10.6092/issn.1973-9494/12804
In Europa e in Ungheria, ci sono un gran numero di beni architettonici. Oggigiorno i castelli possono essere riutilizzati come scuole, alloggi comuni, ospedali o edifici residenziali. Il modo ottimale per riutilizzarli è come musei, hotel e luoghi di eventi turistici. L'attuale studio mira a presentare e valutare il riutilizzo dei castelli come hotel e valutare l'interesse dei residenti, dei gestori e dei proprietari di castelli. La ricerca si concentra sui vantaggi e gli svantaggi dei castelli trasformati hotel per la popolazione. I casi di studio sono stati condotti nella contea di Somogy, dove si trovano diversi hotel castello. Le interviste e le indagini sono essenziali metodi di ricerca. I risultati della ricerca sottolineano la necessità di collaborazione, indispensabile per riutilizzare i castelli come hotel e per soddisfare tutte le parti interessate.
application/pdf
1973-9494
12804
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Judit Péterfi
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Conservation Science in Cultural Heritage
Hungary
The Adaptive Reuse of Castles in Tourism and Settlement Development – Primary Impact Assessment of Somogy County’s Castle Hotels, Hungary
Text.Serial.Journal
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/
20
Articles
2021-05-13
2021-04-27
2021-05-13
2021-05-13
275-288
CSCH
Judit Péterfi
2020
10.6092/issn.1973-9494/12804
275
Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Pécs, Hungary
1973-9494
Hungary
en
288
The Adaptive Reuse of Castles in Tourism and Settlement Development – Primary Impact Assessment of Somogy County’s Castle Hotels, Hungary
https://conservation-science.unibo.it/article/download/12804/12521
20
T    HE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF CASTLES IN TOURISM AND
     SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT – PRIMARY IMPACT
     ASSESSMENT OF SOMOGY COUNTY’S CASTLE
     HOTELS, HUNGARY

   Judit Péterfi *
   Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science
   University of Pécs, Hungary


   Keywords: tourism, settlement development, cultural heritage, mansions, Hungary




   1. Introduction

    The castles and mansions I have studied are part of cultural tourism, heritage tour-
ism. W. Eder describes cultural tourism as such: “In a value-oriented view, cultural
tourism provides on-site realistic, comparable and consistent information on past and
present events” [1].
    Smith wrote about the elements he thought were the different parts of an activity-
based list he had created for summarizing cultural tourism, such as: heritage sites,
performing arts, visual arts, festivals and special events, religious sites, rural environ-
ments, indigenous communities and traditions, crafts, languages, gastronomy, industry
and commerce, modern mass culture, special interests [2]. Such cultural heritage val-
ues include castles, which fall within the sector of heritage tourism. Heritage tourism is
a heritage-based tourism, where heritage is the central element of the product but also
the main motivation for tourists to visit sites [3].
    Today, according to our concepts, a mansion is described as the residence of the
former aristocracy, built in rural, parked surroundings, with a large-scale, complex lay-
out, and is generally a unique, massive residential building [4].These buildings play an
important role in international tourism and within the European Union as well.
    Tourism, and particularly heritage tourism, contributes considerably to the income
of European countries. In 2018 tourism accounted for more than 10% of Hungary’s
GDP and the aim for 2030 is to reach 16% [5]. The growth of the tourism sector, the
expansion of tourist accommodation, the exploited and unexploited potentials of built
heritage all provide opportunities for rural areas and for the exploration of rural heri-
tage. These opportunities are of great importance, especially since the Hungarian capital
was the best European destination in 2019 [6]. With the emergence of over-tourism,
which is threatening Budapest as well, we need to rely more on our rural assets in the
countryside. The question is whether the results of investments, initiated by different
rural tenders and subsidies (such as the Kisfaludy Tourism Development Programme
[7] and Modern Villages Programme [8]), are going to be enough to attract tourists from
the capital to the rural areas or not.


   * Corresponding author: juditpj03@gmail.com
                                                                                                                                      The values of certain nations are gaining more and more attention both at a na-
                                                                                                                                  tional and international level. When talking about the tourist value of a region, several
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                  regional categories and heritage types come to mind. My research focuses specifically
                                                                                                                                  on rural areas and their heritage values.
                                                                                                                                      As the concept of rural areas can be defined in many different ways (for example
                                                                                                                                  Szabó [9] defined it as: Budapest – rural area, densely populated – sparsely populated
                                                                                                                                  areas, developed – underdeveloped areas), I would like to clarify that I use the classi-
                                                                                                                                  fication based on the legal categories of settlements, thus, the basis of my research is
                                                                                                                                  the town-village dichotomy. Accordingly, we can assume that cities have rural areas
                                                                                                                                  [10], which does not only manifest in the territorial pattern of the division of labour, but
                                                                                                                                  also in the differences in living conditions and types of tourism. In the past 50 years, a
                                                                                                                                  large number of the rural population has moved to the cities – because of the benefits
                                                                                                                                  of urban lifestyle – while city dwellers crave the rural idyll, indicating that villages could
                                                                                                                                  be the perfect setting for recreation [11]. Simultaneously, as a result of the “coloniza-
                                                                                                                                  tion” of rural areas by city dwellers, the number of rural homes and the recreational
                                                                                                                                  land use of rural areas has increased [12]. These processes indicate that the image of
                                                                                                                                  tourism has become stronger in villages, which could contribute to a decrease in the
                                                                                                                                  differences between the quality of life of villages and cities. At the end of the last cen-
                                                                                                                                  tury, Swarbrooke [13] had already pointed out that the development of rural tourism
                                                                                                                                  was one of the priorities in Europe because, after the relapse of agriculture and as a
                                                                                                                                  result of urbanization, rural areas were in crisis, and his argument might still hold true
                                                                                                                                  today. As a result of their historically different land use, diverse settlement heritages
                                                                                                                                  developed (untouched natural environment, farm system, manors) thus rural areas have
                                                                                                                                  great tourist potential.
                                                                                                                                      The research examines elements related to residential architectural built heri-
                                                                                                                                  tage, such as castles, chateaux, mansions, churches and other local structures with
                                                                                                                                  the principal focus being an analysis of castles and their related cultural tourism.
                                                                                                                                  This type of built heritage is usually located in rural areas with low levels of anthro-
                                                                                                                                  pogenic impact; the unspoilt natural environment consequently increases the attrac-
                                                                                                                                  tiveness of this built heritage [14]. Due to its history, Hungary has an abundance of
                                                                                                                                  castles and mansions. The reason behind the building of these castles was to rep-
                                                                                                                                  resent the splendour of the aristocracy. The most splendid, largest and illustrious
                                                                                                                                  castles were built during the Baroque and Renaissance eras and bear the different
                                                                                                                                  characteristics of the given era. These castles served as homes for noble families
                                                                                                                                  where luxury was part of their everyday life. Over time, during periods of war, this type
                                                                                                                                  of building fulfilled a more defensive function, thus more massive, closed and iso-
                                                                                                                                  lated fortified castles were built. Over the years, several transformations were car-
                                                                                                                                  ried out on the exterior and interior of castles in the style of the given era or owner.
                                                                                                                                  After the transformation of land policies, the maintenance of these buildings became
                                                                                                                                  more difficult, and the socialist era undoubtedly had the most negative effects (after
                                                                                                                                  the wars). In most cases, until the regime changed, these castles were used for com-
                                                                                                                                  pletely different purposes or were totally neglected in the name of nationalization.
                                                                                                                                  The castles were taken away from their former owners, thus their maintenance should
                                                                                                                                  have been the responsibility of the state, but in many cases, the state failed to com-
                                                                                                                                  ply [15].
                                                                                                                                      Nowadays, the task of managing cultural heritage is carried out by the Ministry re-
                                                                                                                                  sponsible for the protection of cultural heritage, in accordance with laws on heritage
                                                                                                                                  protection. Since the change in regime, entering the European Union has brought
                                                                                                                                  about significant changes. Both the state and the European Union have made the


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protection and utilization of these buildings a priority and they both provide significant
financial resources for this cause [16]. The function of castles has changed over time,
from being the houses of nobles, to offices for collectivization, to schools and muse-
ums, but the buildings themselves – irrespective of whether they are utilized or not –
belong to Hungary’s built heritage. This type of heritage is characterized by a high
level of localization; castles are tied to their environment through unique elements,
giving the region a unique character [17]. The heritage in a given settlement great-
ly contributes to its image, to the identity of the inhabitants and the local economy
and it can interact with the region in many other ways. The heritage values of the past
stand out in the present too, the value system changing according to the given eco-
nomic circumstances [18]. Its value, therefore, as well as its protection and enhance-
ment, have an accentuated importance at international level. “The main goal of cul-
tural heritage management is to conserve a representative sample of our tangible
and intangible heritage for future generations” [19]. The IESA programme – which
was established in compliance with the directives of the UNESCO – formulate the
concept of heritage management as follows: “Cultural heritage management is about
striking a balance between developing the tourism industry, generating revenue while
still conserving the physical integrity of sites, promoting and celebrating their educa-
tional, historic and cultural values” [20].
     All in all, we can say that the studied heritage values can help local economies,
strengthen localism and improve the image of settlements – even at a level of the inte-
grated protection of values. The integrated protection of values is an approach that
aims to utilize built heritage and devote attention to its physical, economic and cultural
potentials [21]. Thus, castles are not only the subject of cultural heritage research, they
also fall into the field of economic geography where castles are part of the market gen-
erating income – both directly and indirectly – for the owners, the settlements and the
state as well [15].




                                                                                                Conservation science in Cultural Heritage
   2. Study objectives and methodology

    This study is based on my earlier research, thus collecting the secondary data
was not difficult. My former research data was then updated on the basis of the re-
lated literature, laws and tender opportunities. In this research methodology, primary
sources have a greater importance, since the studied phenomena have unique char-
acteristics, are located within different settlements and have different historical back-
grounds. Therefore, the research is mostly based on soft factors and defined by the
information collected during fieldwork. Fieldwork is essential to study the castle ho-
tels of Somogy County. On these fieldtrips I had the opportunity to gather the infor-
mation about the castles personally. I also interviewed the castle owners and operators,
as well as the local mayors, either personally, on the phone or via e-mail. The inter-
views were semi-structured. Since each castle is unique, I made room for the individ-
ual opinions of these people. The interviews included questions about the operation,
renovation and development of the castles as well as an assessment of the emo-
tional and financial situation. It was also important to assess the role of the residents
within the system, either as guests using the recreational opportunities, or as workers
and as inhabitants with a local identity. In many cases, the data on the income, num-
ber of guests, taxes (tourism and business taxes) paid to the local government and
wages were not available, as the Central Statistical Office of Hungary (KSH) does


                                                                                              277
                                                                                                                                  not publish information which would violate the rights of individuals. For example, if a
                                                                                                                                  settlement has several accommodation establishments, then the data of the individ-
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                  ual accommodations cannot be traced, therefore the role of primary data, collected
                                                                                                                                  during fieldwork and interviews is important. The castle hotels of the studied area,
                                                                                                                                  Somogy county, were illustrated on a map and their basic information was recorded
                                                                                                                                  as well. The data are stored in Microsoft Excel tables, while the maps were created
                                                                                                                                  using ArcGIS 10.2.1 software.


                                                                                                                                     3. Castle hotels in Hungary

                                                                                                                                       Castles were the residences of nobles, built in rural areas with huge parks, to cel-
                                                                                                                                  ebrate their grandeur and perpetuate their power [4]. Mansions are a smaller version
                                                                                                                                  of castles, and are not to be confused, since functionally, they have always been com-
                                                                                                                                  pletely different. Castles play a major role in international tourism, and are not only
                                                                                                                                  attractive tourist destinations, they can also be the basis for the development of settle-
                                                                                                                                  ments as well [22]. The utilization of castles for tourism raises the question of heritage
                                                                                                                                  preservation because, since they are protected, their modernization and rebuilding can
                                                                                                                                  only be carried out under conditions strictly regulated by law. Furthermore, during their
                                                                                                                                  utilization the buildings, adjacent parks and the surrounding land can deteriorate, re-
                                                                                                                                  sulting in a decrease in value.
                                                                                                                                       On the other hand, if they are not utilized, they might be demolished. The real
                                                                                                                                  question is, what exactly is heritage protection/preservation? Is it passing these
                                                                                                                                  historical values down to the future generations in their original state, weathered
                                                                                                                                  by age, or reconstructing and authentically rebuilding them, thus conserving the
                                                                                                                                  building, but changing its original personal character? This study does not aim to
                                                                                                                                  solve this eternal dilemma but would like to introduce examples of practical solu-
                                                                                                                                  tions/approaches.
                                                                                                                                       For some, cultural heritage, castles included, should be utilized as resources [17],
                                                                                                                                  since they can be tools for enhancing the competitiveness of regions [23]. This sup-
                                                                                                                                  ports the idea of Hornyák when he notes that heritage should be part of the market,
                                                                                                                                  it should be regarded as a market commodity from the past which aims to satisfy pres-
                                                                                                                                  ent needs [24]. The above-mentioned statements all point to the fact that using cas-
                                                                                                                                  tles as hotels is reasonable, as both tourism and settlement development in rural
                                                                                                                                  areas can benefit, and the buildings are also preserved. However, it is important to
                                                                                                                                  note that “today’s postmodern society is selective and therefore not all cultural or
                                                                                                                                  heritage resources are equally attractive” [25]; in Hungary, “due to the monumental
                                                                                                                                  nature of its castles, they are perfect for housing ethnographic museums and exhi-
                                                                                                                                  bitions”[26], which are popular among tourists. At present 70 castles operate as ho-
                                                                                                                                  tels in Hungary (Figure 1). Although, not all of them can be categorized as castle hotels
                                                                                                                                  because according to the Hungarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (HHRA) a
                                                                                                                                  castle hotel is a hotel that meets the requirements of a minimum three-star hotel,
                                                                                                                                  operates in a mansion or other castle-like building with a historical background, and
                                                                                                                                  has high-quality services. The problem lies in the categorization of castle hotels, there
                                                                                                                                  is no database on their classification, number of stars or their operation concerning
                                                                                                                                  heritage protection aspects. In many cases, the information that makes classifica-
                                                                                                                                  tion easier can be found on the websites of castle hotels, but because of the missing
                                                                                                                                  data, this research only analyses those castle hotels which are being operated in
                                                                                                                                  castles.


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              Figure 1. Castle hotels in Hungary (Source: author, based on [27] 2019)


   3.1. Castle hotels in Somogy County

     Figure 1 shows there are several castle hotels in the studied region but not all of
them are part of this study. The castles located in Fonyód and Visz belong to the Bala-
ton Resort Area and are there-




                                                                                                    Conservation science in Cultural Heritage
fore excluded from the study.
The area along Lake Balaton
boosts both economy and tour-
ism, establishing a completely
different structure, thus, the set-
tlements and castles located
within this area are not taken
into consideration. There is an-
other castle hotel in Somogy-
geszti, but it is temporarily
closed because of changes in
ownership and renovation work,
therefore it is not represented
in Figure 1 either. As a result,
the study examines three cas-
tles which are operating at pres-
ent and are located in Somogy
county. Primary data collection
was also carried out at these
locations: Felsőmocsolád, Ka-
posújlak and Kutas (Figure 2). Figure 2. Castle hotels in Somogy county (Source: author, 2019).


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                                                                                                                                     3.1.1. Kutas and the Hertelendy Castle Hotel
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                      The Hertelendy Castle is unique in the county, because of its geographical location
                                                                                                                                  and its characteristics. As to public administration, the castle belongs to Kutas, a linear
                                                                                                                                  settlement with 1438 inhabitants [28]. The settlement found in Belső-Somogy (Inner
                                                                                                                                  Somogy) has a highly agricultural profile and the rate of unemployment was 9.88% in
                                                                                                                                  March 2019 [29]. The technical infrastructure is adequate, different services are also
                                                                                                                                  available (shop, post office, office/magistery) and local agriculture is also noteworthy.
                                                                                                                                  Its uniqueness lies in its distance from Kutas itself as the castle lies 6 kilometres (as
                                                                                                                                  the crow flies) away from the settlement and is not an integral part of it. This gives the
                                                                                                                                  structure and its adjoining facilities a sense of isolation and peacefulness [15].




                                                                                                                                                  Figure 3. The Hertelendy Castle Hotel in Kutas. (Source: [31]).


                                                                                                                                      The building of the castle was started in 1920 by Andor Hertelendy in a Classicist
                                                                                                                                  style. During the Great Depression in 1929 the family suffered great losses, so they
                                                                                                                                  were unable to finish the building. Therefore, the southern wing was finished by the
                                                                                                                                  new owner, who used contemporary plans and the building was completed in 2006.
                                                                                                                                  The castle remained undamaged after World War II, consequently, according to István
                                                                                                                                  Gyenesei, the Hertelendy family was able to live there until nationalization [30]. Unfor-
                                                                                                                                  tunately, the family lost all their belongings during nationalization, but it also meant they
                                                                                                                                  were able to get rid of their huge debt. After nationalization the State Farm of Kutas
                                                                                                                                  took over the castle, but since there was no electricity in this part of the settlement or
                                                                                                                                  paved roads leading to the castle, they were unable to find a new function for the
                                                                                                                                  castle in the 1950s. Unlike many other rural castles and mansions in Hungary at that
                                                                                                                                  time, it was not transformed into a co-operative farm centre, nursing home, school, li-


                                                                                  280
brary or mayor’s office. In the 1970s a construction camp was established in Kozma-
puszta. At that time a hostel was also built next to the Hertelendy castle in a “social
realistic” style [30].In 1990, the State Farm went bankrupt, and the building stood emp-
ty until 1997, when László Hagyánek bought it. It was he who initiated the preservation
works on the building, which saved the castle. However, he was only able to run the
building until 2002. Until then it had been operating as a three-star hunting lodge with
seven rooms and only four bathrooms. Then in 2004, thanks to a Swiss investor, large
construction works started and after about two years, when the 2.5 billion investment
was completed, the Hertelendy Castle opened its gates (Figure 3) and became the first
five-star hotel in the region [30].


   3.1.2. Felsőmocsolád and the Bánó Castle Hotel

    Felsőmocsolád is also an agricultural settlement with only 395 inhabitants in the
district of Kaposvár (www.nepesseg.com). The Bánó castle and the adjacent estate
is located in the centre of the village. The unemployment rate is 5.09%, which is
above the country’s average (3.6) [29]. The technological infrastructure is adequate
and different services are also available. The road leading to the castle was con-
structed by the present owners and the uniqueness of the castle’s location is that it
is an integral part of the settlement. The castle was built between 1810 and 1814 at
the request of Mihály Kacskovics and the 57 m long, classicist styled masterpiece
(Figure 4.) was finished after World War I by Iván Bánó. Unfortunately, just like many
other historical buildings, this castle could not avoid nationalization and it became
state property. The castle then functioned as a school, welfare house and as a nurs-
ing home until 1997, when Sándor Bánó – descendant of the original owners – start-
ed renovating the building. The castle, which lies in a beautiful natural environment
in Somogy, is still in the ownership of the Bánó family, who manage a three-star castle




                                                                                             Conservation science in Cultural Heritage
hotel in the building and are trying to make it even more attractive by expanding and
innovating the structure [32].




                Figure 4. The Bánó Estate in Felsőmocsolád. (Source: [33]).


                                                                                           281
                                                                                                                                     3.1.3. Kaposújlak and the Szarkavár
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                      Kaposújlak is also located in the district of Kaposvár, near the county seat, and has
                                                                                                                                  736 inhabitants [28]. It is also an agricultural settlement, but the rate of unemployment
                                                                                                                                  (2.61%) remains under the country’s average (www.nfsz.hu). The former Somssich
                                                                                                                                  castle can be found in the Szarkavár demesne land, about two kilometres away from
                                                                                                                                  the settlement. The castle, named after the demesne land Szarkavár, is situated in a
                                                                                                                                  green zone together with the former park and farm buildings. Pongrácz Somssich
                                                                                                                                  started the construction of the castle in 1831 in a classicist style, while his descendant,
                                                                                                                                  József expanded it with eclectic elements in 1885. The estate belonged to the family
                                                                                                                                  until 1944, when it was – as many other Hungarian castles – nationalized. Its function
                                                                                                                                  was completely different from its original one as a detention camp was established
                                                                                                                                  there. This castle was also bought in 1977 during privatization. The buyer was a Ltd
                                                                                                                                  company but is only the owner. From 2012 the operators are a Hungarian and a foreign
                                                                                                                                  private person. It is a three-star castle hotel (Figure 5) situated in a relaxing environ-
                                                                                                                                  ment [34].




                                                                                                                                               Figure 5. The Szarkavár Castle Hotel in Kaposújlak. (Source: [35]).


                                                                                                                                     4. Relationship between the castle hotels and settlements

                                                                                                                                      It can clearly be seen from the previous analysis that all three castle hotels are lo-
                                                                                                                                  cated in disadvantaged areas. The settlements are agricultural and are found in the
                                                                                                                                  inner periphery of the second most disadvantaged Euroregion (South-Transdanubia)
                                                                                                                                  of Hungary. However, the situation is even more complex; for example, the great phys-
                                                                                                                                  ical distance is usually a disadvantage when it comes to commuting, but in the case of


                                                                                       282
a castle hotel it can be an advantage. Table 1 summarizes the most important similari-
ties and differences between the castles and is based on the information collected
during the interviews.

   Table 1. Main characteristics of the castles.

 Parameters/ Castle    Hertelendy Castle Hotel   Bánó Estate       Szarka-vár Castle Hotel

Year of opening        2007                      2007              2012

 Number of stars       5                         3                 3

 Number of spaces      40                        50                37

Average price          50,000 HUF                20,000 HUF        13,000 HUF
(person/night)

 Paid taxes in 2018    2 million HUF             900,00 HUF        n.d.

   Source: On the basis of data given by the operators, author, 2019. (Paid taxes: tourism tax
and business tax; HUF = Hungarian Forint; n.d.: no data)


   4.1. Advantages

    The most important elements in Table 1 are the tourism and business taxes, since
they are paid by the managers to the settlements, so they appear as revenue on the
income statement of the municipality. (The Castle Hotel of Kaposújlak does not publish
this information and the budget of the municipality is not available either.) Tourism tax
is a type of local tax which generates revenue for municipalities. This amount can be a
maximum of 4% of a guest’s fee for one night, though the local government has the




                                                                                                   Conservation science in Cultural Heritage
opportunity not to collect these taxes [36]. In Kutas, for example, the local government
collects 3 percent of the castle’s net income.
    When analysing the advantages of castles from an economic point of view, it be-
comes clear that not only taxes matter, but also the fact that these castles create jobs.
Creating jobs not only strengthens the ability of settlements to maintain their inhabit-
ants (population retention capacity of settlements), but the wages of the locals remain
in the settlements, thus generating another positive economic effect.
    When further analysing the relationship between the castle hotels and settlements,
we cannot ignore its positive effects on local people’s sense of identity. Local people
are tied to these heritage buildings, as in many cases they went to school there or the
buildings were integral parts of their lives in other ways. Local people accept the chang-
es in ownership and the reconstructions in the buildings’ life; they are proud of these
buildings and consider them important. Value preservation, which is closely related to
this, is a process enabled by the owners of the castles, but its results are felt by the
locals because, besides saving a heritage building from destruction, the managers of
the buildings emphasize the protection of the natural environment and the necessity of
taking care of it.
    Furthermore, the owners and operators of castle hotels actively practise corporate
social responsibility because they provide free entrance to the area, with the castle in
Kutas helping local people with donations as well. Besides economic advantages (tax-
es, wages, infrastructural developments), positive moral and aesthetic effects also ap-


                                                                                                 283
                                                                                                                                  pear in the way castles can contribute to the development of rural areas. Hotel keepers
                                                                                                                                  are in active co-operation with local residents and leaders, so the settlements can also
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                  benefit from their positive effects. As mentioned earlier, all castles have their own his-
                                                                                                                                  tory, method of adaptive reuse and success, depending on their geographical endow-
                                                                                                                                  ments, but they all have their advantages and disadvantages as well.



                                                                                                                                     4.2. Disadvantages

                                                                                                                                       The distance between the building and the settlement (for example in the case of
                                                                                                                                  Kutas) could be regarded as a disadvantage, because guests would probably not
                                                                                                                                  use the local services and the accessibility of the castle could also be difficult. Apart
                                                                                                                                  from the physical distance, there may be a mental distance on the part of the local
                                                                                                                                  people, as many of them have nothing to do with the hotels, they are not actively
                                                                                                                                  interested in them, it is foreign people who stay there and foreign people who are the
                                                                                                                                  owners. If the owner or the operator is a foreigner (Kutas, partly Felsőmocsolád) lo-
                                                                                                                                  cals tend to act in an aloof manner. The studied castles are typically open season-
                                                                                                                                  ally, which appears to be a disadvantage in terms of income, and it is a disadvantage
                                                                                                                                  for the employees, too. Seasonal operation is reasonable, as businesses usually break
                                                                                                                                  even, and they generally have to carry out new developments (international sports
                                                                                                                                  events and wellness centres) for the rest of the year. This is a good investment be-
                                                                                                                                  cause returning clientele can be motivated this way. The guests of the castle hotels
                                                                                                                                  – especially in the case of Hertelendy Castle Hotel – are usually wealthy people who
                                                                                                                                  provoke negative reactions from local people and even from the local leadership.
                                                                                                                                  However, purchasing and renovating a castle is quite costly and if they are not mul-
                                                                                                                                  tifaceted (such as the orchard in Kutas, an agricultural asset in Felsőmocsolád), their
                                                                                                                                  operation is not profitable. Buying these castles was more of an emotional decision
                                                                                                                                  on the side of the owners rather than an economic one. The future of castle hotels is
                                                                                                                                  uncertain but as long as they operate, they actively shape the rural area and its in-
                                                                                                                                  habitants.



                                                                                                                                     4.3. Castle hotels as solutions to the problems of rural areas?

                                                                                                                                      All the studied castles are found in rural areas where the typical issues of the Hun-
                                                                                                                                  garian countryside are also present; these in turn have negative repercussions for the
                                                                                                                                  nearby villages (Figure 6.). The most striking problems are population decline and the
                                                                                                                                  aging population in rural areas, which affect not only Somogy county, but the nation as
                                                                                                                                  a whole. The reasons behind demographic erosion are sub-replacement fertility and
                                                                                                                                  emigration, both of which are becoming more and more intense. Most of the already
                                                                                                                                  disadvantaged villages, and other small villages, and hamlets which are difficult to
                                                                                                                                  reach and are situated within the inner periphery, are the first to lose their population.
                                                                                                                                  Both human and technological infrastructures are, moreover, poor in these settlements
                                                                                                                                  (public services, lack of mobility opportunities, lack of supply, unemployment). All these
                                                                                                                                  factors lead to the marginalization of local society and often to segregation based on
                                                                                                                                  wealth or ethnicity. As a result of these processes, these peripheral villages are, at
                                                                                                                                  times, segregated from the settlements [37]. The question is, will these settlements be
                                                                                                                                  able to survive or not?


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       Figure 6. Problems in rural areas. (Source: author, based on [38] and [39], 2019).


    If the potentials hidden in the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the
countryside in Somogy were utilized, then not only the Balaton region and its festivals,
but the idyll of the countryside, the natural environment and the castle hotels them-
selves would attract tourists and become prominent features of the area. The aim of
tourism is to help these new areas catch up and transform their potential attractions,
which when complemented with appropriate services and programmes, can become
tourist products [40]. “In today’s world, rural tourism as a strategy for rural development
is widely used and many thinkers and planners pay special attention to it, because they
believe that developing rural tourism is a good strategy to drive rural development,
helping to face challenges and solve problems” [41]. Rural tourism is more diverse
than the present study can show. Active recreation, hiking, traditions and gastronomy,
which includes not only local food but also the culture and traditions of the area, are




                                                                                                Conservation science in Cultural Heritage
also an integral part of rural tourism. [42].
    The utilization of castles in tourism are a possible solution to the problems that
have been mentioned. They can create jobs, revenue and donations and improve the
economy of rural settlements by decreasing the level of unemployment and the rate of
emigration. They can moreover contribute to the amelioration of technological infrastruc-
tures by creating the necessary roads, waste disposal systems and even facilitate in-
ternet accessibility. The lack of education and low income, together with the agricul-
tural profile, have a negative effect on these regions so that the castles can only help
indirectly, and in part provide a solution. It can be clearly seen from these aspects, how
the positive externalities generated by the operation of a castle can appear locally.


   5. Discussion

    The relationship between the reuse of castles and the development of rural areas
clearly shows the potentials existing in the value protection of castles and settlements.
Reusing castles for tourist purposes is a logical way to give these buildings a new func-
tion, as well as a way of preserving them. In my opinion this is one of the best ways to
operate these castles in a nearly identical way to their original function. Special atten-
tion is paid to value protection during improvements and maintenance work, so the
castle structure is properly preserved. As a result of tourism, the settlements obtain


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                                                                                                                                  income which can strengthen the local economy and can contribute to improving the
                                                                                                                                  quality of life. Nevertheless, integrated value protection could also be a solution to save
J. Péterfi - The adaptive reuse of castles in tourism and settlement development – primary impact assessment of Somogy County’s




                                                                                                                                  the castles from total destruction. As to the future of a large number of non-utilized
                                                                                                                                  castles, there is unfortunately no possibility of renovating them all with state funds.
                                                                                                                                       The present study has presented the castle hotels operating in Somogy county and
                                                                                                                                  their relationship with the local government and local people. After considering the pros
                                                                                                                                  and cons, we can conclude that these castles have some economic advantages, so it
                                                                                                                                  is worth reusing them. Cooperation between the municipalities, the inhabitants and the
                                                                                                                                  owners could be beneficial as well, provided investments are made for the right pur-
                                                                                                                                  poses. As for the question of heritage protection, in my opinion, reusing castles for tourist
                                                                                                                                  purposes – especially as hotels – contribute to their preservation as cultural heritage.
                                                                                                                                  In addition to protecting heritage, tourism and rural development, two interdisciplinary
                                                                                                                                  fields of geography, can coexist. In this study, tourism proves to be a potential instrument
                                                                                                                                  for developing rural areas through which the economy of the settlements, the identity of
                                                                                                                                  the local people and their quality of life can improve.


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                                                                                                                                      Biographical Notes

                                                                                                                                      Judit Péterfi is a third-year PhD-student at the University of Pécs, Hungary. As a
                                                                                                                                  student in the Department of Tourism, she also attends university as a teacher. Her
                                                                                                                                  research area is the utilization of castles and their effects on settlements. She has
                                                                                                                                  published many studies on the utilization of cultural heritage and she is writing her
                                                                                                                                  dissertation on this topic. As a member of the Doctoral School of Earth Sciences, she
                                                                                                                                  is committed to sharing her scientific results.



                                                                                                                                      Summary

                                                                                                                                       In Europe and in Hungary, there are a large number of built heritage assets. Nowa-
                                                                                                                                  days castles can be reused as schools, common lodging houses, hospitals or residen-
                                                                                                                                  tial buildings. The optimal way to reuse them is as museums, hotels and event venues
                                                                                                                                  for tourist purposes. The current study aims to present and evaluate the adaptive reuse
                                                                                                                                  of castles as hotels and assess the interest of local residents, leaders and castle-owners.
                                                                                                                                  The research focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of castle hotels in the life
                                                                                                                                  of the settlements. The case studies were conducted in Somogy County, where sev-
                                                                                                                                  eral castle hotels are located. Interviews and surveys are essential research methods.
                                                                                                                                  The research emphasizes the need for co-operation, which is indispensable for reus-
                                                                                                                                  ing the castles as hotels, to satisfy all stakeholders.


                                                                                                                                      Riassunto

                                                                                                                                      In Europa e in Ungheria, ci sono un gran numero di beni architettonici. Oggigiorno i
                                                                                                                                  castelli possono essere riutilizzati come scuole, alloggi comuni, ospedali o edifici resi-
                                                                                                                                  denziali. Il modo ottimale per riutilizzarli è come musei, hotel e luoghi di eventi turistici.
                                                                                                                                  L’attuale studio mira a presentare e valutare il riutilizzo dei castelli come hotel e valu-
                                                                                                                                  tare l’interesse dei residenti, dei gestori e dei proprietari di castelli. La ricerca si con-
                                                                                                                                  centra sui vantaggi e gli svantaggi dei castelli trasformati hotel per la popolazione. I casi
                                                                                                                                  di studio sono stati condotti nella contea di Somogy, dove si trovano diversi hotel ca-
                                                                                                                                  stello. Le interviste e le indagini sono essenziali metodi di ricerca. I risultati della ricerca
                                                                                                                                  sottolineano la necessità di collaborazione, indispensabile per riutilizzare i castelli come
                                                                                                                                  hotel e per soddisfare tutte le parti interessate.



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