Prefect's house

At the end of the 18^th century, many important buildings were constructed on the royal demesne of Tarcal. One of them is known by the name of the Prefect’s House, whose architect was master builder Johann Jung, who is credited with several other buildings in Tarcal. This building was the home and ’office’ of the prefect, who was the steward of the king’s lands, called the royal demesne. The old plans still include a prison but it was later demolished.

According to the original drawings, the single-storey building had a timber porch and a decorated gable on its street elevation. It must have been constructed in at least two phases, and it was also converted several times throughout its history: interior partition walls were added, synthetic cladding and PVC flooring were installed, and the windows were replaced by new ones that did not follow the original design.

The prefect’s house was built on the edge of the plot and had a farm building (perhaps stables) at right angles at its end. Running along the side of the main building was a porch with timber columns and the string of rooms behind it opened from one another, with some subsequent interior conversions being noticeable.

The local government of Tarcal decided to use the extremely dilapidated building as a holiday let. The existing access to the residential units from the porch provided the opportunity to save the building at the cost of a relatively small-scale conversion. The six units have a capacity for 22 guests, while the annex in the garden was given the function of a communal space with a kitchen and a newly built covered terrace.

The windows were restored to their original appearance. Two old fireplaces were also recovered and restored, while the original timber structure behind the plastered ceiling was also found in several rooms. A unique bathroom was built in the place of what once was a vaulted kitchen with a free chimney.

Old ceramic tiles were used to cover the roof, while they reused the old bricks from the attic to pave the porch. Wherever it was possible, the original wall structure and boards were retained, and the framework and roof only needed to be completely replaced in the rear wing. Some of the interior and exterior doors were successfully salvaged and are now valuable treasures in the renovated building.

The Prefect’s House is a very important listed monument in the municipality of Tarcal and the Tokaj-Hegyalja region, with its salvaging and authentic renovation making the local inhabitants proud, while also attracting tourists visiting Tarcal.