The St. Paul cemetery church in Erding has a new larchwood church tower hood. Up to 9000 shingles are required for this. A delicate handicraft.
Erding - Carpenters are working on the onion tower of the St. Paul cemetery church in Erding. They measure, hammer, saw and create something new. The old roof of the hood was rotten. The work of specialists was required before major damage developed.
Master carpenter Marcus Grabrucker masters the old craft of wooden shingle roofing. His carpentry is in Thal near Kirchberg in the woodlands. Over the years, the Grabrucker family has specialized in the renovation of churches, castles and other listed buildings.
The tower of the St. Paul Church of God is given a new roof made of local larch wood. "Before there were shingles made of red cedar wood, but larch is more durable," explains Grabrucker. The larch would have served for over 50 years.
8000 to 9000 shingles are required - applied in three layers. The wood must be steamed hot beforehand so that it can be bent. Then the millimeter-precise cutting takes place so that the curves of the onion dome are perfect.
In St. Paul, three craftsmen are employed for around three months. "It is an interesting but also arduous job," says Grabrucker. (Peter Bauersachs)
