Podsumowanie obrad sympozjum "Konserwacja reliktów średniowiecznej architektury monumentalnej", Warszawa-Lednica, 24-26 maj 1994

• Authors: Lehmann Janusz

Title variants

EN

A Summary of the Debates of the Symposium on „The Conservation of the Relics of Mediaeval Monumental Architecture", Warsaw — Lednica, 24-26 May 1994

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

The symposium held in Warsaw and Lednica was thesixth meeting organised by the PKN ICOM ConservationCommittee (the previous ones were held in Łodź 1979,Warsaw 1983, Łańcut 1985, Poznań 1987 and Łodź 1989).This time, new principles were introduced and invitationsissued to earlier selected persons were replaced by suitableannouncements and the propagation of information amonginterested specialist institutions and conservation associations,both domestic and foreign. The symposium wasattended by 62 Polish and foreign specialists. The theme of the encounter was suggested by prof.dr Aleksander Gieysztor who was also the chairman of theScientific Commission of the Symposium. Other membersof the Commission included prof. dr Zofia Kurnatowska,doc. dr Roża Krzywobłocka-Laurow, prof. dr AleksanderGrygorowicz, dr Wojciech Fijałkowski, Andrzej Kaszubkiewicz,M. A., and dr Janusz Lehmann. The symposium was organised by Danuta Gawinowa(PKN ICOM), Ewa Siurawska, M. A. (TOnZ) and dr JanuszLehmann (MPP). The programme was composed of a presentationof papers and a tour of mediaeval monumentalarchitecture in Cracow. The papers were read at the Royal Castle in Warsaw on24 and 25 May 1994; this part of the symposium was dividedinto three sessions: 1. the ethics and politics of the protection, managementand display of the relics of mediaeval monumental architecture(6 papers and 1 communique); 2. conservation praxis — examples of the conservationof the relics of mediaeval monumental architecture (7 papers); 3. processes of damage, methods of conservation, researchand laboratory analyses (8 papers). A large number of the participants attended a discussionin which they expressed their critical assessments of thetheses proposed in the papers which they confronted withtheir own observations and experiences. Both the papersand the ensuing discussion did not exhaust the wide rangeof the problems outlined in the title of the symposium.Emphasis was placed on the fact that the progress of scienceand newly gained experiences are constantly offering newperspectives which determine the evolution of the theoryand praxis of the conservation of mediaeval monumentalarchitecture; the development of international and domesticcooperation must be continued in the following realms: — the discovery of the relics and ensuing research, — the improvement of the techique of discovery and protection, — physical, chemical and biological studies of materialsand the mechanisms of their destruction as well as thepossibilities of their protection; — the perfection of the methods of conservation and preservation, — the management, display and availability of the relics tothe public. The disclosure of relics of monumental architecture inthe course of archeological investigations imposes a moralresponsibility for their further preservation. Already the verymoment of their discovery should be accompanied byundertakings aimed at their protection and securing. A considerablepart of the archeological and architectonic relicsunearthed in the course of research is subsequently examinedand registered, only to be once again buried or walledup in a manner which in the future could make it impossibleto reach them easily and at a small cost. The reburial andwalling up of a relic should be treated as a method forsecuring it. These cases call for the quickest possiblesummary and popularisation of suitable methods. A permanentsecuring of the relics of mediaeval monumental architectureis one of the goals of physical, chemical andbiological research which has been conducted for overa century. Progress attained in this domain is considerabledue to the intensity of the studies, the relatively wellorganised publication of their outcome and an exchange of experiences. Nonetheless, optimal solutions still remaina distant goal. The prevalent situation is additionally complicatedby growing threats produced by the increasinglypolluted natural environment. The management and displayof the discovered and safeguarded relics of mediaevalmonumental architecture should entail protection againstthe harmful impact of climatic factors, chemical and biologicalcontamination as well as mechanical damage causedeither by visitors, a careless or incompetent staff or theimproper organisation and arrangement of the exhibit. Two postulates were proposed: 1. to make the published conference material availableto libraries of institutions engaged in conservation studiesand activity. The latter find it particularly necessary toclosely follow the current tendencies and achievements ofconservation thought and praxis; 2. to organise in the near future a similar symposiumwhich would take into consideration to an even greaterextent the aesthetic problems of the conservation of thoserelics which are not works of art. The second part of the symposium enabled its participantsto become acquainted with examples of variousapproaches to the conservation of monumental mediaevalarchitecture in Poland. The tour featured: in Warsaw — relics uncovered during the reconstructionof the Old Town and the Royal Castle; in Poznań — the historical complex of Ostrow Tumskitogether with the cathedral, the Lubrański collegiate church,the church of the Holy Virgin Mary, the palace of thearchbishop, the psalter houses and cloisters; in Giecz and Ostrow Lednicki — objects in early mediaevalcastle-towns; in Gniezno — relics of pre-Romanesque and Romanesquearchitecture (which include the oldest Polish gypsuminscription plate, discovered in the cathedral during archeologicalexcavations); in Strzelno — the former monastic complex with therotunda of St. Prokop; in Cracow — the historical town centre with the Market Place and Wawel castle; in Wieliczka — the salt mine.

• Publisher: Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• Journal: Ochrona Zabytków
• Year: 1995
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 101-103

Dates

published

1995

Contributors

author

Lehmann Janusz

Identifiers

ISSN

0029-8247