers will be stored there under the brand name “Vinum Primatis” (Prímás wine). The intention to renovate was first formulated at that time. Afterwards the application was prepared and the renovation plans were drawn up.

In July 2007 Ferenc Gyurcsány announced that the wine cellar would be renovated within the framework of the second National Development Plan, as one of the 271 priority projects. The investment will cost about one billion forints. The settlement of the disputed ownership and usage rights has begun. The funding contract was signed on 18 August 2008 in the reception hall of the St. Adalbert Center in the presence of Péter Erdő and Gordon Bajnai. The restoration began in April 2009. At the same time as the insulation work, the vault of the Dark Gate was cleaned and repaired, landscaping was carried out on the hill, an accessible water block was built, a panoramic lift was installed to bridge the significant height differences of Castle Hill, the railings were renovated, and 58 different-height, archaic limestone column fragments were placed on the hill, serving as seating surfaces.

The handover took place on 1 July 2010. The building complex operates as a tourism reception center, which includes a café, a wine bar and shops, but the meetings of the Primate Wine Order will also be held here. Here the history and heritage of Hungarian viticulture and winemaking are presented, and 180 Hungarian wine varieties can be tasted. The wine cellar and the hospitality units are connected to the basilica by an elevator.