Theme:
1. Artefacts, Buildings & Ecofacts
Session format:
Regular session
Title:
Methods, Meanings and Maintenance - Approaches to Medieval Ecclesiastical Buildings
Content:
Since the 19th century, medieval churches have been valued as important cultural heritage and have been investigated frequently and intensively in many countries. In recent times, studies have been also addressed to roofs and attics constituting the unique testimony of still standing and functioning original wooden constructions from the Middle Ages.
The fire of Notre-Dame of Paris in 2019 as well as destructions of many other ecclesiastical buildings have reminded us how important it is to make surveys and studies and document the constructions in detail when they are still standing. Church attics and roof constructions (as well as attics of other buildings) contain and demonstrate both tangible and intangible heritage manifesting the expertise and craftsmanship of the time, engineering and woodworking skills, emergence and existence of professional networks, transition of know-how and adoption of innovations.
In this session, we invite participants to present past and on-going studies about churches and other monumental buildings focusing on the following issues:
- documentation, surveys and research methods (with special attention to roof constructions)
- resource management (including production, acquisition, and use of the materials) related to construction and maintenance of monumental architecture
- building workshops, constructors, and the identity of builders
- emergence and transition of innovations and local traditions
- restorations and transformations in different times
Furthermore, we welcome papers discussing how the churches and other monumental buildings, notably their attics, were used and viewed at different times and how the aspects of heritage have been and are considered and discussed by different parties when justifying the preservation or transformation of monumental buildings and environments in changing societies. We wish to highlight the invisible roofs and attics as an important part of architectural history and heritage and increase communication between experts representing different research fields and related praxis.
Keywords:
Middle Ages, church, monumental architecture, timber structures, documentation, heritage
Session associated with MERC:
yes
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Session associated with CAA:
no
Session associated with DGUF:
no
Session associated with other:
Main organiser:
Liisa Seppanen (Finland) 1,2
Co-organisers:
Panu Savolainen (Finland) 1
Tilo Schöfbeck (Germany) 3
Matthias Hallgren (Sweden) 3
Affiliations:
1. Aalto University
2. Helsinki University
3. Independent researcher
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