Szemző House

The Szemző House, an exquisite example of Art Nouveau architecture, was constructed in the early 1910s by lawyer Sándor Szemző. Born into an Israelite family in 1876, Szemző practiced law in Budapest before settling in Kőszeg, where he established his office and served as a city councilor. During World War I, he served as a military officer and later relocated his practice to Szombathely. The house changed hands when it was sold to Ferenc Reményi, a distinguished military officer and avid traveler. Following various roles in the military, Reményi purchased the house and resided there until his passing in 1940. Throughout the years, the building underwent different uses until it eventually became the House of Arts in Kőszeg. In 2017, as part of the KRAFT program, the Szemző House underwent an extensive renovation led by architect Robert Gutowski, transforming the ground floor into research rooms and offices while preserving the original rooms and service areas. Additionally, the basement was completely refurbished to accommodate an international standard computer server room and a small lecture theatre.