Schongauer could immerse themselves in the history of the Fronveste

Created: 08/02/2022, 16:00

During the tour of the former mint building: Schongau's deputy master builder Robert Thomas explained the conversion to the Fronfest to interested parties.

© Gallmetzer

The mint building is one of the oldest buildings in Schongau.

Some parts date from the 13th century.

A modern working environment for employees of the district office has been hiding behind the walls of the Fronfest for some time.

Interested parties were able to visit the premises at an open day.

Schongau

– For a long time it was unclear what would happen to the mint building, which once served as a corporal fortress, after the police moved out of the building in 2008.

"There was no lack of ideas," revealed Mayor Falk Sluyterman at the beginning of his speech on the "Open Day" at the mint building.

Nevertheless, the city has not found a suitable anchor tenant for a long time.

That changed in 2017 when the district office was looking for more office space.

"The building didn't look so friendly back then, but it exuded so much character," recalled District Administrator Andrea Jochner-Weiss of the first joint visits to the house.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place in February 2019 and the move-in started in 2020

The request of the district office to move there with several departments was well received by the Schongau city council.

In order to enable adequate use, the renovation was tackled.

The groundbreaking ceremony was in February 2019, and the premises could be occupied in 2020.

The fact that the public has only now gained insight is due to the pandemic.

"When you drive into the city, you inevitably pass this place," Sluyterman emphasized the relevance of the building, whose outer wall is the city wall.

"Now it can really be shown", he praised the achievements of all planners and construction companies involved.

Precision landing in terms of costs

"The rooms have been completely redesigned," explained the mayor that 16 modern workplaces had been created.

The outdoor area has also been redesigned and has numerous flower beds, seating areas and even a herb garden.

According to the mayor, the deputy master builder Robert Thomas managed to "almost hit the spot" when it came to the costs.

The repair of the building cost 2.8 million euros, of which 902,000 euros were subsidized by the government of Upper Bavaria.

The work on the outdoor facilities totaled one million euros, with grants totaling 495,000 euros.

From the roof truss to the cellar there is a lot to discover

Together with Thomas, the visitors were able to experience guided tours through the house throughout the day.

He had many interesting details to report.

It all started in the tower hall on the top floor: "The roof truss was a bit worse than initially expected," explained Thomas.

Nevertheless, the original substance should be preserved.

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The solution: A completely new roof truss was put on the outside and the previous one attached to it.

The old beams are now a detail that is clearly visible in the hall and exudes historical charm.

Difficult thing with the house technology

Parts of the wall of the crown of the historical tower were also left unclad and made visible by a skylight.

Together with a dark floor and a tricky lighting concept, a very special atmosphere is created in the hall, which can be rented.

Thomas is delighted with the result: "It's like day and night."

Monument protection was always to be observed.

The building technology could not simply be relocated everywhere.

On the ground floor, the heating was placed in the floor, on the first floor behind a lattice panelling.

Technology was also hidden in built-in cupboards.

The color scheme is designed for the visually impaired

The lift also posed a challenge. Outside the district office's opening hours, it was only supposed to access the ground floor and hall and at the same time be integrated into the look of the top floor.

This problem was mastered by a glass shell.

It was also difficult to ensure accessibility.

But with a lift, wide doors and two barrier-free toilets, the “Rolliwelten” association succeeded in doing this in close consultation with me.

Many historical details can be discovered

The color scheme has also been designed with the visually impaired in mind: the doors are dark in contrast to the light blue and white of the walls, which were chosen to reflect one of the many layers of old paint.

Historical details have always been preserved, such as in an office where the passage to the former defense tower can be seen: an old cell door made of wood from the late 19th century in the hallway on the ground floor is also a reminder of the past.

Other exciting finds such as a path made of stream pebbles or fireplaces are no longer visible, but archaeologists have meticulously noted everything.

Numerous offices represented in the house

"We feel comfortable here," reveals Claudia Altenberger, who works at the care base.

In addition to this, the senior citizens’ department, the care center, the specialist department for nursing and disabled facilities as well as quality development and home supervision are also located at Münzstraße 48.

URSULA GALLMETZER

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