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Waldsassen Abbey

An abbey on the move - a site with a fresh character.

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Location Basilikaplatz 2, 95652 Waldsassen

Builder M. Laetitia Fech OCist., Abbess Cistercian Abbey Waldsassen

Planning Brückner & Brückner Architekten Tirschenreuth

Execution Nüthen Restaurierungen Erfurt

  • Baroque setting extensively renovated: Waldsassen Abbey on the border between Bavaria and the Czech Republic.

    Baroque setting extensively renovated: Waldsassen Abbey on the border between Bavaria and the Czech Republic.
  • Before the facade renovation, the buildings (here the gatekeeper wing) were suffering from major damage on the render, such as cracks and flaking. The brickwork was salt-laden up to a height of two meters in many areas.

    Before the facade renovation, the buildings (here the gatekeeper wing) were suffering from major damage on the render, such as cracks and flaking. The brickwork was salt-laden up to a height of two meters in many areas.
  • The same building section after the renovation.

    The same building section after the renovation.
  • With meticulous attention to detail, render and paint were removed before the coating was re-applied.

    With meticulous attention to detail, render and paint were removed before the coating was re-applied.
  • An elongated side wing, the basilica and two other building complexes grouped around two courtyards: The impressive volume of the abbey grounds, with its 9,000 square meters of facade surface, is only revealed to the visitor gradually.

    An elongated side wing, the basilica and two other building complexes grouped around two courtyards: The impressive volume of the abbey grounds, with its 9,000 square meters of facade surface, is only revealed to the visitor gradually.
  • An elongated side wing, the basilica and two other building complexes grouped around two courtyards: The impressive volume of the abbey grounds, with its 9,000 square meters of facade surface, is only revealed to the visitor gradually.

    An elongated side wing, the basilica and two other building complexes grouped around two courtyards: The impressive volume of the abbey grounds, with its 9,000 square meters of facade surface, is only revealed to the visitor gradually.
  • Since Autumn 2010, the south wing shines once again in its baroque splendor. Pilasters and moldings were highlighted in light gray, the recessed parapet transoms and decorations were coated with antique pink.

    Since Autumn 2010, the south wing shines once again in its baroque splendor. Pilasters and moldings were highlighted in light gray, the recessed parapet transoms and decorations were coated with antique pink.
  • White is used for the color scheme according to the historical findings in the recesses on the library wing, details like the rough render transoms and pilasters are colored in gray. The top coat with Brillux Silicone Facade Paint 918 will provide lasting protection in the future – and emphasizes the render structures clearly with a glazed appearance.

    White is used for the color scheme according to the historical findings in the recesses on the library wing, details like the rough render transoms and pilasters are colored in gray. The top coat with Brillux Silicone Facade Paint 918 will provide lasting protection in the future – and emphasizes the render structures clearly with a glazed appearance.

After 15 years of non-stop work on the general renovation, the 1st since the baroque period, calm was finally restored in spring 2011 at the Waldsassen Abbey in Upper Palatinate. Gone were the hoards of tradesmen and restoration workers – what remained was an impressive complex of baroque buildings, with facades that are now every bit as fit for the future as the concept adopted by the abbey. On 19th March 2011, a celebration was held in the basilica of Waldsassen Abbey, 100 kilometers north of Regensburg, to mark the completion of extensive renovation work. Happy faces everywhere, only one has a slight concern – guest speaker Horst Seehofer, the Bavarian Prime Minister: “My dear abbess”, he turned to the head of the abbey, “I had just one concern with this project, and that was that, with your special charm, it was quite conceivable that you would raise more money than was needed to cover the building costs.” The audience grin approvingly. It is certainly true that the dedicated abbess at Waldsassen Abbey, Laetitia Fech, together with the sisters of the Cistercian convent, overcame several Herculean tasks impressively over the 15 years. Any facade coating is only as good as its build-up – and, as with the entire general renovation, the responsible parties in Waldsassen were extremely cautious here and relied on the outstanding performance of the Brillux system components. The restorer selected the color based on historical findings together with the monument protection authority and in accordance with the regulations for historical monuments, and had sample areas created. Firstly, the render was prepared with Brillux Silicone Hydro Primer 913. This primer penetrates deeply, makes the base layer water repellent, stabilizes it and also balances out any differences in absorbency. With Silicone Brush-on Filler 910, the painters from Nüthen Restaurierungen, who are active exclusively in the preservation of art monuments and historical buildings, applied a prime coat in two layers. They used this to coat the facade surfaces, including the decorative stucco, balustrade areas and box surfaces, window niches, pilasters and bases. A glazing, optimally selected coating with Silicone Facade Paint 918 forms the top coat. The recessed facade surfaces were coated in lime white. Pilasters and moldings were highlighted in light gray. Capitals, bases and window niches received a glazing coat in dark gray, as well as the rough render surfaces of the parapet transoms on the chemist, library and gate wing. The color canon typical of the baroque period is rounded off with antique pink used to coat the parapet transoms on the south and east wing. All color shades were tinted to create the exact required nuance via the Brillux color system at the Hof branch – and, from there, the almost 250 containers of the silicone system were delivered to the building site “just in time”. Thanks to the good cooperation between all involved, the work stayed on schedule – despite the difficult weather conditions in spring and summer 2010. The specialist magazine Malerblatt reported on this object:View article (PDF)

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