As of: March 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m
By: Andreas Steppan
Comments
Press
Split
Art treasures on the church ceiling: The paintings in the baroque Reutberg monastery church urgently need cleaning.
© Arndt Pröhl
The pilgrimage church of Reutberg Monastery has been closed for interior renovations for almost a year.
Insights into the status of the work were provided during a tour of the construction site.
Sachsenkam
- Scaffolding almost completely fills the magnificent room, the organ has disappeared behind a tarpaulin, here and there church painters and restorers can be seen at work.
The final construction phase of the comprehensive church renovation is underway in the Reutberg monastery church, which began in 2021 with the external repairs to the tower.
First, the tower and roof structure in Reutberg were renovated
The interior repair of the tower and the renovation of the roof structure above the church followed in 2022.
The interior renovation of the church is now the most complex part - financially, but also in terms of working hours.
In the meantime, services take place in a Salettl in the monastery garden, which has been converted into an interim church.
There is space for 30 to 40 believers here.
A bronze plaque honors the contribution of the German Foundation for Monument Protection to the repair of the monastery church.
Axel Hofstadt, local curator in Munich, handed over the plaque to Sister Benedicta.
© Arndt Pröhl
Last year the electrical installation in the monastery church was renewed.
This was explained on site on Wednesday by architect Hermann Thurner and project manager Hans-Jürgen Dennemarck during a visit by representatives of the German Foundation for Monument Protection, which subsidized the church renovation with 75,000 euros again this year.
In addition, the heating of the church was redesigned - with component temperature control via pipes in the outer walls and underfloor heating in the gallery, where the Reutberg sisters gather to pray.
Candle soot on paintings on the church ceiling
This year the main focus is on historical art in the church interior.
Church painters and restorers should make the paintings on the walls and ceiling shine again.
Most of it is painted on plaster, a central depiction of the Annunciation on canvas.
Due to candle soot, the old heating and also condensation, only pitch-black areas of the paintings were finally visible.
My news
1 hour ago
Pirate ship at the Tölzer “Jailhouse”: Read the end of the “Unsinkbar”.
At Walchensee: Tolls on popular excursion routes will be increased
The Moralt area is to become a new Tölzer district: waiting for the urban development contract to be read
“Serious injuries”: Motorcycle accident at Walchensee with dire consequences – federal road closedread
Suddenly money is at the door - Gaißach company is looking for missing heirs
Near Kochler Alm: Tree knocked over to steal chained mountain bike
Church painter Ewald Schmauß uses a dry sponge to tackle the deposits on the ceiling.
© Arndt Pröhl
We are currently faced with a conscience decision: Do we “just” want to clean and preserve the paintings thoroughly, as originally intended?
This also results in a “significant improvement,” says Thurner, but “you have to live with a somewhat dull, matte result.”
The reason for this is partly massive damage that occurred during the last renovation in 1961.
The alternative would be extensive retouching, i.e. partially repainting.
But that would involve high additional costs.
“We need donors for this,” said Sister Benedicta, who runs the monastery.
In addition, the repair would take significantly longer.
The goal is to celebrate the first service in the church again on the first Sunday of Advent.
The vault of the Loreto Chapel in Reutberg is said to glitter
The question of how the heart of the church, the Loreto Chapel, should be designed has been largely clarified.
A blue vault of sky stretches above her.
Here it was determined from drops of paint on the cornice that this ceiling was once a brilliant color of smalt blue, with the paint containing ground glass.
This creates “an incredible effect,” says the architect.
This glittering image should probably be restored.
There are also plans to increase the number of gold-plated stars made of wood and plaster in this “sky”.
In 1961, about half of the stars were removed.
Renovation of the Reutberg monastery church costs three million euros
Last but not least, a new lighting concept will be implemented this year.
There are pendant lights in the nave that shine upwards and downwards, and small spotlights in the Loreto Chapel - all in LED and adjustable to different lighting moods.
According to current planning, the costs of all renovation measures amount to around three million euros.
The financing is made possible by numerous donors, such as the archdiocese, the district and the municipality of Sachsenkam, through federal funds from special programs for monument protection as well as donations from the Kloster Reutberg support association and from private individuals.